The City of Schertz entered into a Public Facility License Agreement in 2015 with the Schertz Youth Soccer Alliance (SYSA) to operate and maintain the Schertz Soccer Complex (Resolution 15-R-65.)  This was an amended, renewed, and extended agreement from the original agreement dated July 27, 2010 (Resolution 10-R-67).  Over the life of the agreements there have been various challenges and concerns about maintenance and financial sustainability of the organization.  Over the past few years, as the city has grown and with added additional recreation staff, there has been added capacity to provide more oversight to SYSA operations and audit program operations, which has resulted in identifying additional areas of concern regarding the following:

Operations

• Building Maintenance
• Turf Management
• Irrigation Management

Administrative

• Financial Sustainability
• Legal & Compliance Issues
• Best Management Practices

Organization Structure

• Disjointed organization of competitors
• Inequitable Access

The City has also invested just over $2 million in the facility over the past year - $1.8 million for the Soccer Complex Lighting Project, $161,150 for a new well, $50,000 for irrigation storage and pump, and $50,000* in deferred maintenance projects (painting, water fountains, epoxy floors, power washing, irrigation repairs, valve box covers, building lighting, plumbing repairs, tree trimming, etc.)
*staff previously reported $25,000 in deferred maintenance repairs in the Council Retreat presentation on 8/1/25, but after reviewing expenses to date in the General Fund ($31,344.75) and identifying $18,000 in tree trimming expenses in the Tree Mitigation Fund, the total spent is $49,344.75.

Given the issues identified, city staff is recommending a change in how we operate the facility.  Staff's recommendation is to cancel the Public Facility License Agreement with SYSA and move to city operations, whereby city staff is the neutral party responsible for maintenance and field utilization. Staff recommendations are the following:

City Operations - Neutral Party

• City staff (Athletic Coordinator) manages field utilization
• Shift to a Recognized Sports Association (RSA) framework for priority use (current SYSA Alliance members would be RSA's and have priority use over new RSA's)
• RSA's coordinate with Athletic Coordinator for field use
• Soccer associations continue to manage their programs
• Competitively bid out field maintenance operations
• Competitively bid out concessionaire operations
• Staff proposes a fee structure where everyone pays

The Parks & Recreation Advisory Board discussed the SYSA Public Facility License Agreement at their meetings on June 16 and July 28, 2025, and recommended approval of canceling the agreement with SYSA (with a 5-1 vote) and recommended transitioning to city operations and hiring an Athletic Coordinator (with a 4-2 vote).

The goal is to transition to city operations of the Schertz Soccer Complex to enhance facility maintenance and oversight; provide for more equitable access to the fields; increase capacity and programming; and to continue to make investments in the facility.   The city proposal calls for hiring an Athletics Coordinator who coordinates field use with existing soccer associations, and competitively bidding out field maintenance and concessionaire operations.

The community benefits from continued investment in the facility to meet resident standards. There will be fair and transparent access for all users and additional capacity for city-led recreational programs and events.  City staff will be able to streamline operations through technology by timing field light operations with field reservations. Disbanding the alliance and canceling the agreement with the alliance eliminates duplication that is occurring with insurance, scheduling, websites, fees, etc.  The community also benefits because the relationship between the City and local leagues remains, as we transition the current alliance members into the Recognized Sports Association (RSA) framework, where they will maintain priority field use.

Approve Resolution 25-R-111 authorizing the cancellation of the Public Facility License Agreement with the Schertz Youth Soccer Alliance (SYSA) and transitioning to city operations of the Schertz Soccer Complex.  

City staff is projecting net excess revenues of $32,666.65 overall with this transition to city operations.  City staff is proposing to transition to a model where everyone pays for field use (current SYSA members get free practices) and this change, with the addition of a tiered pricing structure based on recreational league play, projecting an increase in field rentals, and projecting an increase in concession revenues, covers the cost of operations as well as the FT position of Athletic Coordinator being proposed.

Approve Resolution 25-R-111 authorizing the cancellation of the Public Facility License Agreement with the Schertz Youth Soccer Alliance (SYSA) and transitioning to city operations of the Schertz Soccer Complex.