Oceanside's Frontwave Arena About 70% Built, Targeting Late-Summer Opening

Construction on a new sports and concert venue in Oceanside is moving into its final stretch, with an opening planned for late summer 2024. The seating bowl, arena floor and steel framework of Frontwave Arena are now taking shape in the city's El Corazon Park.

Josh Elias, co-founder and chief operating officer of the arena, said the project is roughly 70% complete. "We're right in the midst of finalizing our last year of construction," he said, adding that the team is looking to get through the next phase and open in late summer.

The venue takes its name from Frontwave Credit Union, formerly Pacific Marine Credit Union, which signed a 10-year naming rights agreement in 2022. The credit union is not one of the arena's owners. Elias said it came on board very early, before the project had even broken ground, which he said reflected the credit union's vision for the community.

Three groups with roots in North County are paying for the project privately, with the cost expected to exceed $80 million. Elias said that if the arena is programmed well, with meaningful shows and events, it can serve not only North County but also southern Orange County, southern Riverside County and the wider San Diego County.

The arena sits in an area that already includes an aquatic center and a senior center, and the surrounding park is still seeing new development. Elias acknowledged that a 170,000-square-foot venue will affect its neighbors. "So we've had to be thoughtful through the process," he said.

Next door is the SoCal Sports Complex, a set of tournament soccer fields that draws more than 1 million visitors a year. Elias said events at the arena will sometimes coincide with game days on those fields, and that managing traffic will require joint partnerships. "We will learn a lot as we open, but we promise that we're going to put the effort in to make sure that it is the best experience as possible," he said.

One tenant is already set. The San Diego Sockers, a professional indoor soccer team, will make the arena their home next year after finishing the current season at Pechanga Arena. Elias said the arena's operators hope to announce additional tenants and shows within the next few months.

He said interest has been strong from food and beverage partners in the local area and in Orange County, as well as from entertainment companies and promoters. "Everybody's excited to have something that's in between Los Angeles and San Diego because there's never been anything here, to this scale," he said.

The indoor arena will seat 7,500 people, and its seating can be scaled down to suit smaller events. An outdoor plaza will offer food and beverage vendors open to the public year-round, along with an outdoor stage.