Orange County's Great Park board hires fundraising consultant

The money will pay Washington, D.C.-based Chora LLC to study how the park board might raise $22 million to pay for a pod-shaped shelter, palm tree court and performance area in a small "preview park," as well as more studies.

The firm is expected to write five reports and prepare materials to help attract funds and donations, but is not required to raise any money during the year's worth of work.

Despite inciting some disagreement over whether it was a judicious use of funds, the contract was approved and is seen as a first step in what Irvine officials hope will yield millions in donations to support the transformation of the former El Toro Marine base into a 1,347-acre city park. The project is billed as the 21st century's first major metropolitan park, drawing comparisons to New York's Central Park and San Diego's Balboa Park.

But the move also highlights the challenges in proceeding with a $1.6-billion project in a down economy, with critics raising doubts about how successful Irvine will be in attracting donors at a time when the faltering economy has them lukewarm about giving to charitable nonprofits, much less a municipality.

Donors would be giving to the Orange County Great Park Corp., a nonprofit agency of the city of Irvine advised by the City Council and four directors it appoints.

Councilman Steven Choi was the lone vote against funding the consultant, saying it was way too much to spend for "only strategy-building and consulting." He offered to do the same work himself for free.

Choi also questioned whether setting up a city-funded fundraising apparatus would compete with the Great Park Conservancy, a nonprofit founded in 2000 to supplement city money already earmarked for the park.

Irvine Mayor Beth Krom supported the measure, saying the slowed pace of development of the park had given the city "the gift of time" that should be taken advantage of to develop the tools to raise funds. Park officials said it has always been their intent to supplement city funds with outside grants and donations.