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The Toyota Sports Complex will become the LA Galaxy Sports Complex after the professional soccer team partnered with the city of Torrance. | Photo courtesy of the city of Torrance.
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The city of Torrance and the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team announced a partnership Monday that will keep the city’s Toyota Sports Complex open after it faced a possible closure.
The 6.2-acre complex faced potential closure because it is on state-owned land, and the Judicial Council of California last year sought to raise the city’s rent from $1 a year to thousands of dollars a month, initially at $31,000, according to the Daily Breeze. JCC officials said rent had to be increased because the previous price was now considered a gift of public funds, the Daily Breeze reported.
Under the new partnership, the complex will be named the LA Galaxy Sports Complex, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled in April.
The lease will run through December 2028, with the city making significant capital improvements, including installing new synthetic turf, while the LA Galaxy will be responsible for monthly payments to keep the complex open and accessible for the community. Torrance has already invested about $3.2 million to build the complex, which opened in 2014, according to the Daily Breeze.
“Keeping the Sports Complex open was very important to the LA Galaxy,” said LA Galaxy President Chris Klein. “The LA Galaxy is committed to the advancement of the sport of soccer at the youth level, and these fields have been home to a significant soccer community in Southern California. We look forward to continuing to build the sport of soccer as part of this new partnership with the City of Torrance for years to come.”
The sports complex is across the street from the LA Galaxy’s Kinecta Soccer Center, which also offers youth sports programs.
“Youth services and support in Torrance have long been a priority of the community. As stewards of the city, it’s our collective responsibility as mayor and City Council to promote the physical fitness and wellness of our youth, and we are appreciative of the partnership with LA Galaxy and the Judicial Council of California for working with us to keep this popular field open,” Torrance Mayor Patrick J. Furey said.
Under the new lease, which began with the new year on Saturday, the complex will host new programming, including Galaxy Juniors & Skills classes, soccer camps and clinics, as well as an adult soccer league. The LA Galaxy’s reserve team, LA Galaxy II, will have try-outs at the complex from Jan. 13-14 and from Jan. 27-28.
The complex has an average of 56,000 visitors each year. It currently hosts 28 youth organizations, including Beach Futbol Club, Southern California South Bay Soccer, Fram Soccer Club and American Youth Soccer Organization regions 14 and 16.
