Mr. Nick Kovacevich, Chair
Orange County Fair & Event Center
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Dear Chairman Kovacevich,
The Orange County Fairgrounds Equestrian Center is important to our community’s past, present and future. I appreciate that you and your board have committed to protecting and preserving this public resource.
However, it is clear that Lopez Works, the current contractor in charge of maintaining and servicing the horses and the arenas at the Equestrian Center, is not doing an adequate job and is overcharging for their services. Lopez Works is a street-sweeping company that has no experience in equine facility management. In fact, their website does not even mention equine experience or anything that would indicate that they are qualified to provide these services.
Lopez Works is contracted at $1245 per day to water and drag the arenas, which is a two-hour job amounting to $622.50 per hour. Lopez is also charging excessive amounts to feed and clean. This financial mismanagement is unacceptable. There are many more examples.
To resolve the financial shortfall this contract has caused, the fair board, on a narrow vote (3-2-1) raised stall rental rates by 75%. This will make the OC Fairground Equestrian Center the most expensive in Southern California. Horse owners, trainers and their public programs will be forced to leave the OC Fairgrounds Equestrian Center. And there are few places for them to go.
For 18 years with an experienced operator, the Equestrian Center showed a profit, bringing in $100,000 annually in net revenue to the OC Fair and Event Center (OCFEC). Under fairground staff and their contractor, Lopez Works, the OCFEC lost more than $1 million in one year (2023).
Please take the following steps if you are truly interested in protecting and preserving the OC Fairgrounds Equestrian Center:
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Cancel the Lopez Works contract, which can be done with 30-days notice.
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| 2. |
Immediately issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for an experienced operator for the boarding facility.
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| 3. |
Hire temporary staff until a new operator is found to feed, clean and do the arena maintenance.
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| 4. |
Vote to rescind the 75% price hike on stall rentals.
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Thank you for making a commitment to additional public equestrian programming at the Equestrian Center. It will be an excellent addition to programs like Changing Strides, United States Pony Club, OC Vaulting and more. I look forward to the board’s investment in the long-term improvements the Equestrian Center needs, but in a “triage” effort to save the equestrian center, you must terminate the Lopez Works contract – a street sweeping company – from the day-to-day operations.
I hope you will join our local elected officials including Senator Josh Newman, Assembly member Diane Dixon and Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley who are committed to preserving the OC Fairgrounds Equestrian Center for the next generation.
Sincerely,