Santa Clara County and San Jose city leaders on Wednesday unveiled a partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes to build a state-of-the-art soccer complex at the county fairgrounds.
The "signed agreement," according to a news release, calls for the development of 30 acres of fairgrounds land to build four public, lighted soccer fields near Umbarger and Monterey roads in San Jose.
Part of the project includes the Earthquakes leasing 14 acres of the new development to build the team’s new, 35,000-square-foot practice-training facility and four professional quality soccer fields, according to the release.
Officials from the county, the city and the Earthquakes provided details during a news conference at the fairgrounds Wednesday morning.
"I have worked all across the country, and as soccer continues to grow in America, I’ve witnessed firsthand how important it is that community fields are connected to their local professional clubs." Earthquakes head coach Luchi Gonzalez said. "This past season, we led the league with 13 homegrown academy graduates, which shows our commitment to local players, but also how much further impact a first-class facility will have on their development to reach their full potential."
One of those homegrown academy graduates was 17-year-old Edwyn Mendoza, who signed a professional contract with the Earthquakes in May.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan acknowledged the land at the fairgrounds was underutilized.
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"Once completed, this site will not only serve the pros, but act as a regional destination for youth soccer teams and residents alike," Mahan said.
The project has been more than two years in the making. In June 2021, the county Board of Supervisors authorized staff to enter negotiations with the Earthquakes about a facility on the fairgrounds property. The initial proposal for the project came in April 2022 and called for 10 fields on 34 acres.
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