San Bernardino cheered with applause and the snip of ribbon as the city celebrated the long-awaited reopening of its historic Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge on August 23, restoring a critical connection closed for nearly five years.
The $244.8 million project, which fully rebuilt the 1934 bridge spanning railroads between West Fifth and West Second streets, reconnects the city’s west side. The bridge was shut down in December 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when engineers found its structural safety had fallen to just two percent. Its closure severed the community, leaving businesses, schools, and families struggling with daily detours.
The ceremony brought an emotional return for State Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes, who secured $31 million in state funding for the project. When she stepped to the podium, she was met with a standing ovation and loud applause
— her first public appearance following nearly a year-long health battle. “This bridge was built when my mother was born in 1934, and little by little we saw concrete falling onto railroad tracks,” Gómez Reyes said. “It wasn’t safe, and students couldn’t even take the bus. I’m so happy we can now easily get to all of our local businesses across Mt. Vernon Avenue.”
San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran presented Gómez Reyes with a plaque recognizing her contributions towards the bridge while serving as Assemblymember for the 50th District. The moment underscored how the bridge has long stood as more than just infrastructure, but as a lifeline for the city’s west side.
That lifeline had been frayed for years. The closure cut off access to small businesses, grocery stores, and San Bernardino Valley College. Residents north of the bridge were left traveling long detours or taking the freeway just to buy groceries at El
By Manny Sandoval
Arts Connection, the arts council of San Bernardino County, is at the forefront of efforts to grow the region’s creative economy. Executive Director Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez explained that the council’s work is built on four pillars: arts education, workforce development, public art projects, and arts advocacy.
That advocacy extends beyond city boundaries. Arts Connection represents the region to the California Arts Council at the state level, while also serving as district captains for Americans for the Arts, advocating in Rep. Pete Aguilar’s congressional district.
“We’re building awareness around how vital this creative economy is,” Gutierrez Chavez said. “For every dollar invested in
in economic activity. Yet 95 percent of our funding comes from the state. Our county lacks a specific strategy. It’s time to invest strategically.”
State Funding and Regional Gaps California’s creative economy represents about 8 percent of the state’s GDP, according to Arts Connection. That figure aligns with statewide studies, such as the Otis Report on the Creative Economy,
Mt. Vernon Bridge, cont. next pg.
PHOTOS NOAH LIMON AND MANNY SANDOVAL
(Left to right) IECN Publisher Denise Berver, Arts Connection Program Supervisor Andrea Bonales, Arts Connection Executive Director Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez, and IECN Publisher Manny Sandoval shooting an episode of the Inland Insight Podcast with IECN on August 21st, 2025.
- Super, one of the only fullservice markets in the area — worsening existing food deserts. “Local businesses have been severely impacted by the closure,” said San Bernardino Community College District Trustee Frank Reyes, husband of Sen. Gómez Reyes. He noted that Mitla’s Café lost up to 15 percent of monthly revenue after the bridge shutdown.
“Many of our small businesses in the area have still not recovered, but this project is bridging the community together again.”
For San Bernardino Valley College, the reopening has renewed significance just two days before the start of its 2025/26 academic year. “It’s a really exciting time for SBVC,” said President Dr. Gilbert Contreras. “The re-opening coincides with our 100-year anniversary and mitigates SBVC students from having to travel all the way around the bridge, elevating accessibility.”
The sense of pride and persistence extended across the crowd of more than 1,000 community members. San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. said the day’s atmosphere was unlike any other milestone he had attended. “The most important thing is community pride,” Baca said. “I have never seen this level of excitement. Even those who used to live here came back because they were so proud. Today is a victory for the community.”
City Councilwoman Dr. Treasure Ortiz agreed, calling the massive turnout a testament to the bridge’s importance. “For five years we’ve been in a deficit,” Ortiz said. “Commerce died, businesses suffered, and
residents had little support. One thing San Bernardino is not known for is fulfilling promises and today is a moment for everyone to say, ‘Look, we did this collectively.’”
The Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge project was a multiagency collaboration led by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), the City of San Bernardino, and Caltrans District 8.
BNSF Railway contributed funding and improvements near its railyard, while Omnitrans provided free shuttle service during the closure.
The Traylor–Granite Joint Venture oversaw construction with COWI North America as the design lead and CPM Logistics guiding small-business participation. Funding came from federal, state, city, and private rail sources.
Saturday’s ribbon cutting was as much a community celebration as it was a transportation milestone. The event featured vendors, live music, and a lowrider car show, with security and traffic managed by the San Bernardino Police Department and County Sheriff’s Department.
Amid the festivities, a few dozen protesters demonstrated against the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the city, calling for an end to local law enforcement collaboration with federal immigration authorities.
Still, the day carried a tone of triumph and renewal. As Baca put it, “This reopening is great for the heart of San Bernardino.”
Arts (cont.)
- which estimate the sector contributes between 7 and 8 percent of California’s overall economic activity — larger than agriculture and construction combined.
Despite this, California lags behind Florida in per-capita arts funding, and the Inland Empire ranks in the bottom 5 percent of state allocations per resident.
Recent advocacy prevented devastating cuts: the California Arts Council was originally slated to lose 30–40 percent of its funding in 2023, but sustained lobbying restored roughly 90 percent of those funds. The agency’s budget is about $30 million annually, but Gutierrez Chavez noted that’s not nearly enough to sustain an industry of this size.
Recognizing this, state lawmakers passed AB 132, directing the legislature to adopt California’s first Creative Economy Strategic Plan. That plan will address workforce pipelines, tax credits, artist housing, cultural equity, and land use policy.
In the Inland Empire, Arts Connection is working with partners such as the Riverside Arts Council and the Inland Empire Community Foundation to build a regional framework called the Inland Empire Arts Partnership. The goal is to coordinate investment and amplify local needs.
Workforce Development Through Film
One of the most visible outcomes of this strategy is the Inland Film Fest, which returns for its second year in September. Program Supervisor Andrea “Dre” Bonales explained that the festival grew out of California’s Creative Corps program, which required that 80 percent of grant dollars go directly to artists.
Last year’s inaugural event, held at Regal Cinemas in downtown San Bernardino, drew more than 1,000 attendees, far exceeding expectations.
“The feedback we heard was that filmmakers wanted more opportunities to learn,” Bonales said. “So we developed eight workshops, starting with screenwriting and ending with editing, to guide people through the filmmaking process.”
Local groups including Phase 3, a collective born out of San Bernardino Valley College’s film department, along with Future First and other professionals, led these workshops.
“Growing up in Rialto, I didn’t have access to programs like this,” Bonales said. “Now, students and filmmakers here can learn directly from working professionals. For many, this is their first time seeing their film on a big screen. That legitimizes the arts as a career path.”
The 2nd Annual Inland Film Fest
The festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 13, from noon to 8 p.m. at Regal Cinemas in downtown San Bernardino. Tickets are $20 and include entry to all screenings and the awards ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 14, at the University of Redlands’ Orton Building.
This year expands to five screens, giving attendees a better chance to view films without overlap. Screenings will feature documentaries, live-action shorts, and music videos, with filmmakers ranging from local students to UCLA graduates with roots in the Inland Empire.
Audience voting and filmmaker spotlights will return, while the awards ceremony will provide space for panels and Q&As. “It’ll be like a mini Oscars,” Bonales said.
Already, more than a dozen filmmakers are returning with new projects, evidence of the festival’s momentum. “They’re applying lessons learned from last year,” Bonales said. “We’re seeing ripple effects: families supporting their children, filmmakers finding collaborators, and students inspired to take the arts seriously.”
Arts as a Quality-of-Life Issue
Gutierrez Chavez emphasized that the arts are not just an economic driver. “Access to art is a
quality-of-life issue,” he said. “It reduces stress, builds belonging, and creates joy.”
