Lofgren Delivers $500K to Turn Salinas Regional Soccer Complex into Largest Sports Facility Between San Francisco and L.A.
SALINAS, CA — Today, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) visited the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex to deliver a $500,000 check as one of her 13 community projects she submitted for the Fiscal Year 2026 congressional appropriations cycle. This funding will help support the next phase of expansion for the Complex, a critical investment that advances what is poised to become the largest sports facility between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
"I was proud to have submitted the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex as one of my community project requests this year, and I'm glad to see this funding coming to Monterey County," Rep. Lofgren said. "This is a big investment in Salinas' future as a regional cultural hub, and I am thrilled that Californians of all ages will get to enjoy this complex for generations to come.”
“This $500,000 investment is a major win for the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex and for the families and youth we serve across Monterey County,” said Jonathan De Anda, Executive Director of the Salinas Regional Sports Authority. “We’re grateful to Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and the County of Monterey for their leadership and partnership in securing these funds. This support helps us continue building out high-quality, accessible natural grass fields that promote health, community connection, and opportunity for thousands of residents each week.”
“This federal funding represents a powerful investment in the health, well-being, and future of our young people,” said Monterey County District 1 Supervisor Luis Alejo. “The Salinas Regional Soccer Complex will expand access to safe, high-quality recreational space for thousands of youths and families in Salinas, while also generating economic activity and strengthening regional pride. I’m proud to continue supporting a project that transforms underutilized county land into a lasting community asset for generations to come.”
Once completed, the Complex has the potential to serve up to 18,000 + children and youth weekly, along with their families. The expansion project, developed in partnership with the Salinas Regional Sports Authority, includes:
- Eight new turf soccer fields
- A 2,000-seat, lighted outdoor stadium with two synthetic soccer fields
- A 35,000-square-foot indoor soccer arena featuring concessions, classrooms, and maintenance facilities
- An outdoor sports court
- An outdoor restroom facility
- 421 new parking spaces and pedestrian walkways
- An on-site irrigation well to serve both proposed and adjacent existing fields
- Stormwater control facilities, including Low Impact Development (LID) features and infiltration basins
- Environmental protections, including setbacks from Gabilan Creek and adjacent wetlands, as well as minor compensatory wetland restoration
Although the project site is owned by the County of Monterey, the Soccer Complex has been a partnership between the City of Salinas and the nonprofit organization, the Salinas Regional Sports Authority, which will construct and operate the next phases of the facility. Beyond expanding recreational opportunities, the project reflects a strong commitment to sustainable land use and environmental stewardship. By revitalizing land once considered unusable and incorporating thoughtful stormwater management and habitat protections, the Complex demonstrates how community development and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
Rep. Lofgren will continue to deliver checks to community project funding recipients in the near future, including a total of $750,000 for Salinas projects alone and nearly $3.2 million for projects in Monterey County.
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