At the June 30 Planning & Zoning (P&Z) Commission meeting, the Commission made two important recommendations:
✅ Recommended Approval – Golden Ocala’s 236-acre Sports & Entertainment Complex
❌ Recommended Denial – Thomas Moore’s proposal to expand the Rural Activity Center (RAC) adjacent to Gilbert’s Hardware
Despite overwhelming public opposition, the Sports Complex application was unanimously recommended for approval. We are grateful to the many Horse Farms Forever members and local residents who filled the McPherson Auditorium to speak out against both proposals.
⚠️ Important: These recommendations are not final. The Board of County Commissioners will vote on both applications at the upcoming Hearing on Monday, July 21st at 1:30 p.m. at McPherson Auditorium.
🏟️ The Sports and Entertainment Complex
Horse Farms Forever opposes the Sports and Entertainment Complex for two key reasons:
1. It’s in the Wrong Location
This facility is proposed on land within the World Equestrian Estates, which was approved as a low-density equestrian residential area. These lands were removed from the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA) to serve as a buffer—not to be repurposed for intense commercial development.
This application violates prior agreements made by Golden Ocala and threatens the integrity of our community’s planning vision.
2. There Are No Horses
Ocala is the Horse Capital of the World, and while the World Equestrian Center has significantly benefited our equine economy, this new proposal strays from that mission.
“Horses don’t play hockey, and they don’t ride roller coasters either.” This is the World Equestrian Center — not the World Sports Center.
The proposed uses are not equestrian in nature and are incompatible with the surrounding horse farms and rural neighborhoods. The development poses serious threats to:
- The $4.3 Billion equine industry
- Marion County’s rural character
- Our global equestrian brand
The Sports and Entertainment Complex
Horse Farms Forever opposes the Sports and Entertainment Complex for two key reasons:
1. It’s in the Wrong Location
This facility is proposed on land within the World Equestrian Estates, which was approved as a low-density equestrian residential area. These lands were removed from the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA) to serve as a buffer—not to be repurposed for intense commercial development.
This application violates prior agreements made by Golden Ocala and threatens the integrity of our community’s planning vision.
2. There Are No Horses
Ocala is the Horse Capital of the World, and while the World Equestrian Center has significantly benefited our equine economy, this new proposal strays from that mission.
“Horses don’t play hockey, and they don’t ride roller coasters either.” This is the World Equestrian Center — not the World Sports Center.
The proposed uses are not equestrian in nature and are incompatible with the surrounding horse farms and rural neighborhoods. The development poses serious threats to:
- The $4.3 Billion equine industry
- Marion County’s rural character
- Our global equestrian brand
🚫 “Piggyback the RAC” Proposal Denied
Horse Farms Forever strongly supported the P&Z Commission’s recommendation to deny the RAC expansion proposed by Thomas Moore.
This nearly 20-acre parcel lies deep within the Farmland Preservation Area, and the proposed land use change does not meet the criteria for RAC designation.
Why We Opposed It:
- Not Needed: Only 30% of the existing 73-acre RAC is developed. There is no current or foreseeable demand for expansion.
- Encourages Sprawl: County staff warned that the expansion would promote inefficient and premature sprawl.
- Opens the Door to Intense Commercial Uses: Approval would allow over 35 commercial uses, including fuel plants, storage facilities, and 350,000+ sq. ft. of buildings.
Rural Activity Centers are intended to support rural life with limited, community-serving uses, not to introduce industrial-level development.
According to staff, this proposal violates multiple provisions of the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code and is not in the public interest.
“Piggyback the RAC” Proposal Denied
Horse Farms Forever strongly supported the P&Z Commission’s recommendation to deny the RAC expansion proposed by Thomas Moore.
This nearly 20-acre parcel lies deep within the Farmland Preservation Area, and the proposed land use change does not meet the criteria for RAC designation.
Why We Opposed It:
- Not Needed: Only 30% of the existing 73-acre RAC is developed. There is no current or foreseeable demand for expansion.
- Encourages Sprawl: County staff warned that the expansion would promote inefficient and premature sprawl.
- Opens the Door to Intense Commercial Uses: Approval would allow over 35 commercial uses, including fuel plants, storage facilities, and 350,000+ sq. ft. of buildings.
Rural Activity Centers are intended to support rural life with limited, community-serving uses, not to introduce industrial-level development.
According to staff, this proposal violates multiple provisions of the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code and is not in the public interest.
📣 Take Action
Your involvement makes all the difference. Here’s how you can help:
🗣️ Attend the County Commission Hearing:
Monday, July 21st at 1:30 p.m. @ McPherson Auditorium – 601 SE 25th Avenue, Ocala
🙌 Support Our Work
Join Horse Farms Forever today and help us protect what makes Marion County special.