The economic impacts are significant. A study of San Bernardino County’s nonprofit arts sector found that every public dollar invested yields a threefold return in local tax revenue. Each dollar in film tax credits generates $1.70 back in taxes and 24 times more in economic activity.
Events like the Inland Film Fest also create immediate economic ripples in hospitality and dining. Last year, hundreds of attendees spilled into nearby restaurants and cafés, benefitting local businesses such as Viva La Boba and Three Little Blue Birds Boutique.
“This year we’re tracking the numbers,” Gutierrez Chavez said. “We’ll be able to calculate the festival’s economic impact on downtown San Bernardino.”
Reviving Public Space and Cultural Identity
Beyond film, Arts Connection has invested in public art projects that reclaim neglected community spaces. The most notable is Sole Alley, a downtown San Bernardino passageway transformed through a Clean California grant. Once abandoned, it now features murals, new lighting, seating, and a performance stage.
Sole Alley will host the next San Bernardino Art Walk on Friday, Aug. 29, from 5 to 9 p.m., featuring local musicians and artists. The effort is part of a larger push to revitalize downtown through a proposed California Cultural District designation for the E Street Corridor.
Through listening sessions, community members have identified priorities ranging from preserving Route 66 cruising culture to recognizing San Bernardino’s role in rave history and fashion. “It’s about knitting together multi-generational stories into a shared identity,” Gutierrez Chavez said.
Reclaiming the Narrative
Both leaders stressed the importance of crediting the Inland Empire for its contributions to film and culture. Too often, major events hosted locally are branded as Los Angeles productions. Large-scale music festivals and raves held in the IE are frequently marketed under the LA name, despite taking place in San Bernardino or Riverside counties.
At the same time, blockbuster films have been shot here — including The Hangover, filmed along the 210 Freeway in Rialto, and Transformers, with scenes near Ontario Mills. Chris Brown also shot a music video in Redlands at the former Pharaoh’s Lost Kingdom.
“The power of uplifting local voices is needed now more than ever,” Gutierrez Chavez said. “We need to tell our own story.”
Bonales agreed, noting the resilience of local filmmakers. “I’ve never met a filmmaker in the IE who isn’t motivated to create,” she said. “We’re building a community where students, artists, and families see film not just as a dream, but as a viable career.”
Looking Ahead
Arts Connection sees the Inland Film Fest, Sole Alley, and the E Street Cultural District as the foundation for something bigger: a regional film commission and a coordinated investment strategy for the creative economy.
“What’s next is building a collective table,” Gutierrez Chavez said. “Artists, nonprofits, local government, and the private sector all need to come together. That’s how we’ll move the Inland Empire forward.”
Event Information
Inland Film Fest Screenings: Saturday, Sept. 13, noon–8 p.m., Regal Cinemas, downtown San Bernardino
Awards Ceremony: Sunday, Sept. 14, University of Redlands, Orton Building Tickets: $20 for both days, available via Arts Connection Network or Instagram @artsconnection_network / @inlandfilmfest
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
Senator Eloise Gomez Reyes expressing how Mt. Vernon Avenue Bridge was a huge part of her childhood, just like many in the audience.
Op-Eds Public Safety
Cruelty at the Border Isn’t New—It’s a Shameful American Tradition Revived by Trump
By Deysi Ramirez, Arroyo Valley High
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” —Mark Twain. This quote, written by Mark Twain, is especially true when looking at the current state of the United States and how immigrants are being treated. Since the beginning, people from other countries have faced problems after attempting to enter the U.S. borders. From harsh laws in the past to today’s cruel policies, immigrants are often targeted and blamed for issues that they did not cause. Now that the U.S. is under Trump’s administration, these policies will only continue to grow even more aggressive toward immigrants who are simply trying to build better lives for themselves and their families. This country has a long history of mistreating immigrants, whose hands built the country, and that continues today through family separations and deportations. These problems need to be addressed and not overlooked, so that people can recognize the damage and speak up for those being silenced.
