Setting the
Record Straight
on Granite Park
Granite Park is a valued community asset, and the City of Fresno knows residents have questions about its future. Many misleading claims circulating publicly have come from parties with a financial stake in the outcome, and a special interest in a favorable court outcome. The account below is drawn from the lease, the official record, and the court’s decision. Here’s what residents and community members deserve to know.
Granite Park will remain open.
The park will continue to operate. The City will honor existing reservations, league schedules, and scheduled events. For the families and teams that depend on the park, its day-to-day availability does not change.
Public safety comes first.
The operator put it at risk.
The lease required the operator to insure the park, keep it compliant with fire and building codes, and keep it safe. The operator fell short. It did not maintain all of the required insurance, and the City could not confirm that the park’s operations and planned events were fully covered. Independent inspectors found health, safety, and fire-code hazards that went unaddressed despite warnings, and some repairs were not performed by licensed professionals. Protecting the children and families who use Granite Park is the City’s highest responsibility.
The City made every good-faith effort to resolve these issues first.
The City provided formal written notice of the problems and time to correct them. Those issues were not resolved. Requesting that the park be returned to public control was a final step, not a first one.
Protecting children, families, and public dollars is the City’s top priority.
Granite Park is public land, held in trust for the residents of Fresno. The City’s responsibilities are the safety of the people who use the park and the careful use of the public dollars that support it. When those responsibilities are at risk, the City has an obligation to act.
What the Lease Required
The lease set clear standards that the operator agreed to meet. In summary, the operator was required to:
1
Share billboard income with the City and set aside funds in a reserve account for the park’s upkeep.
2
Complete specific improvements to the park by a set deadline.
3
Pay for the park’s utilities, such as power and water.
4
Maintain insurance sufficient to protect park users, the public, and the City.
Questions and Answers
Is Granite Park closing?
No. The park will remain open, and all existing reservations and agreements will be honored.
Did the operator meet its obligations under the lease?
The operator stipulated in court that at least one material lease term had been breached. Under oath, the operator confirmed that the reserve account required for improvements was never funded, and that the utility costs the City had advanced were not repaid. The operator also did not pay the City its share of the billboard income.
Did the operator have the insurance the park needed?
No. The last time the insurance was compliant was in 2024. However, the policy was cancelled six months later and the City was never notified. The lease required compliant insurance to protect park users, the public, and the City. The City’s risk office found that the operator did not maintain all of the required coverage and could not confirm that the park’s operations and planned events, including a planned public event involving fireworks, were fully insured. The City is further informed that a prior fireworks event at the park resulted in a fire-related incident.
Did the operator fail to pay its bills and to bring the park up to code due to financial hardship?
Despite claims of not having enough money to keep the park safe, the nonprofit’s board members have been paid an average of $500,000 per year over the past four years, including an $894,000 payout to the Board President in 2023.
Who was responsible for the park’s utility bills?
Under the lease, utilities such as power and water were the operator’s responsibility. When those bills went unpaid, the City advanced the costs to keep services running. Under oath, the operator confirmed it did not repay the City. These are public taxpayer funds, and the operator has an obligation to repay the public.
Is the park safe and properly maintained?
An independent professional assessment identified outstanding health, safety, fire, and code problems, and found that certain repairs had not been performed by licensed professionals. Correcting these conditions protects the families and children who use the park.
Did the operator get a chance to address the problems?
Yes. The City provided formal written notice of the problems and time to correct them. When they were not resolved, the matter proceeded to court.
Why is the City doing this?
This matter is about protecting what belongs to the public, keeping the park safe, and recovering taxpayer funds. Unpaid revenue owed to the City, unreimbursed utility bills, and the cost of deferred safety repairs are all public resources.
Is this a personal or political dispute?
No. This matter concerns the terms of the lease, the safety of the park, and the responsible use of public funds. The operator stipulated through its attorneys that at least one material lease term had been breached. The outcome was determined by the facts and by the court.
Will the community lose access to its programs and events?
No. Fields, leagues, and events will continue, operated safely and in compliance with applicable codes.