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Pacific Amphitheater To Reopen for OC Fair

Pacific Amphitheater To Reopen for OC Fair

Costa Mesa’s Pacific Amphitheater, closed since 1995 due to noise concerns from nearby neighbors, will reopen as a limited-use venue during the Orange County Fair next year.

The 8,500-seat facility at the Orange County Fairgrounds & Exposition Center will host nightly headliner concerts during the fair’s three-week run in July.

For the first time, fairgoers will need to purchase separate tickets to see the headline performances. Previously, a limited number of reserved seats were available for a small fee, while there was no fee for general seating. Steve Beazley, the fair’s deputy general manager, said the move is “part of a concerted effort by the fair’s board of directors to raise the level of entertainment.”

He said Pacific Amphitheater could lure more bands because the facility is more attractive to some performers than the latimes.com Theater, previously used for headline concerts, he said.

Beazley said ticket pricing for the concert series will be set after the first of the year.

“The tickets will be affordable,” he said.

The ticket system could alleviate a past problem: popular concerts saw general admission crowds claiming seats hours before a performance. But under the new system, concertgoers will be able to visit other parts of the fair until concert time.

“Free seats are nice,” he said, “but people said that tickets for guaranteed seats would be nicer.”

Beazley said he doesn’t expect concert or crowd noise to be an issue, in part because the theater only will be used during the fair and only for one performance each evening. He also pointed to the venue’s smaller size, saying the fair will use only the fixed seats.

Previously, the theater could hold up to 18,000 people, using grassy areas behind the fixed seats.

“We’ll adhere to the Orange County sound ordinances,” he said. The fair gets an easement on noise levels during the run of the event, he said.

The Pacific Amphitheater will get a $500,000 facelift in preparation for its reopening that will include painting, cleaning and seat repair, as well as some security upgrades.

The Orange County Fair will manage Pacific Amphitheater for the headliner performers and use existing contractors for concessions.

“This is an existing program that’s getting a facelift,” Beazley said. “We’re not trying to build a new customer base.”

The 2002 fair drew record attendance of 898,197, up 6% from a year earlier. It generated $3.7 million in gate revenue.

The 2003 fair will be expanded to 21 days from 17 in previous years.

,Sandi Cain

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