New sports park in Indio set to officially open this weekend after years of demand from residents

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Indio residents will soon have a new sports complex to enjoy!

The Indio Sports Park, which occupies 38 acres, is located in North Indio at 82600 Market Street near Avenue 44 and Jackson. 

It includes 11 soccer fields sized for various age groups, one professional soccer field that can also be used for football, 2 baseball fields, a perimeter walking path, shade structures with BBQ and picnic tables, drinking fountains, restrooms and a concession stand. 

The city will be hosting an official grand opening ceremony this upcoming Saturday, May 16th at 10:00 a.m.

According to longtime youth sports leaders in Indio, there's been demand for a sports complex like this for decades.

Roy Rodriguez, who has been involved in youth sports in Indio for nearly 30 years, said, "We've been waiting for this park for about 25, 26 years. We finally got it. And it's going to pay off for the kids."

He has mentored generations of young athletes, many of whom took their skills from youth play to the high school and college levels. He said facilities like these offer an opportunity for kids to stay off the streets and to build a foundation and passion for sports from a young age.

"I've seen a lot of my girls grow throughout his years playing for Indio high school. And some of them you go to college," he recounted. "So, you know, it pays off to have this stuff for the kids, keep them off the street and keep them busy doing sports."

Rodriguez is the President of the Indio Baseball Softball Organization (IBSO). His fellow board member, Andrew Garcia, agreed. "It's good to see that it's up and going now and excited to see let these kids enjoy the this brand new park."

Both youth sports leaders thought the same thing: the brand-new facility is a great step in the right direction. From protected bullpens – which you can't find anywhere else in the City of Indio – to updated scoreboards that are in much better shape than other fields, like Davis Field.

Rodriguez pointed out Davis is an aging facility, but has more capacity than the current state of Indio Sports Park. With four fields, Rodriguez said he hoped at some point, the new sports complex would expand to match the aging park: "We would love to have four, instead of two, but hey, like I said, this is going to work out for now."

He also pointed to the lighting needing some work; he said right now, only one of the fields can be lit to allow play to continue into the evening. He hoped more lights could be installed so evening play could happen throughout the whole park.

I took some of the questions other residents have had about the park to city officials, too.

"I've seen some comments about things like skate parks, maybe indoor sports facilities. What's coming next for Indio in that sense?" I asked.

Mayor Pro Tem Waymond Fermon responded, "There will be a phase two and we'll work with the community on that phase two ... for [a] skate park." He said the council is looking to budget for that to be built near Miles Park.

He continued enthusiastically, "We're going to always go out to the community and see what the community wants and that's what we're going to deliver, so we're looking forward to developing that. But in the meantime, let's get this grand opening going and let's get this park going."

Fermon agreed with the youth leaders: a park like this will be a big benefit to the area of North Indio, which he said has been underdeveloped and left behind in the past.

"I really feel that the next Ohtani or Messi could come out of this field because we do have the talent here in our valley. We just have to provide the amenities from our level," he said.

"This is a huge turning point. You know, we've been focused on our downtown area and revitalization, but I'm looking for this to be its own downtown," pledged Fermon. "This community deserves it and we're going to deliver it."