Irvine advances Fieldhouse with $13.48M contract item and fee changes

June 9 City Council records show Irvine moving its Fieldhouse project closer to the construction-and-fit-out stage at the same time it resets athletic reservation fees for outdoor fields and the future indoor gym. The construction item calls for a $13.481 million tenant-improvement contract for the building at 17300 Red Hill Avenue, a site the city says will be Irvine’s first municipal gymnasium.

The contract is not the same thing as a finished opening. The city’s report describes the work as the tenant-improvement phase, with construction expected to start in September 2026 and finish in spring 2027. The project is funded entirely with Irvine Business Complex development impact fees, and the staff report says no General Fund dollars are being used.

What the fee changes do

The separate fee resolution matters to the people who will use the space most: parents, youth sports groups, adult leagues, and other regular field users. The council adopted new outdoor athletic reservation fees and set Fieldhouse pricing in a companion resolution approved on June 9.

For outdoor fields and courts, the city is shifting some reservations to an hourly model rather than the older per-person, per-season structure. The resolution also says future reservation-related fees and deposits can rise by up to 10 percent a year starting Jan. 1, 2027. For the Fieldhouse, the city adopted a separate fee schedule for indoor court and event use, with the new charges set to take effect 60 days after council approval.

The commission materials show why the city is making the change now. Irvine staff says the Fieldhouse is designed for year-round indoor sports programming, recreational activities, and community events. The city also expects reservation revenue to cover most of the facility’s income over time, with youth classes, camps, adult leagues, and drop-in sports helping fill out the operating model.

The June 3 Community & Library Services Commission report says the Fieldhouse will include about 110,000 square feet of building area, with roughly 90,000 square feet of indoor court space. The city has said the facility will include 10 dedicated badminton courts and 10 multi-use courts, along with support spaces such as a multipurpose room, food service areas, storage, staff offices, and a public lobby.

For Irvine families and sports organizations, the immediate takeaway is simple: the Fieldhouse is still pre-opening, but the project is now moving through a major funding and contract step, and the pricing rules for city athletic space are changing ahead of the launch. Residents who rely on city fields or expect to book indoor court time should watch for reservation details, operational updates, and any final scheduling notices as the city moves toward the 2027 window.

Sources

• City of Irvine June 9, 2026 council action report
• City of Irvine resolution on athletic field fees and Irvine Fieldhouse pricing