Riverside Moves Forward with Sports and Entertainment Complex Proposal on Site of Former Ab Brown Sports Complex

The City Council voted unanimously on August 19th to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement with Riverside-based GCS Development to transform 56 acres of city-owned land in the Northside neighborhood into the Riverside Sports Complex & Entertainment District, a groundbreaking destination set to redefine community recreation and economic growth in the region.

GCS Development of Riverside envisions a Master Plan for a professional, multi-use stadium, six soccer fields, and an indoor sports and game complex as part of the first phase.  The future phase is planned to include housing, retail and community spaces including a central park featuring family-friendly amenities, walking/jogging trails, bike paths, playgrounds, and a dog park.

“This project provides recreational opportunities that Riverside and our greater region have never had,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said. “It will create a dynamic destination that will energize our local economy and make Riverside the premiere hub for sports and entertainment.”

The site formerly housed the Ab Brown Sports Complex, an 18-field soccer facility that was home to the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Region 47 from 1985 to 2018. The site, vacant since 2018, is now poised for a comeback, creating economic opportunity and breathing new life into the community in alignment with the Northside Specific Plan’s goals.

The Riverside Sports Complex & Entertainment District would inject life into the property, create economic opportunity for the Northside and meet the vision and goals of the Northside Specific Plan and the City’s General Plan.

Separate from the Riverside Adventure Center, already under review through the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement approved in February 2025, the Sports Complex and Entertainment District will serve as a complimentary powerhouse driving growth and opportunity in the Northside and throughout the city.  The Riverside Adventure Center includes a public park, a recreational adventure center and a mixed-use commercial complex, including a grocery store, hotel and conference center, housing and restaurants.

“The promise of pairing the Sports Complex and Entertainment District with the Riverside Adventure Center represents a generational opportunity in the Northside area and the entire city,” Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Conder said. “We are honoring our rich sports history while launching Riverside into the future.”

Riverside’s Sports Complex and Entertainment District, a multi-billion-dollar vision, is the future of multi-sport entertainment, urban living and e-sports, positioning Riverside to become the Inland Empire’s ultimate sports and entertainment destination. 

Highlights of the concept plan for the Sports Complex and Entertainment District include:

• A 5,005-seat (expandable to 15,000 seats) stadium for soccer, rugby, football and lacrosse.
• A 108-room stadium hotel to accommodate visitors.
• Riverside Live, an indoor/outdoor venue for festivals and concerts making the district a year-round cultural destination.
• A 130,000-square-foot sports complex for pickleball, padel and other court games.
• Six soccer fields, including two full-size multi-sport fields and four youth-sized soccer fields.
• 1,100 residential units, including 25 percent affordable units.
• 193,000 square feet of retail space for shopping and dining.
• A central park and dedicated dog park for community enjoyment.
• 3,498 parking stalls, along with approximately 100 EV charging stations.    

The exclusive negotiating agreement lasts for one year, with the option of a six-month extension. If the City and GCS Development reach agreement on terms, those would be included in a disposition and development agreement that would be voted on by the City Council.