News Archive

Great Park Board Approves Comprehensive Master Plan

Sets Vision for Future Park Features

SEPTEMBER 27, 2007 – IRVINE, California – The Orange County Great Park Board today approved the Comprehensive Master Plan for the Great Park. They also approved the process that will determine what features will be included in the Park by officially establishing the Vision Statement, Guiding Principles and Park Program Selection Framework. The Park Program Selection [...]

Thousands Flock to Ride Great Park Balloon

AUGUST 8, 2007 – IRVINE, California – Truly impressive numbers now show that in less than three weeks time, 5,269 passengers came to ride the Orange County Great Park balloon. Nearly 3,200 visitors rode the balloon the first week of operation, including the inaugural grand opening day. More than 2,070 visitors rode the balloon the second [...]

Guinness Certifies World’s Largest Photograph and Camera

AUGUST 5, 2007 – IRVINE, California – In official certificates issued July, 2007 in London, Guinness states: “The largest camera was created from an airplane hanger measuring 13.71 x 48.76 x 24.38 m (45 x 160 x 80 ft). The camera produced a photograph on canvas measuring 9.62 x 33.83 m (31ft 7in x 111ft). The [...]

Great Park Balloon Prepares to Fly

JULY 10, 2007 – IRVINE, California – The five story-tall, 10,560-pound, iconic orange Great Park Balloon was filled today with 5,500 cubic meters of helium in preparation for its official launch on July 14, 2007. The Aerophile Corporation, the manufacturer of the Orange County Great Park Aero 30NG Balloon, inflated and prepared the giant tethered Balloon [...]

Handel Appointed Professor at University of California, Irvine

MAY 1, 2007 – IRVINE, California – Steven Handel, Ph.D., the lead ecologist on the Orange County Great Park Design Studio, has been appointed Adjunct Professor of Ecology at the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Handel’s appointment is in particular recognition of his achievements in the field of restoration ecology and will help build an important [...]

Oral History Project to Preserve Military Heritage for Great Park

MARCH 1, 2007 – IRVINE, California – Voices of former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station veterans will now be preserved through a unique project at California State University – Fullerton’s Center for Oral and Public History. The Oral History Project, part of the Great Park History Program, aims to preserve the history of El Toro [...]

Great Park Design Studio Reveals Plans for Next Phase of Park Development

JANUARY 25, 2007 – IRVINE, California – The Great Park Design Studio gave a detailed presentation on the $400 million proposed plan for the design and construction of the next phase of the Orange County Great Park to the Orange County Great Park Board of Directors at today’s Board meeting. The presentation included the Design Studio’s [...]

Assistant City Manager Takes on New Role

New Public Works Director Named

JANUARY 4, 2007 – IRVINE, California – Irvine City Manager Sean Joyce announced today that Assistant City Manager and CEO of the Orange County Great Park, Wally Kreutzen, will assume new duties with the City of Irvine as Assistant City Manager - Capital Projects, while Director of Public Works, Marty Bryant, will assume responsibility as Chief [...]

Panel to Paint the Great Park Green

Design Studio to Discuss Sustainability through Public/Private Partnerships at “What’s Orange, Gold and Green All Over?” Conference

NOVEMBER 8, 2006 – IRVINE, California – The “What’s Orange, Gold and Green All Over? - Developing a sustainable vision for the 21st Century OC” conference will highlight the commitment of the Orange County Great Park Design Team to the sustainability movement on Thursday, February 9th from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Ford Motor [...]

Great Park Board Approves Preliminary Master Design

Plan moves to City for review

OCTOBER 26, 2006 – IRVINE, California – The Orange County Great Park Corporation Board of Directors today unanimously approved the Great Park Preliminary Master Plan in concept as presented by Master Designer Ken Smith and the Great Park Design Studio – the architects, artists, and engineers charged with designing the Park. The Great Park Design Studio [...]