Fairgrounds officials discuss future amphitheater use

Lolita Harper

FAIRGROUNDS -- Despite a long history of resident opposition to the

amphitheater here, fairground officials decided to move forward with

plans to revive the now empty concert venue, while scaling back its size

and profit margin.

Officials held a public meeting Thursday to receive more public input

on preliminary plans for the future of the Orange County Fairgrounds

site, bordered by the Costa Mesa Freeway, Fair Drive, Fairview Road and

Arlington Drive.

Although future plans for the amphitheater call for a sizable

reduction -- to 140,000 square feet and 8,500 seats -- residents of

College Park and Mesa Del Mar say they are concerned about the noise.

After increased resident opposition to the outdoor concert venue, the

amphitheater was closed and has remained empty for nearly six years.

College Park resident Patrick Clark led the opposition to the concert

locale, saying no matter how many seats they remove, the noise is still

unbearable.

“It’s never been about how many people are there; it’s about how much

noise is made at that venue,” Clark said. “It was a mistake 10 years ago,

and it’s a mistake now.”

A handful of other Costa Mesa residents agreed with Clark, expressing

their dissatisfaction with the former management of the entertainment

venue -- previously known as the Pacific Amphitheatre. Audience members

reminisced about loud rock ‘n’ roll concerts that kept them awake late

into the night.

Board President Curt Pringle said the amphitheater was essential to

fair operation and took exception to the constant comparison with past

fair boards. In a five-minute speech, Pringle detailed the willingness of

the current board to work with residents to create a venue that could

please everyone.

Pringle said the current amphitheater is a waste of space. It was

built and managed in the past by people who needed to book popular music

acts to make a large profit, Pringle said.

“We don’t need to make money; we just need to break even,” he said.

He went on to recommend the site be used for high school graduation

ceremonies and outdoor performing arts, saying there was a large need for

both in the community. Pringle also asked the public not to judge the

current board on the actions of previous leaders.

“Historically, it was done badly, and that was a different board. You

are talking to us now,” Pringle said.

He went on to remind people that the public input process was not

required by any open-meeting law.

“This is not a public hearing. We are going through this because we

want to hear from you. We’re trying to gather input so we can make the

educated decisions that can benefit the entire community,” Pringle said.

Concerns also revolved around who would own and operate the

amphitheater, originally built by private funding.

But Frank Haselton of LSA Associates -- hired to manage and develop

the master plan process -- said the fairgrounds has the opportunity to

take advantage of the outdoor venue.

“The key to success will be the programming and the management,”

Haselton said. “I am very aware of the problems with the rock ‘n’ roll

programs.”

To ease residents’ fears of creating another rock concert venue, the

board must assure them the operation of the amphitheater would be

controlled by the fairgrounds, board member Jim Barich said.

Orange County Fairgrounds General Manager Becky Bailey-Findley said

the amphitheater had a permanent court injunction placed on it to keep

the noise level to 55 decibels.

Still, Clark and other opponents were not convinced.

“I don’t care if it’s rap music or Bach, it’s still 55 decibels of

noise,” Clark said.