North Park Indoor Soccer Facility Closes Due to Erosion, Owner Says

An indoor soccer facility in North Park was forced to temporarily suspend its teams' games due to erosion below its fields, according to the organization's president.

San Diego Indoor Soccer, the block-spanning indoor soccer facility next to the prominent North Park Water Tower at El Cajon Boulevard and Idaho Street, has been closed since late September, leaving dozens of soccer players wondering what's to happen to the future of their league.

The organization is run by Let's Play Sports, Inc. President Gary Archer said the city required them to stop operating at their current location due to "the structural integrity of the reservoir located underneath the fields," according to an online post.

“Since then, owners and staff have been working diligently to get the games restarted at an alternative location,” Oscar Urteaga, a spokesman for San Diego Indoor Soccer, said.

But according to Manager Bryan Burns, the search for the right location is "difficult."

“It gets especially challenging when you include all necessary elements that meets our players expectations, meets city requirements, and that doesn’t impose on our friends and neighbors,” Burns said.

In a press release, Let’s Play Sports said its seeking flexible landowners to work with creating temporary fields at the company’s expense, including large parking lots or even schools.

“As long as it’s a place that’s safe for the kids, I would think this is the best place for them because it’s also monitored more, you can’t let anyone up in there, someone has to watch out for the kids,” said resident Kokilo Wilmore.

Beginning in 2016, San Diego Indoor Soccer added a new full field and a mini-field to meet the demand of players, bringing its total to four fields.

Let’s Play Sports said it still has several years left on its lease with the city for its North Park location – which it’s been operating since 1988. 

A spokesman with the city of San Diego told NBC 7 the city is continuing to work with the lessee of the facility to find an alternative site for indoor soccer activity.