County commits $1.5 million to Santa Maria sports complex; city council to consider $5.5 million request

Santa Maria recreation officials said the county board of supervisors voted to contribute $1.5 million toward a proposed sports complex, and city staff are asking the City Council to approve an additional $5.5 million to complete construction.

Mr. Posada, recreation and parks director, said the county vote was unanimous and that the city has been accounting on that county contribution. "We did secure our funding from the board of supervisors, which we... they voted yes," he said during the commission meeting.

The additional $5.5 million would be a staff request the City Council is scheduled to consider at its next meeting. City staff told commissioners the project cost estimate has risen since it was first scoped: officials now expect the complex to run in the $16 million to $17 million range compared with an initial estimate of roughly $9 million several years ago.

The director said part of the cost increase stems from higher material prices and some mitigation measures tied to the site's prior agricultural use. Funding the shortfall would come largely from the city's park growth mitigation program; staff said new mitigation fee revenue from development would be used to repay the $5.5 million.

One remaining, unfunded element is stadium-grade field lighting. Staff said the plan would install the infrastructure for lighting but not the light fixtures themselves; at current prices, full lighting for the four fields would run about $2 million and would require a future grant or fundraising effort.

Commission and staff remarks also described community fundraising plans and donations already received from local sports groups. Staff said they will launch a solicitation to local businesses for additional funding to cover “niceties” such as message boards, public art and signage.

City staff and commissioners projected a tentative opening window in late 2026 to early 2027 if the full funding package moves forward, and said the council vote on the additional appropriation will determine the next steps.

Votes and formal actions pertaining to the sports complex were taken or described by other bodies in the meeting record: the county board of supervisors’ $1.5 million contribution was reported as approved by that board; the City Council had not yet taken the $5.5 million action at the time of the Recreation & Parks Commission meeting.

Ending: The council’s formal consideration of the staff funding request is expected at the next council meeting; if the council approves the $5.5 million request, staff said construction can proceed toward the late 2026–early 2027 timeline.