'Attacked with false claim': Granite Park operator responds
Nov 07, 2024
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - After the City of Fresno announced it would sever ties with Central Valley Community Sports Foundation when it terminated the nonprofit's lease of Granite Park, Terance Frazier, the chief of the sports park's operator, sent a statement that reads in part:
Central Valley Community Sports Foundation (CVCSF) is disappointed to have received a Three-Day Notice of Termination of the Ground Lease for Granite Park, after having invested over $2.5 million in improvements, operated a successful park that serves over 300,000 visitors a year, provided many year round jobs to local residents and created a space for many free community and cultural events to meet the needs of our diverse and underserved community.
The City fails to note CVCSF, a non-profit, has been diligent in providing the needed services and facility in the last 9 years with minimal support and despite being constantly attacked with false claims by the city," he said. "We have confirmed with PG&E the account is current as of today. Rather than attempt to resolve disagreements in good faith or find a path forward for a continued partnership as it has done with other organizations or entities, like the Fresno Grizzlies, the City continues to retaliate and hinder our non-profit’s ability to provide a much needed resource to our community.
Terance Frazier.
Frazier also sent the following screenshot from PG&E:
Wednesday, the City of Fresno notified Frazier of the termination with a three-day notice to vacate.
The city claims it is due to several breaches of CVCSF's 25-year lease signed back in 2015.
Based on the 30-page default letter from Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White sent back in May, the city has accused the operator of owing over $1.3 million for more than PG&E, but also back rent and interest, water and sewage, and revenue agreed to be shared with the city if amounted to over $60,000.
Fresno supplies $150,000 annually to the park for staffing and maintenance.
White also claims $2.7 million in promised improvements, like added basketball courts, volleyball, and beach volleyball courts, and a new restaurant, never happened.
Beyond the dollars and cents, Central Valley Community Sports Foundation is also accused of failure to get city approval for concessions sold, the building of certain additions like soccer fields, or others exceeding costs of $10,000, and failure to maintain facilities the city says have posed health and safety risk, or code violations.
As for the future of Granite Park, in the long term: uncertainty. In the short term, the city promises to honor agreements for baseball and soccer events. How exactly it would play out over the years is yet to be determined.
For more clarification on the next steps from CVCSF, Frazier says they will hold a press conference on Friday with more information.