Fresno took Granite Park from youth sports nonprofit. What now for families?

Youth baseball, softball and soccer families who spend summer nights and weekends at Granite Park Sports Complex are heading into a facility under new management since the city of Fresno took possession of the central Fresno facility on Tuesday, ending a decade-long lease with the nonprofit that had run it.

Locksmiths changed the locks at the Cedar Avenue complex on June 30, with park rangers, city parks director Aaron Aguirre and other officials on hand. The takeover followed a court-ordered eviction of the Central Valley Community Sports Foundation, the nonprofit led by developer Terance Frazier that had operated the park since 2015.

For parents wondering whether Saturday tournaments and weeknight games will go on as planned, City Manager Georgeanne White said the city will honor all existing bookings. A game organizer canceled youth baseball on Tuesday, but games resumed Wednesday night, according to The Fresno Bee.

“Day one was a success. We were able to get in and do some cleanup, remove some safety hazards,” White said. “We had members of the public there, just walking the park when it was open this morning. There was a gentleman and his son just playing catch on the field last night, so it was really, really good to see.”

How the fight got here

The dispute traces back to 2018, when Frazier’s nonprofit asked the city to double its $150,000 annual subsidy. The city responded with an audit that found financial irregularities, and the relationship never recovered.

The city eventually accused CVCSF of breaching the lease by failing to share revenue from a digital billboard on the property, not carrying proper insurance, skipping required park improvements and falling behind on rent and utilities — including roughly $200,000 in unpaid electricity and water bills.

In May, Fresno County Superior Court Judge Jonathan Skiles ruled the nonprofit had breached the lease, according to The Bee. On June 12, he denied CVCSF’s motion to pause the case, clearing the path for eviction.

Frazier disputed the ruling every step of the way. He argues the millions he invested in the park offset unpaid rent, says the city owes him $500,000, and has a civil rights lawsuit pending in federal court alleging the city has interfered with his other business dealings for years.

“They ruined my reputation. They lied on me for 10 years,” Frazier said. “Every job that I try to do outside of Granite Park, they went out there, and they attacked it.”

After one hearing, he compared the city’s actions to the 1920s Tulsa “Black Wall Street” massacre: “What you’re trying to do is you’re trying to steal land.”

White pushed back. “The operator refused to follow the lease terms,” she said. “As the landlord and the property owner, to have a tenant that just operated with impunity — that can’t happen when an asset is owned by the city.”

Frazier’s attorneys appealed to the Fifth District Court of Appeal. The court on July 1 denied the appeal and refused to grant a stay on the eviction process.

What changes for families

Fees: The Fresno City Council approved a new fee structure the week before the takeover. The city cannot directly charge a spectator admission — a practice CVCSF had used — but if a game organizer collects money at the gate, a portion goes to the city. Councilmember Miguel Arias, who voted no, questioned charging parents to watch youth games at a publicly owned facility.

Field maintenance: Aguirre said about five city employees will work weekdays and 10 on weekends. The city plans to hire a landscaping specialist to handle Granite Park’s specialized Bermuda grass fields, and Pardini’s will run concessions.

Public access: Unlike under CVCSF, White said the park will be open for the general public — walking, kicking a soccer ball around — when tournaments aren’t in session. The city says water bottles are now allowed, a complaint made previously by parents.

Budget: The city set aside $847,900 to operate the park for the next fiscal year. Frazier says it takes at least $1.5 million. “When has the city said anything that was actually correct?” he said. White countered that CVCSF’s finances “have been very difficult to interpret.”

Jobs: Frazier began laying off CVCSF staff Tuesday. “What hurts me the most isn’t me, it’s just our employees who poured their hearts into the park, the family who depended on those jobs, the kids who found a second home at Granite Park,” he said.

The fight isn’t over. Frazier has an active lawsuit for civil rights violations in federal court; and a lawsuit in state court against the city and neighbor — the parent company of Club One Casino — over parking. Frazier’s attorney said now that the city reclaimed the park, “they must pay CVCSF the value of the capital improvements.” If they don’t, attorney Paul Armo said, it could trigger more litigation.

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence based on our own originally reported, written and published content. Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.