Fair Drops Plans for Hotel, Betting Center

In a victory for nearby residents, officials of the Orange County Fair and Exposition Center announced Monday that they have scrapped plans to build a hotel, restaurant and off-track betting facility.

The fairgrounds plans, originally announced in 1991, had drawn immediate criticism neighbors, who complained they did not want more visitors to the area. The city sided with the residents and filed a lawsuit against the fair’s directors. The lawsuit will be settled by this decision of the board.

Jill Lloyd, spokeswoman for the Orange County Fair, said the commercial developments were conceived as a way of earning more money for the fairgrounds. The board is now discussing other approaches to achieving that goal, she said.

“Most of what is being discussed is how to upgrade the facilities we have, such as the exhibit halls, to make them more rentable,” Lloyd said.

On Monday, the council and the fair board will meet in joint session for the first time to answer questions and hear public comment on fairgrounds development. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive. Information: (714) 754-5225.