The United States has a history of targeting immigrants through unfair and racist laws. One early example is the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which banned Chinese workers from entering the country based on race. According to National Archives, “This act provided an absolute 10-year ban on Chinese laborers immigrating to the United States. For the first time, federal law proscribed entry of an ethnic working group on the premise that it endangered the good order of certain localities” (National Archives 2025). It was the first U.S. law to restrict immigration by ethnicity. During the Great Depression, over a million people of Mexican descent were deported, even though many were U.S. citizens. NPR reports, "But about 60 percent of the people in the Mexican repatriation drive were actually U.S. citizens of Mexican descent.” NPR shared how some were treated “like cows” and dropped off in the desert. While the 14th Amendment was meant to protect the rights of all people born or naturalized in the U.S., these moments in history show how the government ignored that promise.
The mistreatment of immigrants isn’t just something from the past; and is still happening right now. Under President Trump’s administration, families are being separated again. For example, a Venezuelan mother was deported without her 2-year-old daughter, who remains detained in Texas with no clear plan for reunification (Foster-Frau, 2025). Detention centers are also being reopened, even those with histories of abuse.
Facilities like the California City Correctional Facility, FCI Dublin, and Alcatraz, previously closed due to concerns over abuse and unsafe conditions, are being used to detain immigrants (Levin, 2025). Title 42 is being used to expel migrants without giving them a chance to seek asylum, denying them due process under the 14th Amendment. Kilmar Abrego Garcia was a Salvadorian man living in Maryland with his U.S. citizen wife and children. Despite a 2019 court order blocking his deportation due to threats of gang violence in El Salvador, he was deported in March 2025 and imprisoned without trial. The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that his removal was illegal and ordered the government to facilitate his return. However, Trump is denying the order to bring Kilmar back to his family. The people need to stand up and demand better treatment for those seeking a better life here to stop repeating harmful patterns of the past.
When the system fails to protect its promise to the people, it is often the community that has to step up. Across the country, people have worked together to support immigrants and people of different ethnicities facing unlawful deportations. Acting together as a community and as one people can make a difference in fixing the current and future problems accompanying Trump as president. During times when the government has separated families or denied asylum seekers a fair chance at the “American Dream,” the people have stood together advocating for them and bringing light to these injustices. This has been shown through Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s unlawful deportation to the most horrible prison in El Salvador. Immigration advocacy groups fought to raise awareness of his case and pushed for his return to the U.S., which was later upheld in the Supreme Court. Moments like these show that coming together as one powerful voice can challenge systems like the government.
This country has overlooked immigration rights for far too long, and standing together as one is one of the most powerful ways to create change and demand justice for those people who do not have a voice. The way that immigrants are treated by the United States throughout history, and even today, reflects the country’s policies and its true values. The U.S. has constantly failed to treat immigrant communities with the dignity and equality that they rightfully deserve. This cycle must stop, and it can, as long as the people support each other to fight back. It is the only way to create a country that truly lives up to its promises.
Pedestrian Fatally Struck in Colton Collision, Investigation Ongoing
By Colton PD
On August 22, 2025, at approximately 9:25 p.m., the Colton Police Department Communications Center received reports of a traffic collision near the intersection of North Rancho Avenue and West “B” Street in the City of Colton.
Upon arrival, officers discovered that a pedestrian had been struck by a 2011 Ford Escape while attempting to cross the street. The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the Ford Escape was uninjured and cooperated with the investigation.
The Colton Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) responded to the scene and is currently conducting the investigation. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
Anyone who witnessed the collision or has information is encouraged to contact Officer Alyssa Jacobson at (909) 370-5000 or via email at ajacobson@coltonca.gov . If you wish to remain anonymous, you may contact the We-Tip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or visit www.wetip.com
Rialto PD Reminds Drivers to Keep the Final Days of Summer Fun, Not Fatal
By Rialto PD
As the end of summer approaches and families prepare for Labor Day celebrations, the Rialto Police Department reminds everyone to prioritize safety on the roads. Drivers are encouraged to make responsible choices behind the wheel by never driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 12,429 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2023 — that’s one person every 42 minutes.
