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MARCH <strong>22</strong>, <strong>2013</strong><br />
THE COAST NEWS<br />
SPORTS<br />
Plans for sports training center put on hold<br />
By Bianca Kaplanek<br />
DEL MAR — Plans to<br />
build a first-of-its-kind junior<br />
sports training facility at the<br />
Del Mar Golf Center ha ve<br />
been put on hold indefinitel y<br />
after a recent estimate came<br />
in at mor e than twice what<br />
the project was expected to<br />
cost when it w as launched<br />
three years ago.<br />
Matt Clay, general manager<br />
of the golf center , made<br />
the announcement “with a<br />
heavy heart” at the <strong>March</strong> 13<br />
board of directors meeting for<br />
the <strong>22</strong>nd District Agricultural<br />
Association, which manages<br />
the Del Mar F airgrounds, on<br />
which the facility is located.<br />
In a F ebruary letter to<br />
Tim Fennell, fairgrounds general<br />
manager, Clay stated<br />
engineering estimates fr om<br />
the architect and his team<br />
were upward of $2 million.<br />
<strong>The</strong> golf center partnered<br />
with Del Mar r esident<br />
Sean Cochran, Phil<br />
Mickelson’s personal trainer,<br />
and had, according to Fennell,<br />
“a handshake deal” with<br />
Titleist for sponsorship.<br />
An original estimate of<br />
$1.25 million was developed<br />
in 2010 without f ormal construction<br />
documents because<br />
it was necessary to get the<br />
required coastal development<br />
permit, or CDP, before any<br />
work could be done.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>22</strong>nd D AA had<br />
approved the pr oject and<br />
<strong>The</strong> site of the former Del Mar Skate Ranch, where plans for a new junior sports training facility was supposed<br />
to be built, has been put on an indefinite hold due to funding. Photo by Jared Whitlock<br />
agreed to fund the $1.25 million.<br />
But it took mor e than 2<br />
1/2 years to obtain the CDP .<br />
During that time, Titleist was<br />
sold. <strong>The</strong> new owners “decided<br />
to mo ve in a differ ent<br />
direction and we were unable<br />
to solidify the partner ship,”<br />
Clay wrote.<br />
Clay said he belie ved at<br />
the time the project could still<br />
move forward without a major<br />
sponsor, but once the full site<br />
survey was performed, soil<br />
samples indicated more work<br />
was needed than what w as<br />
originally expected. <strong>The</strong> price<br />
tag continued to rise as the<br />
cost to bring utilities to the<br />
site also increased.<br />
“After much debate and<br />
evaluation it has been determined<br />
that it is no longer<br />
financially feasible to complete<br />
the pr oject with the<br />
approved budget,” Clay’s letter<br />
states. “Increasing the<br />
budget and r equesting additional<br />
DAA funds is not a<br />
financially sound decision.”<br />
Clay said he decided to<br />
put the project on hold while<br />
he looks f or another sponsor<br />
or an underwriter.<br />
Clay estimates a bout<br />
$<strong>22</strong>,000 has been spent on<br />
architectural plans and permitting<br />
fees. Knowing how<br />
much time and effort Clay<br />
had invested in the center ,<br />
directors said they appreciated<br />
him putting the project on<br />
hold before any more money<br />
was spent.<br />
Plans called f or sportsspecific<br />
conditioning and<br />
workout programs for young<br />
athletes, not just golfer s. It<br />
was to include a 55,000square-foot<br />
indoor facility and<br />
35,000-square-foot field east<br />
of the r acetrack, where the<br />
skate ranch was once located.<br />
Contact us at sports@coastnewsgroup.com<br />
with story ideas, photos or suggestions<br />
ming with activity, including an<br />
art show with photo grapher<br />
and UNIV friend, Charles<br />
Bergquist, and a top-secret surfboard<br />
project with professional<br />
surfer Rob Machado.<br />
Somewhere mixed into<br />
this busy sc hedule, Swart has<br />
mastered the pairing of local<br />
and universal appeal. His<br />
brand and store are focused on<br />
this ideal, and the amalgam<br />
feels undeniably natural.<br />
“We’re connected with the<br />
town and the r egion, but we<br />
also focus on being internationally<br />
known, recognized and<br />
marketed at the same time. ”<br />
Swart said, “We focus our premium<br />
denim, made in<br />
California, and other key UNIV<br />
items toward the Japan market,<br />
and, as a result, we’re sold<br />
in some of the best stor es in<br />
Tokyo.”<br />
Going forward, look for<br />
more of the UNIV line selling<br />
worldwide, especially in Japan,<br />
Australia and Eur ope. With<br />
plans for store expansion right<br />
here in Encinitas, Swart also<br />
A17<br />
Enter to win this free UNIV skate deck. See details below. Photo by<br />
Spencer Hirsch<br />
UNIV<br />
CONTINUED FROM A16<br />
has his eye on opening a ne w<br />
UNIV store in Japan by the end<br />
of <strong>2013</strong>.<br />
UNIV is proving that it’s a<br />
good time to be local. And it’s a<br />
good time to be w orldly. But if<br />
you can, be both.<br />
Spencer Hirsch is a writer living in<br />
Encinitas. He has worked in marketing,<br />
e-commerce and brand development<br />
across several action sports<br />
brands. He surfs Pipes, skis<br />
Mammoth and skates a friend’s backyard.<br />
Follow him on Twitter and<br />
Instagram at @spencerhirsch, and<br />
email him at shirsch@coastnewsgroup.com.<br />
UNIV CONTEST<br />
Enter to win a FREE<br />
UNIV skate deck! Follow<br />
me on Instag ram<br />
@spencerhirsch, post your<br />
best coastal photo and<br />
hashtag #coastnewscontest.<br />
I’ll announce the winner<br />
in my next column and<br />
over our social media sites.<br />
Local entries only, please.
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