Irvine Great Park: DELIVERING on a PROMISE
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MARIO KART VR AT K1 SPEED • TRIFECTA OF ART GALLERIES PRESENTED AT UCI • IRVINES EVERYDAY EATERY WORTH THE VISIT OCTOBER 0 201 • VOL. 2 NO. 1 Irvine Great Park: DELIVERING ON A PROMISE 2 | OCTOBER 30, 2019 | IRVINEWEEKLY﹒COM Open Now through January 12,2020 January through Now Open 714.993.5075 H nixonlibrary.org nixonlibrary.org IRVINEWEEKLY﹒COM| OCTOBER 30, 2019 • Vol. 2, No. 1 CONTENTS 4 2019 30, OCTOBER | 3 GREAT PAR ARTIST RENDERING COURTESY FIVEPOINT HOLDINGS NEWS...4 GREAT PARK: DELIVERING ON A PROMISE. BY TARA FINLEY MUSIC...6 FROM IRVINE TO THE STARS: NEFFEX’S RISE TO GLORY. BY SCOTT FEINBLATT ENTERTAINMENT...10 A DEGREE NEED FOR SPEED : K1 SPEED’S VR EXPERIENCE DRIVES MORE A CLASSROOM MARIO KART FANS TO IRVINE. BY RUKSANA HUSSAIN THAN A STUDENT ARTS...12 A LOCATION UCI’S ART GALLERIES PRESENT THREE PROVOCATIVE EXHIBITIONS. BY LIZ GOLDNER FOOD...15 EVERYDAY EATERY IS AN EXTRAORDINARY EATERY WORTH THE VISIT. BY BRET KAVANAUGH The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Irvine in University Plaza, 4199 Campus Dr., Suite 400 COVER: Great Park Artist Rendering • Courtesy FivePoint Holdings For all inquires: [email protected] BE MORE THAN Irvineweekly.com at thechicagoschool.edu NEWS IRVINEWEEKLY﹒COM | OCTOBER 30, 2019 2019 30, OCTOBER 4| Council for several years, with USA RE OL APPROES PLAS TO LD Water Polo’s move and the proposed Aquatics Center bringing plans to fruition. ATHLET FALTES AD ORE AT THE REAT “We are so excited that we are, after many years, bringing water polo to PAR the Great Park,” said Irvine Mayor Christina Shea. Located in the western sector of Great Park, the Aquatics Center will be a state-of-the-art water polo complex, CITY AND FIVEPOINT HOLDINGS PARTNERSHIP IS DELIVERING ON PROMISE TO featuring three pools for both public BUILD GREAT PAR. and private use. As home to the USA team, the facility will be used for Olympic training, with more than two-thirds of USA Water Polo activities BY: TARA FINLEY being open to the public. The pools are being scouted as a potential host site PHOTOS COURTESY OF: FIVEPOINT HOLDINGS for the 2028 Olympics as well. Not just to the benefit of Olympians, the Aquatics Center has much to oer pwards of $250 million will Water Polo and its men’s and women’s ing on the longstanding partnership fields and baseball stadium. the community, including water safety be spent by home-builder Olympic teams leading up to the 2024 between the city and the home-build- USA Water Polo, the governing body programs, recreational water polo FivePoint Holdings on ameni- Summer Games in Paris. er to build the Great Park. The new of the sport and its American mem- leagues and city-organized swim- ties for Irvine’s Great Park In a public meeting on Tuesday, commitments from FivePoint are on bers, relocated to Irvine earlier this ming activities. Uincluding a much anticipated Aquat- October 22, the Irvine City Council ap- top of the already built soccer stadium, year. According to city sta, water “Champions will be made here,” said ics Center that will be home to USA proved the plan with FivePoint, build- soccer fields, softball fields, baseball polo has been on the mind of the City USA Water Polo CEO Christopher NEWS IRVINEWEEKLY﹒COM| OCTOBER 30, 2019 30, OCTOBER | 5 Council for several years, with USA Ramsey. “They will come from every “Over time, Irvine will become known For the community, bringing USA RE OL APPROES PLAS TO LD Water Polo’s move and the proposed neighborhood, every background, as one of the world’s great water polo Water Polo to the Great Park means Aquatics Center bringing plans to each with their own dreams and they centers,” Ramsey predicts. “I am hope- a greater connection to the sport and fruition. will be challenged in the wonderful ful that future civic leadership will be more possibilities for young athletes. ATHLET FALTES AD ORE AT THE REAT “We are so excited that we are, after way that sport tests all of us.” Ramsey as enlightened as Mayor Shea and the “We will host many tournaments and many years, bringing water polo to added that of those who compete at Irvine City Council, and that we find clinics that will be open to our neigh- PAR the Great Park,” said Irvine Mayor the Great Park facility, some “may one more private partners with the vision bors. We hope to become Irvine’s home Christina Shea. day become Olympic champions.” of Emile Haddad and FivePoint, which team. Having our Olympians training Located in the western sector of Great Citing the approved center as a has done something truly historic within the community should be a real Park, the Aquatics Center will be a “game-changer” for his athletes, inspiration to the younger