California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross joined local leaders, FFA students and fair supporters at the Antelope Valley Fair and Event Center yesterday to announce details of a $20 million grant through the state’s Fairgrounds Resilience Centers Program. The funding will allow the local fairgrounds to develop a new events center, an emergency operations center, a culinary facility, energy and HVAC upgrades and related improvements. Standing in front of a banner that read “A Community Coming Together,” Secretary Ross and CDFA Deputy Secretary for Fairs Michael Flores highlighted an $89 million slate of projects at Antelope Valley and eleven other fairgrounds sites around the state. The projects include new and expanded safe-shelter space, kitchen and sanitation facilities, showers, and various other upgrades.
Secretary Ross (right) with (from left) Angie Hughes, President of Antelope Valley Fair Association; Marvin Crist, Vice Mayor City of Lancaster and 50th DAA JPA Chairman; Rob Parris, Friends of the Fair Chairman; and Felipe Reina, Board President of 50th District Agricultural Association.