“We want everyone to enjoy their end-of-summer travels and Labor Day festivities, but it’s important to do so responsibly,” Chief Mark P. Kling said. “Driving under the influence not only puts your life at risk but also endangers everyone else on the road. Our goal is to reduce preventable crashes and save lives.”
The Rialto Police Department offers the following tips to Go Safely:
Plan Ahead: If you know you’ll be drinking, arrange for a designated driver, use a ride-sharing service, taxi or public transportation.
Buckle Up: Wearing a seatbelt is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself in the event of a crash.
Stay Alert: Avoid distractions such as texting or eating while driving. Keep your focus on the road.
Follow Speed Limits: Speeding reduces your reaction time and increases the severity of crashes.
Watch for Pedestrians and Bicyclists: With more people enjoying outdoor activities, be extra vigilant and share the road responsibly.
Take Breaks: If you’re traveling long distances, take regular breaks to rest and avoid fatigue.
To help keep our community safe, the Rialto Police Department will have additional officers on patrol through Labor Day looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The additional efforts to prevent impaired driving are part of a national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
In addition to patrols, the Rialto Police Department will hold a DUI Checkpoint August 29th from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. at an undisclosed location within the city of Rialto.
While drunk driving is a significant traffic safety problem, driving while impaired is not just from alcohol. Prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and cannabis products may also impair. If you plan on drinking or taking medications with a driving warning label, let someone who is sober drive. If you see someone who appears to be driving while impaired, call 9-1-1.
Visit www.gosafelyca.org for more traffic safety information.
Police Investigate Drive-by Shooting that Injured 16-year-old Boy
By Redlands PD
Redlands Police are investigating a shooting that left a 16-yearold boy hospitalized.
Police responded to the report of a shooting on Orange Street near Union Avenue shortly after 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23.
Officers arrived to find the victim suffering from a gunshot wound to his lower leg and bleeding heavily. An officer applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding prior to paramedics arriving on scene. The victim was then transported to the hospital.
The victim and witnesses reported the boy was walking on Orange Street when a gray sedan stopped in the middle of
the road and the driver called out to the victim before pulling out a handgun and firing one round. The vehicle then fled.
Police later recovered a spent 9mm cartridge from the middle of the road.
Anyone with information regarding crime or suspicious activity is asked to contact Redlands Police Dispatch at (909) 798-7681 ext. 1.
Certain non-emergency crimes may also be reported online using the Redlands Police Department’s CopLogic reporting system at www.cityofredlands.org/report-crime. Suspicious activity and tips can be reported using the City of Redlands 311 mobile app available for Android, iPhones, and iPads.
Latino
Health
Conference in
San Bernardino Highlights Rising Fears, Medi-Cal Cuts and Mental Health Crisis
By Manny Sandoval
More than 300 community leaders, healthcare advocates, and nonprofits gathered at SAC Health in San Bernardino for the State of Latino Health Conference, hosted by Inland nonprofit Reach Out’s Latino Health Collaborative.
The event spotlighted what organizers called a deepening health crisis: Latino immigrant populations — including some U.S. citizens — are avoiding treatment out of fear of deportation or mistreatment. Speakers stressed that the most urgent unmet need is mental health services.
Covered California Rate Hikes and Medicaid Concerns Dr. Ilan Shapiro, AltaMed Health Services’ Chief Health Correspondent and Medical Affairs Officer, delivered the keynote with stark warnings about rising health costs.
“In the next three months and in 2026 and 2027 we will see Covered California, a healthcare marketplace, which is already horrible, but right now a lot of the subsidies are being cut out and that means the prices will increase,” Shapiro said. “Now is the time where we need to start communicating this to our community — why? Because now is the time our community really needs to get their mammograms, vaccines, mental health support, all screenings, medications, etc. as a way to protect ourselves in the meantime.”
According to Covered California, insurance premiums are projected to rise by an average 10.3% in 2026, up from 7.9% in 2025.
