Supes Give SportsHouse A Thumbs Up

A large sports complex featuring soccer fields and basketball courts will be coming to the North Fair Oaks community, under a decision Tuesday by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.

Supervisors unanimously approved transforming the located at 3151 Edison Way in unincorporated Redwood City into a called .

"I think this is going to be an outstanding project for the entire community," said Supervisor Don Horsley.

The facility will feature two regulation sized indoor soccer facilities, as well as a basketball court, arcade, cafe and substation for the county Sheriff's Office.

But not all of the opinions expressed about the facility at the board meeting in Redwood City were optimistic.

Gabriela Valencia, a member of the North Fair Oaks Community Council who lives near the proposed location, said she is worried about the traffic impacts patrons of the complex will have on surrounding residents.

To mitigate those concerns, county Director of Planning and Building Jim Eggemeyer said that the SportsHouse operator has expressed a willingness to corral late night traffic in a fashion that would least impose on those living nearby.

She also shared frustrations regarding the hours of operation, which will span until 11 p.m. on weeknights, and midnight on weekends.

Furthermore, she was apprehensive about the issues that may be caused by allowing the facility to sell beer and wine in its cafe.

Valencia noted that there is already a high concentration of venues selling alcohol in the North Fair Oaks neighborhood.

"We don't feel like we need anymore sales of alcohol," she said, speaking for those in her community.

To that regard, Sheriff Greg Munks said that he did not believe that allowing wine and beer on the premises would lead to any issues for the community.

"I don't see it as a problem," said Munks of the alcohol sales, as he voiced his support for the facility.

He said that the 15 Sheriff's Office employees working on site at the substation will likely help mitigate any potential problem caused by the sale of alcohol, and he said that sworn officers will also frequent the premises.

The building will provide the home field for the Sheriff's Activities League.

In further regard to concerns about alcohol, applicant Marcus Maita noted that the Ice Oasis nearby the proposed located also offered beer and liquor in a similar environment.

And Maita's colleague Joe Fernando, the former owner of billiards and volleyball club The Players in Belmont, said that he never encountered an alcohol-related incident with a customer over the course of the eight years he operated his previous company.

"We don't want to focus on the bar," said Fernando. "This is a recreational environment. We want to focus on family events."

No hard liquor will be served at SportsHouse.

Horsley said that he did not believe the facility would be a risky endeavor for the county or North Fair Oaks community.

He also noted that he believed public safety in the region would be enhanced due to the increased police presence that the sheriff's substation would bring.

Supervisor Carole Groom said that she supported the project because of the positive opportunities it would provide for local children, in an area that is currently suffering from a lack of such outlets.

"I'm delighted we will have a place for the children," she said.

Those sentiments were echoed by Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson, who said she expects the facility to become "a real treasure for North Fair Oaks."