.
The people of Orange County have yet to realize the magnificence of all the Great Park will bring to their lives and in our community. And they are not the only ones that will marvel and benefit from what it undoubtedly will prove to be – the rest of the nation will take notice and many will try to emulate it.
The slated housing developments surrounding the Great Park in and of themselves will benefit tax payers immeasurably. There will be numerous job opportunities, businesses will proliferate and thrive and new families will be drawn to our City here in Orange County. The revenue generated through property taxes and employment growth will alleviate the necessity to burden the taxpayer with the added (dread) taxes. What’s more the increased revenue will spur the completion of the park – a long, long overdue undertaking.
The citizens of Irvine have been waiting far too long and paying too much to have seen so little 
fruition at this late date. Unproductive, self-serving, unnecessary and often irrelevant obstacles have held the gate to progress closed considerably longer than it should have been.
Granted, it’s difficult to begin turning the wheels when exorbitant amounts of funds seemingly vanished into thin air. It is scandalous to have fallen from $273 million to $20 million by the 2013, fiscal year end, with virtually nothing to show for it. This level of monetary incompetence would put any CEO’s head (and those supporting him) on the chopping block.
Nevertheless, as the much needed housing development growth begins, let’s hope sound judgment and mathematical accountability go toward the completion of the Great Park. Population growth, increased sales taxes, job opportunities and welcoming newcomers with new ideas and increased energy will benefit all.
It’ll be a win-win for businesses and communities alike.
I was one of the last Marines to leave the El Toro Marine Air Base. It was so sad to see the thousands of Marines and their families leave Orange County and move down to Miramar in San Diego. The community of San Diego open their arms and hearts to us and made us feel welcome. When we left El Toro the OC community ensured us that a beautiful park would rise up from the base within a couple years. The land was basically given to the community for nothing.
Now, 13 years later there are dilapidated jet hangers, barracks with broken windows and crumbling roofs, weeds as high as trees, and barb wire fences. It looks like an old military base in the former USSR. What an embarrassment!! The Marines would never of left if this is what it has come to. How the BRAC committee ever came up with the lame brained idea to shut down both El Toro and Tustin, and chase away our heros is unexcusable. We deserve better. OC deserves better. Millions of dollars have dissappeared. What a shame.
Colonel Gregory Raths USMC (RET)
Yeah, they should reopen the base. Hehe.
Thank you Colonel Gregory Raths for your service and your comment.
Housing and commercial development on part of the base is much needed? I don’t think that was in the plan that was sold to the voters. This whole thing has been a bait and switch, and if some kind of park does materialize on the base property it will be smaller than Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley or the 6,000 acre Caspers Park along the Ortega Highway. The definition of “Great” in the name Great Park has been re-defined numerous times after the county-wide voters approved the concept, and it will probably be redefined seveal times more in the future as most of the base is paved over with more urban sprawl. How about another vote of the people in Orange County to see if the public approves this latest plan? I dare you!
Total scam. There is nothing good about the great park. It was just to avoid the airport that was already there from staying an airport.