David Ellis, the chairman of OCFEC sees the situation quite differently.

Now that the OC Fair is over, the focus has returned to the fate of the fairgrounds--a now two-year struggle--emerging from a three-week hibernation. And already, the heavy-hitters are sparring.

The petition was filed last week, but there has been no word on how the appeal may or will move forward.

​With that pesky controversial sale of the Orange County Fairgrounds out of the way (or so we hope), it seems the time for bridge building. Relationship mending. Or pointing out any inaccuracies in any accusations that may have been fired off since the land was put on the auction block by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in May 2009. 

David Ellis opted for the latter. 

You remember Ellis, don't you? The chairman of the board of directors to the OC Fair & Event Center; the businessman with the scandalous background; the favorite punching bag of the Preservation Society; the guy who wouldn't comment when the Weekly was reporting its cover story about the sale. Yeah, that guy. Well, Ellis is talking now: "I get to choose when I comment and when I don't comment," he said during a recent conversation, explaining why he wouldn't return phone calls or emails for months. (According to Ellis, it was a blanket decision, pushed by fellow board member, Kristina Dodge.) He then did something more surprising than calling: he invited us into his office to view highly sought after documents: the articles of incorporation, the bylaws and all the other jargon for the controversial OC Fair & Event Center Foundation.

Solorio's bill would make it so that revenue generated by the land would be shared between the Orange County Fair & Event Center board and the state, as opposed to a one-time revenue from a sale of the land. According to a statement released by Solorio's office, the revenue-sharing plan could generate at least $100 million over the next 40 years.

​In breaking news, Assemblyman Jose Solorio's bill (AB 35) passed the Appropriations Committee--with a vote of 10-2--and will now move to the Assembly Floor. The bill allows for a revenue-sharing option if Governor Jerry Brown decides not to honor the $100 million bid by Facilities Management West for the Orange County Fairgrounds.

Despite repeated requests, Beazley and board members of the OCFEC have constantly tiptoed around a direct answer of whether or not an appraisal was ever conducted. Then documents started appearing that made it clear that money was spent and work had been done. The most recent documents discovered by the Weekly indicate that something resembling a second appraisal was requested in April 2010, from Herron Companies, which cost $5,625. On the invoice dated April 30, 2010, Beazley scribbled the note, "Ok to pay." 

In total, OCFEC has spent $42,481.38 to determine the value of the land (or pieces of the land), and yet, no figure(s) has made its way out of the fair board's private quarters.