I recently hosted a meeting with several equine industry leaders to discuss the state of the industry and what comes next. In short, the industry is strong and the future is bring.
In 2015 the CEP commissioned an economic impact study of what it means, dollars and cents-wise, to be the Horse Capital. The data was both surprising and impactful. Equine contributes $2.6 billion annually to the local economy. That reflects not only the direct spin of the horse farms, shows, and support industries but also the thousands of tourists and guest who visit our community whether for a horse show, thoroughbred auction, or just to view the beautiful farms.
The CEP had planned to repeat the study in 2020 but put it on pause for two important reasons: 1) COVID and, more importantly, 2) the pending arrival of the World Equestrian Center. Today, this billion-dollar complex is remaking not only equine competition but our local tourism. With the second on-site hotel now under construction along with an events center, urgent care facility, and a number of additional restaurants and stores, the economic impact just of this facility easily reaches into the tens of millions of dollars annually.
Farmland Preservation
The CEP is and will continue to be a strong promoter of our Farmland Preservation Area (FPA). Our tremendous partners at Horse Farms Forever take the lead on ensuring we can remain the Horse Capital of the World® for generations to come. Maintaining the nearly 200,000 acre FPA is important to us all.
However, that does not mean that either group is anti-growth, just that it needs to occur in the right location. Between FPA, Ocala National Forest, and other government owned/protected lands, we as a community have basically agreed to preserve 65% of our county. Approximately two-thirds of this place we call home is basically off-limits for development or significant development. In other words, all of our growth must occur in in 1/3 of our land area and most of that should be centered in the Urban Growth Boundary which is 50% smaller than the FPA.
As a community of nearly 400,000 residents, this means that the overwhelming majority of development be denser and urbanized. However, this is a small concession to make to ensure we protect this farmland and our springs and forest.
US News & World Reports
You may have seen the recently released “Best Places” rankings from US News & World Report. Once again, the Ocala Metro did well earning the following:
- Top 10 Safest Metros (based on FBI data)
- #6 Fastest Growing Metro
- Ranking in the Best Places to Retire
Other recent rankings include making UHaul’s Top 25 Cities for Growth for the third consecutive year and PODS Top 20 Cities for Relocation for the 2nd consecutive year. In fact, the Ocala Metro ranked in the top 5 on the list. Finally, moveBuddha’s Florida Migration Report shows as Ocala as the #1 requested relocation destination in the state for 2022 and it wasn’t even really close.
We know we live in an incredible community and readily admit that growth presents challenges. However, by continuing to work together we can ensure we have a diverse and robust economy, adequate housing supply, beautiful farmland, and incredible springs. This truly is the one place where you can have it all!
