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 guests who visit our community whether for a horse show, thoroughbred auction, or just to view the beautiful farms.
This past year, our friends at the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association updated that study and what an update! Today, the equine industry provides a $4.3 billion annual impact. Just as in 2015, the industry contributes approximately 1/5 of the area economy. As Ocala has grown, so has the industry. Perhaps one of the biggest new contributors to this impact is the growth in tourism especially in light of the opening and continual development of the World Equestrian Center.
Farmland Preservation
The CEP is and will continue to be a strong promoter of our Farmland Preservation Area (FPA). Our partners at Horse Farms Forever take the lead in 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 89% of our county. Approximately 90% of this place we call home is basically off-limits for development or significant development. In other words, virtually all our growth must occur in 1/10th 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 more than 400,000 residents, this means that the overwhelming majority of development is denser and urbanized. However, this is a small concession to make to ensure we protect this farmland and our springs and forest.
More Rankings
We all know our community is growing. However, we always look forward to sharing rankings from outside entities to verify what we are seeing and experiencing.
PODS, known for their portable moving and storage containers, recently released their Top 20 Cities for Relocation. Ocala has been on this list each of the four years it has been produced. This year, our community moved up two spots to #2. This places us just behind Myrtle Beach/Wilmington and just ahead of Houston. Pretty good company in which to be!
Additionally, Moving Trends released its Top 10 Move-to Cities for the first portion of this year. Not only was Ocala again on the list, but the city ranked #1 with an in-out ratio of 3.32. Translated, this means for 100 people moving out, 332 are moving into our community.
The growth is significant. However, we can and will continue to protect our farmland, forest, and springs while encouraging and supporting growth to create a more prosperous community.
