Governor Hochul Announces $1 Million Grant to the City of Glen Cove for Improvements to the Pascucci Soccer Field

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $1 million in state funding for the City of Glen Cove to improve Pascucci Soccer Field, the City's only public soccer field. The investment will help ensure that Glen Cove families, young athletes and community organizations have access to a safe, welcoming and high quality facility for years to come. The funding builds on Governor Hochul's commitment to turn the excitement and statewide success of New York's co-hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup into a lasting legacy for communities across the state. From free family-friendly World Cup celebrations on Long Island, including the State's public watch experience at Stony Brook University to investments in fields, equipment and youth programming through the governor's $6 million NYKicks program, the state is ensuring that more New Yorkers can participate in the world's game.

"Soccer brings people together across generations and neighborhoods, and every young person deserves a safe place to play," Governor Hochul said. "Pascucci Soccer Field has long been a gathering place for Glen Cove residents, and my $1 million in support will help preserve and improve the city's only public soccer field for the families who rely on it. After a historic World Cup that brought the world to New York and inspired fans across our state, we are making sure that its legacy lives on in communities like Glen Cove."

Dormitory Authority of the State of New York President Robert J. Rodriguez said, "Strong communities are built by investing in places that bring people together, strengthen connections and create opportunities for the next generation. Pascucci Soccer Field is more than a recreational space. It is an important community asset and an investment in Glen Cove's young people, families and future. This investment will help ensure that the city's only public soccer field remains a safe and welcoming place where young people can play, grow, build friendships and develop a sense of belonging. DASNY is proud to help administer this important funding, and we thank Governor Kathy Hochul for her commitment to investing in recreational spaces that strengthen communities across New York State. The impact of this investment will be felt in Glen Cove for years to come."

Pascucci Soccer Field has served Glen Cove residents for generations, and it is an important recreational resource for the city's families, young people and soccer enthusiasts. The field is particularly meaningful to Glen Cove's diverse community, including its long-standing Italian-American community and its growing, vibrant, Hispanic community, where soccer is a shared passion and a powerful connection across cultures.

The state funding will support improvements that help ensure Pascucci Soccer Field remains a dependable public space for organized leagues, informal play, youth activities and community gatherings. The Governor's investment recognizes the field's importance as Glen Cove's only public soccer facility and advances the Governor's broader commitment to expanding access to safe outdoor recreation through her Unplug and Play initiative.

Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced the launch of NY Kicks: A World Cup Legacy Investment Fund through the 2026 Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) Initiative, aimed at building soccer fields in disadvantaged communities across each region of the state to strengthen neighborhoods and bring people together through a shared love of the game. First proposed in the Governor's 2026 State of the State and included in the FY27 Enacted Budget, the $5 million NY Kicks program will provide capital grants to support the creation, expansion and enhancement of community soccer fields for youth and players of all ages, capitalizing on the momentum of the World Cup 2026. The FY27 Budget also includes $1 million in additional funding that will be administered by the State Office of Children and Family Services for a companion grant program for NY Kicks recipients to fund programming, equipment, training, and other operating costs that maximize use of these new facilities including uniforms, shin guards, soccer balls and coaches.

Assemblymember Charles D. Lavine said, "The City of Glen Cove's soccer field is in real need of maintenance and repair. This is a unique facility. I want to personally thank our great Governor, Kathy Hochul, for her investment in our community and for a million dollars to upgrade Pascucci Field. I am very pleased to have requested this funding with Nassau County Legislature Democratic Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi Whitton."

City of Glen Cove Mayor Pamela D. Panzenbeck said, "On behalf of the City of Glen Cove, I want to thank everyone involved in obtaining this significant $1 million investment in Pascucci Soccer Field. This funding will help us continue to improve an important recreational facility that is enjoyed by so many of our young athletes and families. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for the State's investment in Glen Cove and look forward to seeing these improvements benefit our community for years to come."

Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton said, "The Ernest J. Pascucci Soccer Field is incredibly special to my family because of the close bond that Ernest Pascucci and my father, Don DeRiggi, shared, and how in 1989 in he had the honor as Mayor of dedicating the field in Mr. Pascucci's memory. Governor Hochul's $1 million grant is a transformational investment in a cherished community hub that has become a highly sought-after destination for soccer leagues and youth programs that serve over 1,000 local children. We thank the Governor and her colleagues for their commitment to the well-being of Glen Cove's families and youth."

City of Glen Cove Director of Youth Services Spiro Tsirkas said, "Bringing this turf field to the City of Glen Cove will not only benefit our youth, but adults in our community as well who enjoy the sport of soccer. This upgrade has been a long time coming, and these State funds will make it possible. We're looking forward to getting it installed!"

Governor Hochul's Unplug and Play Initiative

Governor Hochul has committed over $500 million in capital funding through the Unplug and Play initiative to make statewide investments in recreational infrastructure that gives children and families more opportunities to be active, spend time outdoors and connect with one another. As part of the FY26 Budget, Governor Hochul announced the New York Places for Learning, Activity and Youth Socialization (NY PLAYS) initiative, a competitive grant program that will provide $87.5 million in capital funding to help municipalities and nonprofit organizations construct, expand and renovate public playgrounds for all abilities across New York State. The NY PLAYS initiative is overseen by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.

In addition to NY PLAYS, the initiative includes the Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS), which has awarded nearly $260 million to 79 projects to build and improve swimming facilities across New York State, and Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors (NY BRICKS), which has awarded $100 million to 30 community center projects. DASNY is currently accepting applications for an additional $75 million NY BRICKS funding round, which closes on December 7, 2026. The Request for Applications and supporting materials are available at https://www.dasny.org/bricks.