Higher ticket prices are not what the...

Higher ticket prices are not what the fair is about

There is a very big difference in the Orange County Fair in the

area of concert entertainment since “a year has wooshed by,” and I

think it is worth mentioning, since you did not. Up until this year,

all of the concert entertainment -- and for that matter all staged

entertainment -- was free.

It was part of your admission to the fair. Yes, you could have

secured a reserved seat in the Arlington Theater for a nominal fee if

you wanted to, but the majority of seats were still free.

Now, with the inclusion of the Pacific Amphitheatre and its “top

billed” lineup (is this just the “A” list of the fair circuit?), the

tickets cost more money. Lots of money! Ticket costs are at a level

close or equal to most concerts in Los Angeles or anywhere else, with

prices ranging from $20 to over $70. The cheapest seat for Dylan was

$54.

Gone are the days of seeing good free entertainment at the Orange

County Fair. Yes, there are a few free concerts in the arena, but the

spirit of the fair’s free concerts is gone.

The Orange County fair is not inexpensive. With admission, food

and some midway rides, an evening can easily cost $50 per person or

more. Now we are expected to add another $20 to $70 per person for

each concert we want to see. My vote is to bring back the Arlington

Theater and its level of entertainment. Keep it free and let people

enjoy the fair the way we used to. Let the Pacific Amphitheatre hold

its concerts -- just don’t make it part of the Orange County Fair --

it’s just not fair.

RICHARD HAAS

Costa Mesa

Bridges over troubled condominium project

An open letter to the Costa Mesa City Council: Your project at

1901 Newport Blvd. is going to be disastrous if it proceeds as

planned. Can we really handle more traffic? Of course not! And not

enough parking exists now; so changing that requirement would be

ridiculous. But the worst of it is that we are going to have two

bridges shoved down our collective throats because of the manner in

which this council conducts planning business and approves projects.

I shut my mouth about the Kohl’s project and I have kept my mouth

shut about your ever-changing plans for the Westside -- even though I

felt you were wrong about Kohl’s. They complied with everything

required of them and were turned down, yet you will approve a project

that is not in compliance with existing city requirements and cannot

fit into existing requirements without a myriad of variances. This

makes no sense!

I have lived in my home for 20 years and have seen my share of

council changes. I have been assured over and over that no bridge

would ever be built on Gisler Avenue, but me thinks this is a lie

perpetuated by each and every council. Fountain Valley is proceeding

with their study, and I believe when the last light is turned out,

Newport Beach and Huntington Beach will vote with them and we will

have two bridges that are not wanted by us “foolish” residents.

Please note that I am adamantly opposed to your new pet project.

We may need more housing, but this is not the direction to go. This

is not going to be affordable housing anyway.

Allow granny units on those huge lots on the Eastside. Allow

homeowners to add second stories and expand their existing homes so

maybe grandma and grandpa can move in with them. There are other

alternatives to solving our housing problem -- if that is why you

think this project is needed for the city.

You need to be creative to solve our housing needs. Changing

variances and allowing this kind of density in a city that is fully

built out now is just not good leadership and is not the answer.

Hell, I don’t know what it is -- but I do know what it will be in

hindsight: a terrible mess for the residents of Costa Mesa.

GAYLE SPINKS

Costa Mesa