Riverside city officials are moving forward with plans to develop a sports and entertainment complex in the Northside Neighborhood, an area that has seen limited investment over the years.
The proposed Riverside Sports Complex & Entertainment District is set for the site of the former Ab Brown Sports Complex, which has been unused for about seven years. The 56-acre property, owned by the city, is located near Main Street and Garden Road, just north of the interchange where the 60, 91, and Interstate 215 freeways meet.
On August 19, the Riverside City Council voted unanimously to begin exclusive negotiations with GCS Development for up to one year, with an option for a six-month extension.
The planned development aims to boost both local recreation options and economic activity. “This project provides recreational opportunities that Riverside, and our greater region, have never had,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said in a statement. “It will create a destination that will energize our local economy and make Riverside the premiere hub (in the Inland Empire) for sports and entertainment.”
Earlier this year, in February, the council also agreed to pursue another major project in the same neighborhood: the Riverside Adventure Center. That facility is planned for a 126-acre site formerly occupied by Riverside Golf Course—which has been closed for two decades—and will include recreation amenities as well as housing and retail. Adrenaline Sports Resorts Collaborative is set to buy and develop that property.
Both projects are intended to support economic growth in Northside. “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 in a statement. “We are honoring our sports history while launching Riverside into the future.”
Plans for the new Entertainment District call for several features: a stadium seating at least 5,005 people (expandable to 15,000), a hotel with more than 100 rooms, an indoor-outdoor concert venue named Riverside Live, facilities for pickleball and other games covering about 130,000 square feet, multiple sports fields including those for youth soccer, nearly 1,150 residential units—25% reserved as affordable housing—close to 200,000 square feet of retail space, parks including one dedicated dog park, thousands of parking spaces including around 100 electric vehicle charging stations.
Construction could begin in summer 2026 with opening targeted one year later. However, details on funding sources or potential job creation remain undetermined. “This is this going to be one of the biggest investments Riverside has ever made, especially in that part of the city,” said Regine Kennedy, senior planner for Riverside and project manager for the district. She added that restoring this site has been among their top priorities following extensive community outreach over recent years.
Restoration efforts began in earnest after adoption of the Northside Specific Plan in 2023—a framework guiding public and private development across roughly 2,000 acres spanning parts of Riverside as well as Colton and unincorporated areas nearby.
The Ab Brown site previously hosted youth soccer from its opening in 1985 until declining participation led AYSO not to renew its lease after 2018.
City officials hope new attractions—including a regional stadium—will draw visitors from beyond just Riverside or San Bernardino counties. “We want something that will get people from more than just the Inland Empire,” Kennedy said. “We definitely want something regional.”
Industry research indicates large sports complexes can provide significant economic benefits; parks and community centers generated over $201 billion nationwide while supporting about 1.1 million jobs in 2021 (source: National Recreation and Park Association via The Sports Facilities Cos., https://www.nrpa.org/publications-research/research-papers/the-economic-impact-of-local-parks/). These types of amenities may also help increase home sales and raise property values locally.
“Amenities like park and recreation centers are often cited as key reasons families choose to move to or remain in a particular area, supporting long-term economic growth and stability,” according to a statement from The Sports Facilities Cos.
Councilman Sean M. Hill expressed optimism about what lies ahead: “This project could transform not only the Northside Neighborhood but the city as a whole,” Hill said during the council meeting. “It’s going to bring in parks, hotels and retail; it’s going to create jobs; and it will have affordable housing—something Riverside needs. This is a potential game changer, and voting for this proposal is how we get it done.”
