WILDOMAR: Landowner, council backing Equiplex concept
160 acres west of Interstate 15 could be home for equestrian facility and hotels
By AARON CLAVERIE - Staff Writer | ∞
WILDOMAR ---- The 160-acre parcel of vacant land southwest of the Clinton Keith Road/Interstate 15 interchange, property marked by arroyos and green rolling hills, could become the site of a multimillion-dollar equestrian center.
The owner of the land, Dr. Robin Oxman, recently confirmed that he has been in contact with a corporation that has been looking into building the center in Wildomar.
The corporation ---- Equiplex LLC ---- is led by chief operating officer John M. Filice, an attorney, and chief executive officer Lisa Schaffer.
The pair, backed by architects who have worked on ballparks and other large civic projects, pitched the Equiplex project to the city of Irvine in 2006. In that proposal, the Equiplex ---- stables, indoor and outdoor arenas, hotels, residential units, trails and open space ---- was to be slotted in a corner of Irvine's Great Park, a proposed park on the site of the closed El Toro Marine base.
Plans for the Great Park ---- which was supposed to open this summer ---- have been put on hold recently because of the slumping housing market. The slump has forced homebuilder Lennar Corp. to postpone construction of a housing development that was going to help finance construction of the park.
Oxman, a Huntington Beach resident, said the Equiplex corporation also has looked into building a harness racing track in Corona.
When Oxman heard of the Wildomar Equiplex plan, he said, his first reaction was: "What? How does that pencil out?"
As he heard more about the project and looked over the renderings the corporation has commissioned, Oxman said he became "terribly excited."
"For what they want to do with the land and the benefits that would accrue to my second home (Wildomar), it's perfect," he said.
The Wildomar City Council also has backed the project, voting 4-0 recently to approve sending a letter to Filice in support of an Equiplex concept.
The letter states: "It is our understanding that the due diligence process is now complete and you are ready to move on to funds acquisition. In order to facilitate your objective the City Council of Wildomar would like to express their interest and support for the proposed Equiplex project."
Oxman said the "due diligence" referenced in the letter included visiting the site and making sure the project would fit in Wildomar.
The next step for the corporation is a meeting with Wildomar city manager John Danielson, he said.
After that meeting, Oxman said, he would sit down with the corporation's finance chief and "talk turkey" about the sale of the land, which he has been holding since the 1970s.
Based on his preliminary discussions with the Equiplex backers, the complex would target a high-end clientele that would use its stables to board their horses. Equestrian events could also be held in one of the arenas, which could showcase music acts as well.
At least one hotel on the property would help satisfy what Oxman called an untapped demand for lodging in the area, and the hotel could work with the Bear Creek Golf Club on weekend hotel/golf packages.
Councilwoman Sheryl Ade, who has met with Filice and Schaffer to discuss the project, said the Equiplex could become an international draw, bringing well-heeled members of the horse community to Southwest County.
"Those people aren't affected by the economy like you and I are. (The project) is almost inflation-proof," she said, contrasting it with some of the other possible uses for the land, such as a "big box" store, a string of furniture stores or a housing development.
The project also fits with that section of Wildomar, which is home to numerous ranches, Ade said.
During her discussion with Filice and Schaffer, she said, she shared with them her concern about the traffic that the project would generate and the effects any multistory construction could have on views of the hills.
Ade said she was told the project's design would make use of the natural contours of the land, and trails would connect the complex with the city's trail network. The highest building would probably be the hotel, which could include condominium units.
Ade has lived in Southwest County for decades, and she's heard talk of similar big-ticket projects ---- water parks, amusement parks, etc. ---- that haven't panned out.
She said the Equiplex proposal is different, largely because of the passion of the people involved.
"(Filice) said he plans to move here after it is built," she said.
Contact staff writer Aaron Claverie at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2624, or aclaverie@californian.com.
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Sounds like a wrote on Aug 17, 2008 12:21 PM:wonderful plan.
Another Big Box store or Furniture Row is a waste of time and money. Plenty of them now that are going out of business.
This area was horse country to begin with.
Love horses wrote on Aug 17, 2008 1:53 PM:but, What I keep hearing from alot of the youth in the area (and I am sure many parents would agree) is it would be nice to have a movie theatre or something similliar in the area. After all not everyone rides horses.
Have a Question wrote on Aug 18, 2008 7:30 AM:How can this 'Equiplex" concept get support from the city council when the rest of us are still trying to locate the Wildomar Planning Department and their staff? We've been trying to submit plans to the planning department since July 1, but no one is around to take the paperwork, no one knows what the fees are and no one knows whose working on the approval process. The county is just as baffled. They sent our plans, along with all others that were submitted after the Feb election to the 'Wildomar Planning Department", yet no one was there to receive and process the plans that have been sitting down at county being process for the past 6 months. Yet, Ms. Ade seems to have full authority to 'support' this Equiplex concept. Hmmmm, are some pockets being filled on the side?
To Have a Question wrote on Aug 18, 2008 9:33 AM:Yep, pockets have already been filled. Just look at all the developer contributions both declared and undeclared that helped these council members get elected. We are going to see Wildomar turned in a development Disneyland by those who know who to pay off the right people.
The Equiplex representatives make their pitch to council members long before they got sworn in to office.
Hold on to your hat. You ain't seen nothing yet!!!
Awesome wrote on Aug 18, 2008 3:19 PM:As long as they pay for a Clinton Keith / I-15 bridge overpass widening, I'm all for it. That current 1-lane nightmare overpass right now, won't do at all.
I second that wrote on Aug 19, 2008 12:09 AM:Awesome
You took the words right out of my mouth. Before any further development goes on, we should insist that Clinton Keith overpass be improved.
WildomarWatcher wrote on Aug 19, 2008 11:12 AM:Plans and promises are one thing, and actual production and performance are quite another.
Where is the Equiplex LLC record of successful projects that have already been built, opened, and are self-sustaining businesses which generate the projected tax revenues the cities were lead to expect? Let’s see that list and references from the people they have built other projects for…
Let’s ask the hard questions that our city council seems so reluctant to ask of these developers before writing their “supportive” letter. Let’s see the kind of financial data that Equiplex would have to present to any legitimate lender or financial institution to secure construction loans.
Or are they and our illustrious interim city council banking on the idea that the people of Wildomar would support a huge expensive bond issue to fund this fantastic project? If the council can’t be trusted to ask these questions and insist on the answers, then citizens should.
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