OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Alameda County Fair Board Ad Hoc Committee Meeting - March 6, 2026

Board of Supervisors — Friday, March 6, 2026
BodyAlameda County, California
SessionBoard of Supervisors
DateFriday, March 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:02:28
Transcript — Verbatim
0:54

I need to serve when I know you are.

0:58

All right, it's 2 30 something.

1:01

Sorry, it's late.

1:02

We're gonna call the March 5th Fair Board ad hoc meeting to order.

1:10

Will the clerk please call the roll?

1:13

Supervisor Miley.

1:15

President Hubbard.

1:16

Present.

1:18

Present Jerome Hoban.

1:21

Present.

1:21

Rose Johnson.

1:22

Francis Tuck Moore.

1:24

John Smith.

1:26

Gordon Galvin.

1:27

Here.

1:28

Sure.

1:30

Thank you very much.

1:31

I appreciate the clerk calling the committee members.

1:36

I don't know that we have always truly understood exactly who is on this committee, but now we do.

1:44

And welcome to Susan Ranchi for being here.

1:47

And I know you can't stay here the whole time.

1:51

But your presence is appreciated.

1:54

I note that we have members of the public in person.

2:01

And do we have anybody online?

2:04

We do have somebody online.

2:06

So your presence and participation is welcome and appreciate.

2:31

Um land surplus at informational item.

2:36

Who wants to start?

2:40

Good afternoon, Supervisor.

2:45

We are uh still evaluating potential options, and so it's a big challenge that Andrew and I have discussed a couple times.

2:51

Um opportunities around the surplus land act and what can and cannot be done, and we have to do this uh body, we will continue to do that in an effort to move forward.

3:02

We do know that the market is a challenge for the developer that you can press with.

3:07

So it was on our activities list, and we have had initial conversations with the two.

3:13

These are initial conversations with GSA and our council account cycle on what the path forward is because we'll go.

3:33

Any questions from the others on the fair board committee?

3:38

Questions about that.

3:38

Do you have a timeline?

3:44

We'll bring more details at the next meeting.

3:52

Or anything to add, not really.

3:54

Okay, I think we're we where we want to uh disseminate on this, okay.

4:04

But we do want to have a point on the understanding what that process is.

4:08

So I think at some point, hopefully over the next six months or so, we can get a better idea of the timeline and uh a process.

4:17

Would it be fair to keep this item on the agendas until we do have more to update on uh Kimberly?

4:25

Or would you prefer that we simply add this when we do have?

4:30

You can leave it there.

4:31

It's an open item, okay.

4:32

Okay.

4:32

Alright, very good.

4:33

Um, is there any public comment on item one, which is hotel land surplus act informational?

4:41

Seeing none, I'll ask for item two to be an update on the 2026 capital improvement marketing plan.

4:49

An informational item, an update from the Allen the County Fair.

4:56

Morning supervisors.

4:57

Or afternoon now.

4:58

Sorry.

4:55

This is the same uh CapEx plan that uh was put in budget, and you guys uh worked through last time.

5:06

I think I went to the calendar, but um, we did talk about this at our last meeting.

5:11

I took the liberty of highlighting uh in yellow the projects that are actually moving forward at this moment, mostly pre-fair.

5:18

Uh the first one is the RB Adobe Building Clubhouse.

5:22

Uh this is ongoing, it's really just a remodel, but it's on a capital disk because it's over the our capital threshold.

5:30

Um the next one down is the RV campground restroom and laundry.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Arts And Culture██████████████████████████26%
Procurement and Contracting███████████████████19%
Parks and Recreation████████████12%
Economic Development█████████9%
Fiscal Sustainability████████8%
Procedural████4%
Cannabis Regulation████4%
Community Engagement████4%
Water And Wastewater Management████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Alameda County Fair Board Ad Hoc Committee Meeting - March 6, 2026

The meeting, held on March 6, 2026, covered updates on capital improvements, marketing plans, horse racing, stormwater compliance, and economic impact. Key discussions centered on the absence of horse racing for the 2026 fair, with public commenters expressing disappointment and a supervisor questioning the board's decision not to apply for race dates. The committee also reviewed a $312 million economic impact report and received over 60 industry awards.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Anthony Cordova: Expressed that the BPR partnership was derailed by minor issues and that the board should have pursued race dates despite disagreements.
  • George Smith (BPR): Argued that the executive committee meeting was closed session, that the board had already decided against horse racing (as evidenced by brochures and website), and that the requirements for 2027 are unattainable. He also stated that a joint powers authority could handle purse accounts and that the three-million-dollar line of credit was a cash flow issue.
  • Gloria Haley: Supported horse racing, citing its historical and economic importance to the community, and noted that the fair's success without racing was not evident from empty parking lots.
  • Donald Smith: Questioned the denial of horse racing after the racing committee recommended it, alleging a monopoly by Southern California interests.
  • Chelsea Langan: Criticized the board's lack of transparency and community engagement, noting that attendance appeared low during the fair and that local businesses suffered without horse racing.
  • Maureen Morley (Pleasanton resident): Requested proactive engagement with residents regarding changes in fairgrounds use, particularly the replacement of horse racing with action sports (monster trucks, demolition derbies, tractor pulls) which caused unacceptable noise.

Discussion Items

1. Land Surplus Act Informational

  • Staff reported ongoing evaluation of options and initial conversations with GSA and county counsel. Timeline expected within six months. No public comment.

