The UCLA baseball team has been locked out of its own stadium due to an order issued by a federal judge.
According to Doug Smith of the Los Angeles Times, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter ruled after an 11-hour hearing on Wednesday that UCLA will be barred from accessing Jackie Robinson Stadium and the adjacent practice field until further notice. UCLA leases the 10-acre facility from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the court has ruled that the lease is illegal at this time because the use of the property is not predominantly to service veterans.
A class-action lawsuit that was filed earlier this year alleged that the VA’s leases of portions of UCLA’s 388-acre campus in West Lost Angeles violates the 1888 deed of the land to the U.S. government for the “establishment, construction and permanent maintenance” of a home for disabled soldiers. The lawsuit states that the VA has failed to provide adequate housing for veterans on the land.
In a previous ruling, Carter ordered the VA to produce 750 units of temporary housing and 1,800 units of permanent housing on the UCLA campus. The hearing on Wednesday was to discuss an exit strategy for the leaseholders and determine which parcels of land would be used for veteran housing.
UCLA said in a statement on Thursday that the school “unequivocally supports veterans” but is “disappointed with the ruling.”
“UCLA Athletics is actively working to adjust operations and training, as this means our students are no longer able to access Jackie Robinson Stadium. We hope for a swift legal resolution that lets our student-athletes return to the facility,” ULCA said.
UCLA baseball finished 19-33 last season. The Bruins had a record of 15-11 at home.
