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Los Banos council reviews $13 million concept for Colorado Ballpark, asks staff to pursue grants and refine financing
Summary
City staff presented a $13 million concept plan for Colorado Ballpark renovation July 16 and outlined financing options that rely on a mix of a $1 million legislatively specified grant, park development reserves and a proposed $7 million private loan repaid from impact fees; council directed staff to continue design work and pursue grant funding.
City officials reviewed a concept design and financing plan for renovating Colorado Ballpark and asked staff to continue design work and pursue grant funding.The presentation, made by Acting Public Works Director and Parks and Recreation staff, covered a conceptual layout for two smaller ball fields, a consolidated parking plaza, expanded skate amenities, and an open family space. Staff proposed a project budget of about $13,000,000 and presented several financing scenarios.
Why it matters: Colorado Ballpark is one of Los Banos’s older parks, hosts Little League play and community events, and city leaders said improvements would address structural and accessibility concerns while creating year-round recreational space.
City staff said the plan grew from public outreach that began in 2019 and was reinforced in the 2021 parks master plan and recent community meetings. Acting Public Works Director Joe Heine told the council, “we're proposing an estimated $13,000,000 project budget for this particular improvement.” He said the concept preserves the existing park footprint while adding a pedestrian loop, consolidated parking and upgraded support buildings.
On financing, staff outlined a preferred approach that would pair a $1,000,000 legislatively specified grant with $5,000,000 from the Park Development Fund reserve and a $7,000,000 private loan to be repaid over 20 years from park impact fee revenue. Heine said the Park Development Fund had a projected fiscal-year-end reserve of about $10.93 million and five-year average operating income near $951,000, figures staff used to assess repayment capacity. Staff also said the city would apply for a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant that could provide up to $6,000,000 in matching funds, which would materially reduce borrowing need.
Council members asked about alternatives, the timing of grant awards, and possible tradeoffs with other planned park projects (Westside dog park, pump track, and Southpointe Basin). Several council members emphasized caution about borrowing and suggested options such as delaying less-urgent projects, increasing the amount drawn from reserves if the council chose to reduce borrowing, or extending loan terms if necessary. Heine said the staff recommendation preserved capacity to pursue other park projects and that loan prepayment would be allowed with no penalty.
No binding vote was taken on the concept; the council provided direction to continue design work, pursue grant applications (including LWCF), and return with refined financing options and more detailed cost estimates.
Staff and next steps: Heine said staff will continue engineering and community engagement, refine cost estimates, pursue the LWCF application (due in August), and return to council with financing options and implementation details.
Ending: The council’s review cleared a path for staff to keep developing the concept and to seek external grant funding; because no formal adoption or contract award was requested, the project will return to the council for future budget and financing approvals.