2. 2026 Capital Improvement and Marketing Plan Update

  • Capital Projects: Highlighted active projects: RV Adobe Building Clubhouse (remodel, 105% budget spent, 40% complete), RV campground restroom/laundry (A&E), grandstand staircase (repair), sheriff's lot asphalt (A&E), audio phase 7 (install before fair), Amador Pavilion wash racks (under construction), grandstand plaza (A&E), wine courtyard plaza (A&E), roadway 12 (A&E). Grandstand shade structure is a separate $400k project.
  • Marketing Plan: Celebrating 250th anniversary of the U.S. with special decor, contests, and a time capsule to be opened at the 300th anniversary in 2076. Fourth of July fireworks returning. Sensory morning on July 8 (quiet hour). 9/11 memorial: a steel beam from the Twin Towers on loan from May 21 through the fair, escorted by law enforcement. Concert lineup includes Flow Rida, Tower of Power, K-pop group, Banda MS, Gene Simmons band, and more. Grandstand programming: demolition derby (Hayward Fire Dept.), monster trucks, arena cross, tractor pulls (two shows), silent disco.
  • Budget Concerns: Supervisor Miley questioned cost overruns on projects (e.g., RV Adobe at 105% budget but only 40% complete). Staff said overruns are handled at the building and grounds committee and reported to the board.

3. Horse Racing Update

  • Timeline: December 12, 2025: letter from county counsel. December 24: MOU sent to BPR. January 6: unscheduled meeting. January 12: letter from association counsel to county counsel; no response. January 14: CHRB denied BPR's request for dates, requiring the fair to apply directly. January 28: Racing committee voted 5-2 to recommend full board direct CEO to propose 2026 race dates. February 4: BPR submitted business plan. February 5: email from George Schmidt citing errors. February 10: Executive committee approved 6-2 to recommend pursuing 2027 dates with conditions (full financial guarantee, legal authority, etc.). February 17: Full board meeting – executive committee motion passed 11-4-1; racing committee motion failed 13-3. February 26: CHRB denied Tahoe and Humboldt dates; fair did not apply for 2026.
  • Dispute: Supervisor Miley expressed disappointment that the board did not apply for 2026 dates, calling it a breach of contract. The association maintained they had fulfilled obligations and that the board's decision was based on financial risk. The county's contract includes a dispute resolution process (letter, 30-day response, ad hoc committee, mediation).

4. Stormwater Compliance

  • Staff reported waiting for lab results from recent rain. Amador Pavilion wash rack under construction. $500,000 budgeted for filtration systems and potential construction. George Smith noted an unrecorded drain diverting water to a city retention pond, which could simplify compliance.

5. Building B Replacement

  • Building B (1940s, not ADA compliant, not seismically safe) is proposed for replacement with a duplicate of Building A (cost estimate $18-19 million). The building is needed for essential services (law enforcement, fire, hospital) during emergencies. Staff are seeking grant funding and county partnership.

6. Economic Impact Report

  • Annual economic impact of the fairgrounds: $312 million total local impact, $14.3 million in sales tax, $186,000 in hotel tax, $14.5 million fiscal impact, 1,979 ongoing jobs, $104.7 million in wages, 16,917 hotel room nights, 1.4 million visits per year. The fair received 60+ awards from IAEE and Western Fairs Association, including top awards for the Safeway Barn, agricultural displays, and emergency response training.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal votes were taken during the ad hoc committee meeting (it is an informational and discussion body).
  • Horse Racing: The board did not apply for 2026 dates; the dispute remains unresolved. Supervisor Miley suggested clarifying the contract language regarding the association's obligation to apply for race dates. The May meeting will include discussion of the contract extension and operating agreement.
  • Building B Replacement: Staff will continue to seek funding; the item remains on the vision plan.
  • Annual Meeting Schedule: The committee will set a schedule at the May meeting; the next meeting is planned for May 2026.
  • Public Comment: The committee acknowledged resident concerns about noise from action sports and committed to proactive engagement at the May meeting.

Meeting Transcript

I need to serve when I know you are. All right, it's 2 30 something. Sorry, it's late. We're gonna call the March 5th Fair Board ad hoc meeting to order. Will the clerk please call the roll? Supervisor Miley. President Hubbard. Present. Present Jerome Hoban. Present. Rose Johnson. Francis Tuck Moore. John Smith. Gordon Galvin. Here. Sure. Thank you very much. I appreciate the clerk calling the committee members. I don't know that we have always truly understood exactly who is on this committee, but now we do. And welcome to Susan Ranchi for being here. And I know you can't stay here the whole time. But your presence is appreciated. I note that we have members of the public in person. And do we have anybody online? We do have somebody online. So your presence and participation is welcome and appreciate. Um land surplus at informational item. Who wants to start? Good afternoon, Supervisor. We are uh still evaluating potential options, and so it's a big challenge that Andrew and I have discussed a couple times. Um opportunities around the surplus land act and what can and cannot be done, and we have to do this uh body, we will continue to do that in an effort to move forward. We do know that the market is a challenge for the developer that you can press with. So it was on our activities list, and we have had initial conversations with the two. These are initial conversations with GSA and our council account cycle on what the path forward is because we'll go. Any questions from the others on the fair board committee? Questions about that. Do you have a timeline? We'll bring more details at the next meeting. Or anything to add, not really. Okay, I think we're we where we want to uh disseminate on this, okay. But we do want to have a point on the understanding what that process is. So I think at some point, hopefully over the next six months or so, we can get a better idea of the timeline and uh a process. Would it be fair to keep this item on the agendas until we do have more to update on uh Kimberly? Or would you prefer that we simply add this when we do have? You can leave it there. It's an open item, okay. Okay. Alright, very good. Um, is there any public comment on item one, which is hotel land surplus act informational? Seeing none, I'll ask for item two to be an update on the 2026 capital improvement marketing plan.

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