Howard County?s case for a planned state horse park would depend largely on strong support among lawmakers and residents, state officials say.
A site in Anne Arundel County fell through amid fading political support and community concern about the impact of the 875-acre park on traffic and the environment, said Rob Burk, executive director of the Horse Industry Board.
“You?ve got to get your political ducks in order,” Crystal Kimball, an adviser to the Maryland Horse Industry Board, said Tuesday at a meeting of a Howard County task force reviewing the possibility of bringing the Maryland Horse Park to Howard.
The board and the Maryland State Authority selected the Arundel site from a pool of bids in 2005 and conducted a feasibility study. The location had the proper infrastructure, such as roads and hotels, but lacked community backing, Burk said.
Plans for a state park, which would include a visitors center, museum, indoor show room and at least 850 stables, have been in the works for nearly a decade as a way to centralize and promote the state?s equine industry.
Harford and Wicomico counties also have shown interest in the park.
Howard?s task force will examine costs and possible locations before county officials decide whether to vie for the park.
The task force suffered a blow last week when top University of Maryland, College Park officials said they weren?t interested in a horse park at the school?s Central Maryland Research and Education Center in Clarksville, the primary location the task force has been eyeing.
Members of the task force are looking at other locations, but plan to write to University Provost Nariman Farvardin and President Dan Mote and hope to meet with them.
Mike Erskine, the task force?s chairman, said he?s disappointed UMd. opposed the Clarksville site, but added that he hopes the provost made the call based on incomplete information.
“It is my belief that a horse park could co-exist in a research farm,” Erskine said.
