DISNEY REGIONAL SOCCER TOURNEY MAY BE HELD IN ANTELOPE VALLEY.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

LANCASTER - City officials and The Walt Disney Co. may team up to sponsor a youth soccer tournament that could bring in as many as 4,000 visitors and pump $1.2 million into the Antelope Valley's economy.

The city and Disney have a conceptual agreement for the tournament to be held June 23-25. As many as 140 teams from around the Western United States would compete, and the top two in each of 10 divisions would then travel to national championship competition in August at the Disney Wide World of Sports complex in Florida.

``We are excited to be involved in this proposed major tournament,'' said Mayor Frank Roberts, ``primarily because it bestows instant legitimacy at a national level on our Lancaster National Soccer Center.''

Under the agreement, Lancaster will spend $100,000 to cover marketing and operational costs. City officials hope to offset the cost through corporate sponsorships.

City officials also would ask a local sports organization, the California Youth Soccer Association, Sierra Vista Futbol Club-Tahuichi, to promote and operate the tournament.

In a staff report to the City Council, Lyle Norton, director of parks, recreation and arts, said this would be the ``most aggressive sports marketing venture in the city's history.''

City Council members will consider a final agreement with Disney at their meeting to be held Tuesday night.

Lancaster is working to develop its 2-year-old, 30-field soccer complex into a draw for regional and national tournaments that attract out-of-town visitors and their dollars. City officials want the soccer complex to mirror the success Lancaster has had with its Big Eight softball complex, which draws in more than three dozen tournaments a year.