Shapiro also cautioned about the consequences of looming Medi-Cal reductions. “If Medicaid is reduced or eliminated, people will more than likely rely on ERs — and ERs are amazing — but the problem with ERs is that they are not in tune with preventive healthcare
services,” he said.
Voices from the Community
During a panel titled Centering Latino Voices in Health and Education, SAC Health’s Juan Fresse said his clinic is seeing more missed appointments.
“At our clinics we have different materials for spiritual care in Spanish and English and for a long time since the majority we serve are Spanish speaking, the Spanish materials are the materials I had to replenish frequently,” Fresse said. “But for the past six months, those are not having to be replenished anymore. We’re having tons of no-shows and people are not coming to their appointments or receiving medical treatments they require for their well-being.”
Luz Gallegos, longtime Inland Empire activist and executive director of TODEC Legal Center, broke down in tears while describing what she called the psychological toll of immigration enforcement.
“It’s just hard when we’re out in the field and having sessions with community members, and they tell us, ‘We’re not criminals, we just want to work. We’re not terrorists — they’re treating us worse than terrorists. We just migrate for better opportunities, and we’re not here to hurt anyone. Our community is being placed in the same sector as terrorists.’” Gallegos said. “Our country is impacting our immigrants’ well-being psychologically and economically, and you all know for undocumented immigrants, if they don’t work, it impacts their financial and mental well-being.”
Panelists described this climate as “psychological terrorism,” with immigration enforcement policies in California — especially Southern California — exacerbating mental health struggles among immigrant communities.
Medi-Cal Cuts Coming in 2026
California’s 2025-26 state budget closes a multibillion-dollar deficit in part by scaling back Medi-Cal, the
state’s Medicaid program. Major changes set to begin in 2026 include:
Freeze on new enrollment in full-scope Medi-Cal for undocumented adults 19+ (effective Jan. 1, 2026). [Source: CA Department of Finance, 2025-26 Budget Summary]
End of full-scope dental coverage for undocumented adults, retaining only emergency services (July 1, 2026). [Source: CA Budget Summary, HHS]
Reinstatement of asset tests for specified seniors and people with disabilities (Jan. 1, 2026). [Source: DHCS, Trailer Bill Analysis]
Elimination of GLP-1 weight-loss drug coverage (Jan. 1, 2026). [Source: CA Budget Summary, HHS]
FQHC/RHC payment reform for state-only Medi-Cal populations (July 1, 2026). [Source: CA Budget Summary, HHS]
State projections estimate billions in ongoing savings, but health advocates say the cuts will reduce access to comprehensive care for immigrants, seniors, and vulnerable groups.
A Call for Urgency
Dr. Shapiro, who has been with AltaMed since 2016 and has built a reputation as a strong advocate for health equity, closed by urging immediate action.
“This is the time to protect ourselves with preventive care,” he said, “because the system is only going to get harder to access.”
The conference theme — social, physical, and mental health — sought to unite professionals and advocates on strategies to promote equity. But as testimony from both patients and providers underscored, the barriers to care are growing higher for Latino families across the Inland Empire.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
Panelists, including Luz Gallegos (center left) of TODEC Legal Center and Juan Fresse (far right) of SAC Health, discuss immigrant mental health struggles during Centering Latino Voices in Health and Education at the State of Latino Health Conference in San Bernardino.
PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL
Dr. Ilan Shapiro of AltaMed urges the Latino community to seek preventive care now as Covered California rates rise and Medi-Cal is cut in 2026, during the State of Latino Health Conference in San Bernardino.
Riverside Moves Forward with Sports and Entertainment Complex Proposal on Site of Former Ab Brown Sports Complex
The City Council voted unanimously on August 19th to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement with Riverside-based GCS Development to transform 56 acres of city-owned land in the Northside neighborhood into the Riverside Sports Complex & Entertainment District, a groundbreaking destination set to redefine community recreation and economic growth in the region.
