Del Mar Fairgrounds

Aerial view of the Del Mar Fairgrounds and Racetrack looking northwest along the Pacific Ocean coastline

The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a 370-acre (1.5 km²) property that is the site of the annual San Diego County Fair (called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001). Its Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club in 1937 by founding members Bing Crosby and Pat O'Brien with Paramount Studios as corporate sponsor.

The fairgrounds is owned by the State of California and is managed by 22nd District Agricultural Association, a state agency that hosts more than 300 annual events.^[1] In 2009 California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger placed the fairgrounds on a list of properties that the state might sell.^[2] In October 2010 the city of Del Mar reached preliminary agreement with the state to purchase it for $120 million, and in February 2011 the city said it would govern the fairgrounds under a Public Benefit Trust Indenture if the sale goes through.^[1]

Racetrack

The length of the race track is exactly one mile (1.6 km), and races are run counter-clockwise. A 100-mile AAA championship (Indianapolis-type car) race was held at Del Mar in November 1949, but the death of popular local driver Rex Mays in that event caused "big car" racing to disappear from Southern California circuits for another 18 years. (In addition, the horse racing community was deeply resentful of oil-dripping cars being run on the horse-oriented dirt racing surface.)

There was a temporary auto racing circuit held in its parking lot during the mid-1960s and between 1987 and 1992. The latter hosted an IMSA Camel GT race. Both circuits were 1.6-mile (2.6 km) long with layouts that were different from each other. ^{[3] [4]}

Arena

Chevrolet Del Mar Arena is a 3,500-seat arena in the fairgrounds complex, used for sporting events, concerts and other special events. It was built in 1991. In 2009 it was remodeled and a roof was added. It currently hosts the San Diego Sockers indoor soccer team.

Exhibit facilities

Del Mar Fairgrounds features six exhibit halls totalling 219,380 square feet (20,381 m²) of space. The largest is Pat O'Brien Hall with 68,680 square feet (6,381 m²) of space and seating up to 6,800; its ceiling height is 35 feet (11 m). Others include the 55,200-square-foot (5,130 m²) Exhibit Hall seating up to 5,500; Bing Crosby Hall with 31,900 square feet (2,960 m²) of space and capacity of up to 3,500; The 45-foot (14 m) Wyland Center with 30,800 square feet (2,860 m²) of space and capacity of up to 3,000; the 19,800-square-foot (1,840 m²) Activity Center holding up to 2,200; and Mission Tower with 13,000 square feet (1,200 m²) of space and capacity of up to 1,200.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} San Diego Union-Tribune, February 7, 2011
2. ^ CBS Channel 8, July 30, 2009
3. ^ YouTube - Del Mar IMSA GTO footage
4. ^ Del Mar

External links

• Del Mar Fairgrounds
• Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
• Genesis and History of the Racetrack
• Pictures and Stories at the Del Mar Racetrack
• Del Mar Antique Show

Coordinates: 32°58′34″N 117°15′43″W / 32.97611°N 117.26194°W / 32.97611; -117.26194