But while it was going through the assembly’s appropriation committee a week ago, the bill was stripped of the wording that spelled out its original intentions: to stop the sale of the fairgrounds.
The bill went to the Appropriations Committee and then it went to the suspension file, where bills usually die, but it came out of the file the same day with the committee voting unanimously for it; however, it was amended, Solorio said.
“The appropriation staff was worried that if our bill went out in its original language that they were condoning the elimination of $56.5 million that could help fund the budget deficit,” Solorio said.
Solorio said he intends to reintroduce a stronger bill with the original language of AB1590 to repeal the sale of the fairgrounds. He said the next bill could have more options such as language to stop the sale, a requirement to keep the land for fair and exposition use, or ensure that if it is sold, there’s a minimum amount that the state can get from it.
The fairgrounds was auctioned off earlier this month for $56.5 million to Craig Realty Group, an outlet developer based in Newport Beach. But the fairgrounds is not yet sold. The California Department of General Services, which is in charge of selling the property, is now analyzing whether selling the fairgrounds is beneficial to the state. It will make a decision by April.
Solorio and Tran are also working on one or two more “practical” solutions to try to resolve the issues surrounding the sale of the fairgrounds. Solorio, however, would not give details as to what type of solutions he could introduce, saying he will announce his plans in the next week or two.
Meanwhile, an official with the Department of General Services acknowledged Friday that the department never appraised the fairgrounds to determine how much it’s worth.