GCS Development of Riverside envisions a Master Plan for a professional, multi-use stadium, six soccer fields, and an indoor sports and game complex as part of the first phase. The future phase is planned to include housing, retail and community spaces including a central park featuring family-friendly amenities, walking/jogging trails, bike paths, playgrounds, and a dog park.
“This project provides recreational opportunities that Riverside and our greater region have never had,” Mayor
Patricia Lock Dawson said. “It will create a dynamic destination that will energize our local economy and make Riverside the premiere hub for sports and entertainment.”
The site formerly housed the Ab Brown Sports Complex, an 18-field soccer facility that was home to the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Region 47 from 1985 to 2018. The site, vacant since 2018, is now poised for a comeback, creating economic opportunity and breathing new life into the community in alignment with the Northside Specific Plan’s goals.
The Riverside Sports Complex & Entertainment District would inject life into the property, create economic opportunity for the Northside and meet the vision and goals of the Northside Specific Plan and the City’s General Plan.
Separate from the Riverside Adventure Center, already under review through the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement approved in February 2025, the Sports Complex and Entertainment District will serve as a complimentary
powerhouse driving growth and opportunity in the Northside and throughout the city. The Riverside Adventure Center includes a public park, a recreational adventure center and a mixed-use commercial complex, including a grocery store, hotel and conference center, housing and restaurants.
“The promise of pairing the Sports Complex and Entertainment District with the Riverside Adventure Center represents a generational opportunity in the Northside area and the entire city,” Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Conder said. “We are honoring our rich sports history while launching Riverside into the future.”
Highlights of the concept plan for the Sports Complex and Entertainment District include:
A 5,005-seat (expandable to 15,000 seats) stadium for soccer, rugby, football and lacrosse.
A 108-room stadium hotel to accommodate visitors.
Riverside Live, an indoor/outdoor venue for festivals and concerts making the district a year-round cultural destination.
A 130,000-square-foot sports complex for pickleball, padel and other court games.
Six soccer fields, including two full-size multi-sport fields and four youth-sized soccer fields.
1,100 residential units, including 25 percent affordable units.
193,000 square feet of retail space for shopping and dining.
A central park and dedicated dog park for community enjoyment.
3,498 parking stalls, with 100 EV charging stations.
The exclusive negotiating agreement lasts for one year, with the option of a six-month extension.
Labor Day honors the strength and sacrifice of American workers whose dedication built the foundation of our communities and our nation. First celebrated in 1894, the holiday stands as a tribute to the labor movement and the fight for fair wages, safe workplaces, and dignity on the job. As we recognize the contributions of all workers across the Inland Empire, we wish you a happy and safe Labor Day weekend.
Thank you to the dignitaries listed below for sponsoring IECN’s Labor Day edition in El Chicano, Colton
Thank you to the dignitaries listed below for sponsoring IECN’s Labor Day edition in El Chicano, Colton
Thank you to the dignitaries listed below for sponsoring IECN’s Labor Day edition in El Chicano, Colton Courier, and Rialto Record. Your support helps us continue delivering meaningful news to our communities! Courier, and Rialto Record. Your helps us continue delivering meaningful news to our communities! Courier, and Rialto Record. Your support helps us continue delivering meaningful news to our communities!
Diana Z. Rodriguez
Chancellor, San Bernardino Community College District
Website: SBCCD.edu
Eloise Gómez Reyes
California State Senator, 29th District
Phone: (909) 888-5360 Website: sd29.senate.ca.gov
Joe Baca Jr.
San Bernardino County 5th District Supervisor, Vice Chair
Phone: (909) 387-4565 Website: bosd5.sbcounty.gov
James C. Ramos
Assemblymember, 45 district th Website: a45.asmdc.org
Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh
California State Senator, 19th District
Phone: (909) 335-0271
Website: sr19.senate.ca.gov
San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
Phone: (909) 888-3228
Website: sbcss.net
Dr. Stephanie Houston
Chair, San Bernardino Community College District, Board of Trustees
Website: drstephaniehouston.com
Joseph Williams
Vice Chair, San Bernardino Community College District, Board of Trustees
