CSUN STADIUM REQUIRES $1.2 MILLION.

Byline: Howard Beck Daily News Staff Writer

They have a site and a vision. Now all proponents of a new community baseball/softball stadium need is about $1.2 million in private financing to make their San Fernando Valley ``field of dreams'' a reality.

Steve Soboroff, senior adviser to Mayor Richard Riordan, is spearheading a drive to build what he calls a Wrigley Field-like stadium on the Cal State Northridge campus. The field would be built to NCAA softball-stadium specifications for the Matadors but would also be used by the area's youth baseball and softball teams.

Soboroff met Tuesday with Cal State Northridge President Blenda Wilson and a cadre of consultants to establish parameters for the project. Wilson endorsed the plan, subject to the securing of private funding, and the mayor's office is also backing the endeavor.

No timetable for completion has been set and the project will not move forward without the $1 million to $1.2 million needed, but the excitement is already palpable.

``I was amazed, excited - I don't know. It would be incredible for us,'' said CSUN assistant softball coach Kelly Ford, who attended Tuesday's meeting. ``This is what we've been waiting for, something like this to make our program really take off.''

Ford said the Matadors' current stadium, played on since 1982 is ``very average'' despite recently upgraded dugouts and a new scoreboard three years ago. A new stadium, Ford said, would provide a ``tremendous'' boost to recruiting and fundraising.

Soboroff, who has touted the project as the San Fernando Valley's ``field of dreams,'' slapped a new analogy on the plan Wednesday.

``I would describe it as a mini-Wrigley Field,'' he said, comparing it to the Chicago Cubs' historic home.``It's going to have real outfield fencing, vines growing up the wall. It will have berms on the other side for people to watch the game.''

A rendering of the project should be completed in a few weeks. Tuesday, officials established the following parameters:

It will be built on the site of the current CSUN softball field and will be designed to accommodate tournaments for everything from tee-ball leagues through 15-year-old divisions.

Features will include lighting for night games, a press box, scoreboards and concession stand.

Seating capacity will be 1,500 but expandable to 3,000 to 3,500 with the addition of bleachers.

Soboroff said the project will be ``100 percent'' privately funded - no taxpayer dollars or university funds would be used.

``We have 150 different baseball leagues in the Valley,'' Soboroff said. ``This would serve as a place for their all-star games, for their tournaments. Every time kids play there, they can get a pin saying they played at the field of dreams. That place will be booked every night.''

Youth leagues will be able to use the stadium free of charge. Maintenance will be provided by CSUN.

Soboroff said he has been fielding phone calls daily from corporations interested in helping to fund the stadium. He hopes to sell naming rights for possibly $750,000.

A donation of $50,000 has already been pledged by owners of the Kings. The architectural firm of NBBJ is donating $50,000 in services, and the J. Byer Group will provide $50,000 in geotechnical studies.

University spokeswoman Carmen Ramos Chandler called the project ``a generous gesture'' that the campus welcomes but cautioned that nothing is firm yet.

``We don't want to raise any more false hopes,'' she said. ``We want to make sure this will indeed happen.''

Soboroff is confident it will.

``The project would be harder to stop at this point than it would be to finish it,'' he said.