Ontario’s big play: Building a sports empire in the Inland Empire

In the ever-evolving Inland Empire, the city of Ontario is experiencing significant changes, largely due to a growing “sports empire.”

Often dubbed the Gateway to Southern California, the city stretches across San Bernardino and Riverside counties and has shifted from an agricultural colony to a bustling residential hot spot.

Ontario Sports Empire

Last week, Ontario opened its brand new ONT Field, home of the Dodgers’ Single-A affiliate, the Tower Buzzers, which holds up to 6,500 fans.

Ontario City Manager Scott Ochoa joined AirTalk, LAist 89.3’s daily news show, to talk about how it’s shaping the city.

“The idea of putting together a sports complex that allows both community play and attracts the burgeoning market for travel teams really manifested itself into the potential of that 200-acre parcel,” Ochoa said.

The city plans to use this field and its surrounding area, calling it the Ontario Sports Empire, for a variety of tournament sports.

Here are some of the key features:

• Eight full-size baseball diamonds, 14 youth diamonds 
• 20 multipurpose fields for soccer or lacrosse that can be converted into four football or rugby fields
• Three large playground areas
• 227-room hotel  
• 51-foot jumbotron
• Six-level parking garage

Ontario Sports Empire will open in October. You can read more about the project’s development here.

‘A chip on our shoulder’

“The Sports Empire is really born from a chip on our shoulder,” Ochoa said, adding that they may be in the Inland Empire, but the goal is to remain as part of Greater Los Angeles.

That’s part of the Ontario City Council’s long-term strategy to expand offered amenities consistent with the boom in single-family home development over the last few decades. Ochoa said that, given Ontario’s proximity to L.A., he believes the city has a unique opportunity to evolve into an entertainment hub.

“Compared to the coastal communities, we are affordable,” he said.

Kome Ajise, executive director of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), pointed to sports entertainment hubs like those in Inglewood that have grown around SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome.

“Ontario has stepped forward to create a center that will dominate,” he said.

More growth

The City Council is working to expand the city’s 130-acre Grand Park to 340 acres, making it longer than Central Park in Manhattan, as well as a new Capital City Project that will be an entertainment mixed-use space.

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