Final effort to revive the fairgrounds fizzles away
Redevelopment proposals expected to be shot down by county leaders Tuesday
The latest push to come up with a plan to rejuvenate Santa Clara County’s rundown 150-acre fairgrounds property has hit a dead end, and county leaders are expected on Tuesday to reject all proposals that have come forward.
Over the past nearly two decades, the county has three times entertained plans to redevelop the property located in south San Jose. The latest latest planning process started four years ago.
“It’s not a change in vision,” said Board President Dave Cortese. “But I think we’re asking for somewhat of a re-do, a re-look. There needs a little bit more synergy in terms
of our counterparts in this deal.”
According to the county report, out of five proposals only one met the qualifications and looked at the entire site. The “Public Market at the Faire,” proposed by the family that owns and operates the San Jose Flea Market, would include a marketplace, 17-acre “family adventure park,” 14-field soccer complex and additional loosely defined ballfields.
But that proposal had a financial hook — it asked the county to issue a $50 million bond for improvements to the site.
The county’s asset and economic development director Bruce Knopf said it’s “difficult to competitively negotiate when you only have one suitor.”
“In the end we did not get what we hoped for, and we are not in a strong position,” he said. “That’s why we’re recommending they do a reset — reject the proposals and provide direction on how we might issue a new request for proposals.”
The other ideas that made it to the finals were for a smaller market, a gokart track and curling center — none of which would use even a significant portion entire site. A BMX track asked to continue its operations.
Cortese said he is confident there’s more interest than that out there. One of the county’s requirements was that much of the land be for a passive use — open space that’s not a ball field or go-kart track, which also is conducive to keeping the annual county fair there.
“And that will continue to be the case,” Cortese said. “This is a site we’re trying to hold on to as one of the last remaining crown jewels of open space and recreational space.”
He added that they initially had numerous suitors that included the San Francisco Giants, who were considering it as a site for their minor league division.
“So many came forward, we actually encouraged them to consolidate and work together,” he said. “But we didn’t expect that somewhere along the lines some players would drop out.”
He said the result was fewer parties with a vision for the entire site.
“All of a sudden you go from having a dozen entities negotiating with us, competing with each other, to just a handful,” he said.
The latest push to breathe new life into the fairgrounds started in 2013, and in early 2016 the county had whittled out acceptable guidelines for its use, including the preservation of a portion of the land to use for the annual county fair.
The county put out a request for proposals later that year and received 10; three considered use for the whole site. After discussion and a community meeting, the proposal criteria was revised and the current field was the result.
It’s the third attempt since 1998 to revitalize the grounds that bustled in its 1960s and 1970s heyday but has since saw a dip in usage.
There was a proposal for a musical performance space — originally thought of as a small version of the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, later downsized to an indoor concert hall after community opposition. The grandstand and supportive buildings were demolished to prepare the site, but after a long-running legal fight between the county and San Jose the operator ultimately found it wouldn’t be financially feasible without a $15 million county subsidy. Supervisors declined to do give them the money, ending the concert venue plan.
The next vision — by developer Catellus — was for a neighborhood of homes and shops. That was sunk by the Recession in 2008.
The latest push sparked considerable interest from the community, with about 200 residents attending early meetings in 2014.
Despite its deteriorating condition Fairgrounds Management Corporation spokesman Steve Stagnoli said it operates at a profit, with some of the money subsidizing the annual money-losing county fair and the rest being invested back into the site.