A former technology executive and an Anaheim Angels radio talk-show host have teamed up to open a 100,000-square-foot sports complex in Garden Grove.
Jeff Luzzi, former marketing vice president at Magnadyne Corp. in Compton, and Jason Brennan, part-time host of Angel Talk on KLAA-AM 830, spent almost two years crafting a business plan, defining a target market and finding the right location for Next Level Sports Complex.
They raised $2 million to renovate the shuttered site of Linder’s Furniture into a top-notch athletic facility to compete against the likes of American Sports Center in Anaheim and other area sports complexes.
Knew “10 Percent”
“We knew about 10 percent of what we needed to know before we started this deal,” said Luzzi, who serves as chief operating officer.
That inexperience isn’t apparent when walking the sprawling complex, which features 11 basketball courts—convertible to 14 volleyball courts—four turf fields, and a performance training and development center. It took two months to install the maple courts, which span a total 65,000 square feet.
A game room was added after construction to keep kids occupied while their siblings play in tournaments or pick-up games. Management also is considering adding badminton courts, as there have been lots of inquiries from a growing contingent of Asian-American families who visit Friday nights to discuss community affairs, shoot the breeze and watch their children play sports in a safe environment.
The center recently partnered with the private charter school Learn4Life to offer customized programs for students at the sports complex. Luzzi also plans to start a nonprofit branch for a Lil’ Kickers child-development program that will fuse soccer lessons and general education for kids aged 18 months to 5 years.
The Next Level owners say they are taking a more community-driven approach to business development at Next Level than American Sports Center, which is billed as the largest indoor court facility in the U.S.—it accommodates up to 34 volleyball courts or 25 basketball courts.
Program Connections
The 242,000-square-foot Anaheim center is home to the U.S. men’s and women’s national volleyball teams, along with numerous youth club volleyball and basketball programs, adult basketball and futsal leagues, and a variety of weekend tournaments and events.
“You can come here and have all these experiences in one place,” Luzzi said. “All they do is rent out their facility.”
Next Level Sports Complex is located at 12821 Knott St., just north of the Garden Grove (22) Freeway. It aims to draw membership from a 20-mile radius and nearby Long Beach, as well as hosting travelling teams from surrounding counties.
The target market is diverse, from families from nearby Vietnamese-American neighborhoods to professional athletes in affluent luxury communities. The complex has housed basketball teams from Nigeria, South Korea and China, and is headquarters for the TCA Volleyball Club of Southern California.
Former National Basketball Association player Reggie Theus is holding an NBA predraft camp at the complex this summer. Current players Chauncey Billups, Trevor Ariza and Mike Bibby also have camps planned here this year.
Famous Visitors
Quarterbacks coach Steve Calhoun has brought in Carolina Panthers rookie phenomenon Cam Newton to visit the complex, as well New York Jets quarterback and Orange County native Mark Sanchez.
The Newport Beach Harbor High School alums etched out 15 separate revenue streams to make the business viable.
Next Level has inked deals to host amateur competitions, and National Collegiate Athletic Association and internationally sanctioned events. Tournaments are the biggest revenue generators for any athletic facility, so filling the calendar with such events is key to Next Level’s targeted annual revenue of $2 million to $3 million.
Memberships, lease and program fees are being finalized. Advertisements from national companies such as Panasonic, DirecTV and T-Mobile line the walls and add another source of income.
The complex will lean on Brennan’s community and business ties to drum up more support and to provide concessions for bigger events. Brennan owns Throwbacks Sports Bar & Grill near Angel Stadium and the Honda Center.
Meantime, the sports complex already has given life to a location that had slipped into sullen dormancy. Linder’s Furniture closed its doors last year, following a requisite going-out-of-business sale.
