Local groups could put Mt. SAC's Trials timeline in jeopardy

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

WALNUT, Calif. -- The outcome of a Walnut City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday could determine whether Mount San Antonio College has the political will and community support necessary to carry out the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Mt. SAC celebrated the 70th edition of the school’s annual cross country invitational Friday and Saturday in Walnut, Calif., even more impressive considering the ongoing construction at the southeast end of campus.

Whether Mt. SAC is able to enjoy another memorable achievement by hosting the 2020 Trials, rests largely on upcoming decisions made by the city council, Walnut City Manager Rob Wishner and United Walnut Taxpayers to allow the school to complete its construction project on time.

The USA Track and Field Board of Directors voted 11-2 in June in favor of Mt. SAC being awarded the 2020 Trials over finalists Sacramento and Eugene, Ore., which has hosted the past three competitions in 2008, 2012 and 2016 at Hayward Field.

It marked the first time since 1968 that the Trials were scheduled to return to Mt. SAC’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium (it hosted the women that year). The last time the Trials were held in Southern California was 1984 at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.

“Mt. SAC (Relays) has long been one of the top meets in the country, from an athlete performance perspective as well as from organizational perspective. With the stadium upgrades currently planned, we are confident Mt. SAC will provide an extraordinary experience for athletes, fans, officials and volunteers,” USATF Board Chairman Steve Miller said in a June statement.

“The board, and especially our active athletes, were clear in their desire to take the Olympic Trials back to Los Angeles.”

A $62 million renovation to Hilmer Lodge Stadium, resulting in a seating capacity of 21,000, was a significant factor in Mt. SAC securing the host bid. The projected stadium reopening of 2019 has already been compromised by objections from area residents, lack of support from city council members and permits not being granted or approved by Wishner.

Should Mt. SAC not receive the necessary support from the city in the coming months in order to move 130,000 tons of dirt from the stadium to a parcel of land owned by the school and located west of campus with the intent of building a solar farm, it could be an obstacle too detrimental to overcome in order for construction to progress at a significant rate.

As a result, Project 2020 Chair and Mt. SAC Athletic Special Events Director Doug Todd said the school board and administrators could face the worst-case scenario of losing the opportunity to host the Trials, scheduled for June 19-28, 2020.

Despite oppositions from local citizens and city officials to advancing campus construction as well as the solar project, Mt. SAC President and CEO Dr. William Scroggins remains optimistic the school will prevail in its pursuit for the Trials to return to California for the first time since Sacramento hosted in 2004.

“We have already accomplished initial work on the site and are looking forward to ramping up construction,” Scroggins said in a statement Friday.

“I am confident our stadium will be ready to host the Olympic Track and Field Trials in 2020. We are excited at the opportunity to welcome the Country's best track athletes to Mt. SAC.”

Mt. SAC submitted grading and hauling permits Aug. 15 for the dirt to be transported to the West Parcel and have yet to receive a response from Wishner.

Should the city council vote against the dirt being moved to the West Parcel and not approve the school’s solar project, it would cost Mt. SAC more than $1 million to move it to an off-campus site.

The college already backed off in recent years from the prospect of building a new campus parking structure in an effort to appease local residents who opposed the project and create better community ties.

But Mt. SAC isn’t willing to compromise on its right to move the dirt to the West Parcel, especially since city officials are trying to claim jurisdiction because it would require transportation vehicles to drive on local streets.

Since any educational institution throughout California is subject to a thorough permitting process from the Department of State Architecture, that approval is usually considered acceptable for city governments to acknowledge requests like the ones made by Mt. SAC.

With city officials seeking additional approval, Mt. SAC believes it sets a bad precedent for any school attempting to organize future renovation projects.

By continuing to contest the stadium project, city officials are using that opposition as leverage in their attempt to have Mt. SAC back down from their desire to complete the solar project. The school isn’t wavering in its commitment or purpose.

Although Mt. SAC will continue to host the world’s largest annual cross country invitational every October, along with the Foot Locker West Regional meet Dec. 2, there are legitimate concerns from school staff and board members whether their 2020 Trials aspirations will become reality, especially when only three votes from the five-person city council could determine the event's future.

“We don’t want Walnut to be known as the city that had to give up hosting the Olympic Trials,” Todd said.