Former senator, nonprofit eye fairgrounds

A former state senator has signed on with a nonprofit organization that is considering a bid for the Orange County fairgrounds in two months.

Former California Sen. Dick Ackerman, a partner with Nossaman Law Firm, will act as counsel for the O.C. Fair & Event Center Foundation, a nonprofit organization created earlier this week to possibly put in a bid to buy the fairgrounds.

The state Department of General Services is expected to send out requests for proposals to companies interested in buying the fairgrounds in two months.

The state is selling off the land, estimated to be worth as much as $180 million, to help balance the state budget.

Ackerman said the nonprofit is in its earliest stages, with its members still to be determined.

He did say that members could include people from Costa Mesa City Hall, the Orange County Fair Board and Orange County Board of Supervisors.

“We are basically in the organization stage on who’s going to be on this thing,” Ackerman said. “My guess is it’s going to be a broad base.”

“We basically would like to purchase the fairgrounds and maintain the county fair as is,” Ackerman added.

City and fair officials have made it clear they would like to see a nonprofit buy the land and maintain the fair.

If not this organization, the Centennial Farm Foundation is another possibility, he said.