athletes,” state-of-the-art water polo complex, Ramsey shared with Irvine Weekly said Ramsey. CITY AND FIVEPOINT HOLDINGS PARTNERSHIP IS DELIVERING ON PROMISE TO featuring three pools for both public that the team is honored to be coming “WE ARE INA For athletes out of the water, the Field BUILD GREAT PAR. and private use. As home to the USA to Irvine. GETTING THIS PARK House concept is adapted from the team, the facility will be used for “They are thrilled that we are con- original approved Great Park mas- Olympic training, with more than solidating everything together in one BUIT” ter plan and will provide a space two-thirds of USA Water Polo activities of the world’s great cities,” explained -MAOR SHEA for sports such as indoor volleyball BY: TARA FINLEY being open to the public. The pools are Ramsey. “They are excited to have an and basketball. A multi-level park- being scouted as a potential host site expanded weight room, a film room here.” ing structure will also be built in the PHOTOS COURTESY OF: FIVEPOINT HOLDINGS for the 2028 Olympics as well. and a medical training facility, as well What does having a home in Irvine’s quadrant. Not just to the benefit of Olympians, as something as simple as a roof over Great Park mean for USA Water Polo? “Tuesday was more than just a the Aquatics Center has much to oer the pool to cut down on sun exposure “It means we will be part of a commu- hearing to approve something,” said fields and baseball stadium. the community, including water safety and glare.” nity that will attend our events, cheer Emile Haddad, chairman and CEO of USA Water Polo, the governing body programs, recreational water polo He believes that the Great Park loca- for our men’s and women’s teams, and FivePoint. “It truly was a moment of of the sport and its American mem- leagues and city-organized swim- tion will not only give USA Water Polo teach their families an appreciation celebration.” bers, relocated to Irvine earlier this ming activities. players a world-class environment to for the toughest sport in the Olympic Haddad is elated to be a part of this year. According to city sta, water “Champions will be made here,” said train and compete but will transform Games,” said Ramsey. “It will also build project, reflecting on how he has spent polo has been on the mind of the City USA Water Polo CEO Christopher the spectator experience as well. excitement for the L.A. Games in 2028.” the past 20 years dedicated to build- NEWS IRVINEWEEKLY﹒COM | OCTOBER 30, 2019 2019 30, OCTOBER 6| ing a public-private partnership that Additionally, the public saw plans and completion of the Great Park’s city’s partnership with FivePoint to would help Irvine flourish. for FivePoint X, a complement to the sports-focused western sector stands develop the 688 acres of land will aid Lauding the City Council for its ability sports complex that will include hotels, between 18 to 24 months after construc- in getting even more projects o the to put politics aside and serve its con- extended-stay hospitality, unique food tion breaks ground in 2021. The city ground according to Mayor Shea. The stituency by embracing partnership, and beverage vendors, and a movie hopes to finalize all the details of the mayor anticipates that developing the Haddad said that what the public saw theater. This will allow for a greater project in early 2020, with its com- entire western quadrant will pave the at the October 22 meeting was “much synergy between the community and pletion in time for the USA Water Polo way for the completion of the veterans bigger than an agreement and is much Great Park amenities. team to begin training for the 2024 cemetery, botanical gardens and the bigger than a facility. What we saw Not to be overshadowed by some Paris Olympics. development of the cultural terrace. is a celebration of the public-private of the larger statements made at the Met with a standing ovation, the “We are finally getting this park built,” partnership which we embarked upon meeting, FivePoint also pledged to decision to move forward with the said Mayor Shea. about six years ago.” keep the iconic Great Park balloon For Haddad, that moment was an running, making it once again free for emotional one, as he described two riders. New developments are on the sets of heroes, veterans and Olympi- way for this feature as well, as Haddad ans, giving politicians unprecedented shared in an exclusive interview with applause for reaching beyond politics Irvine Weekly that his team is current- and acting in the public interest. ly working on adding a virtual-reality “It was a moment in time to say, that element to the ride, allowing guests at the end of the day, it’s about your to view the city through the lens of an constituency,” said Haddad.