Willow Glen Resident

Letters & Opinions

Pay to play? Sometimes it just makes sense

By Moryt Milo

For years, the city of San Jose has paid lip service to the importance of preserving property zoned for job growth.

In reality, though, the city has often succumbed to pressure from developers to convert commercial, or job-creation property to residential. Such conversions often result in sprawl and allow more housing, which, unlike job-creation property, puts demands on city services.

Unless the city takes action to slow the growth of conversions, the budget will continue to be strained, and the potential for development that could produce revenue will continue to shrink.

We fully endorse the city's commitment to hold on to its revenue-producing reserves. Recent action to create new, more stringent guidelines in this area is a good thing.

That said, we believe that exceptions must be made in the face of opportunities that provide an overwhelming benefit to the city.

Such is the case with Lew Wolff's proposal to make San Jose home to his Earthquakes professional soccer team.

Wolff says he will not bring the team to San Jose without a new stadium, and since he has the Northern California territory under his control, he would have no trouble finding an alternative to his first choice.

Public funding of a stadium clearly is out of the question. That's why Wolff's proposal is so attractive.

He wants to build a modern 18,000-seat open air stadium--at no cost to the city. The location couldn't be more perfect--the old FMC site near the airport. What better spot for a sport played worldwide?

So, what's the catch?

The proposal is dependent on the city converting 74 acres of light industrial in Edenvale to residential. The sale of that land, known as the iStar Property, where 1,500 homes would be built, is the key to private financing of the stadium.

Some have suggested that making an exception for a conversion based on "extraordinary economic benefit" to the city amounts to "pay to play."

Well, maybe so. But if the concern about converting commercial space to residential is that it drain city coffers, doesn't a "pay to play" exception overcome that objection?

The stadium, after all, will create jobs, and Wolff has promised one of the best stadiums in the country, one well suited to other events, such as concerts.

With a moratorium on conversions now in effect until March, the city has the opportunity to work with Wolff in the coming months to create a visionary plan.

While the city must take a hard look at its conversion guidelines, and commit to keeping an inventory of job-producing property, it's also time for San Jose to think like a big city.

Conversion of 74 acres of commercial space is a more-than-fair tradeoff for a privately financed stadium that would be home to the new San Jose Earthquakes.