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The Great Park: Will it be O.C.’s next economic boom?
A study suggests the project will create jobs and revenue for the region, though some are still skeptical.
By Jerry HicksPublished: April 08, 2009
The runways are still there. So are the barracks, the hangars
and the officers club. You can still see the green field where scores
of military brass held emotional closing ceremonies under a brilliant
sun as the old El Toro Marine Corps Air Station said goodbye to
Orange County nearly 10 years ago. The old place still looks more like a Marine base than a recreation area.
But
the Orange County Great Park, heir to the 4,700 acres the federal
government turned over to local authorities when the base closed, is on
the horizon. After a decade of planning – and close to $100 million
spent – the comprehensive plan for the Great Park was unveiled two
months ago. It gets final approval April 23. And with it, proponents
say, comes thousands of jobs.
“We will start with hundreds
of jobs this summer, and that will grow to thousands over the next
three years, and then tens of thousands,” says Irvine City Councilman
Larry Agran, who is chairman of the Great Park’s board. He says earth
will be moved this summer for the first phase of the park, a 500-acre
athletic complex and 100-plus acres of wildlife corridor. A 100-acre
community farm also is part of the first phase. And when it’s done,
planners predict it will be “the greatest metropolitan park of the 21st
century.”
But
the debate goes on over just what kind of economic impact the county
will see from the Great Park, a combination of public recreation areas
and private residential, commercial and retail development.
Stats
Economic
Research Associates, the nation’s largest real estate consulting firm,
concludes that if it reaches the scope expected, it will be a boom for
the county.
• Jobs: An estimated 239,000 of them would be
created between now and 2020 – the vast majority for the private
sector. The park itself should generate some 6,000 jobs the first year,
most in construction. Other major employment categories would be in
food services and retail trade.
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The runways are still there. So are the barracks, the hangars and the officers club. You can still see the green field where scores of military brass held emotional closing ceremonies under a brilliant sun as the old El Toro Marine Corps Air Station said goodbye to Orange County nearly 10 years ago. The old place still looks more like a Marine base than a recreation area. But the Orange County Great Park, heir to the 4,700 acres the federal government turned over to local authorities when the base closed, is on the horizon. After a decade of planning – and close to $100 million spent – the comprehensive plan for the Great Park was unveiled two months ago. It gets final approval April 23. And with it, proponents say, comes thousands of jobs. “We will start with hundreds of jobs this summer, and that will grow to thousands over the next three years, and then tens of thousands,” says Irvine City Councilman Larry Agran, who is chairman of the Great Park’s board. He says earth will be moved this summer for the first phase of the park, a 500-acre athletic complex and 100-plus acres of wildlife corridor. A 100-acre community farm also is part of the first phase. And when it’s done, planners predict it will be “the greatest metropolitan park of the 21st century.” But
the debate goes on over just what kind of economic impact the county
will see from the Great Park, a combination of public recreation areas
and private residential, commercial and retail development.Stats Economic Research Associates, the nation’s largest real estate consulting firm, concludes that if it reaches the scope expected, it will be a boom for the county. • Jobs: An estimated 239,000 of them would be created between now and 2020 – the vast majority for the private sector. The park itself should generate some 6,000 jobs the first year, most in construction. Other major employment categories would be in food services and retail trade. |
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