Members of the OC Fair Board Thursday rejected former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to sell the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, defying the person who appointed them and further complicating the battle over the future of the 150-acre site.
Instead of a sale, the fair board proposed a revenue sharing arrangement with the state of California.
It also announced that it would seek a partner “to advance development” of the 8,500-seat Pacific Amphitheater.
Schwarzenegger initiated a sale of the property, along with some state office buildings and other assets, to raise cash and help reduce the state’s gaping $25 billion budget deficit.
Facilities Management West, a Costa Mesa-based consortium headed by the Fait family trust, has a pending deal to buy the fairgrounds for $100 million.
Costa Mesa voters last year rezoned the property to permit only fair-related activities, and FMW has said it would fully comply with the restrictions.
Sale opponents won a temporary restraining order blocking the sale. The 4th District Court of Appeal has scheduled a hearing for Feb. 8, by which time new Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to weigh in for or against the sale.
One point of contention is who actually owns the site—the state or the fair board.
