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A judge's ruling prohibits fair organizers from using the company hired to provide amusement rides and games. With just weeks until the opening of the 2022 San Diego County Fair, it might not be possible to secure another vendor to take on the large-scale project.
Officials from the 22nd District Agricultural Association who operate the San Diego County Fair, contracted with Ray Cammack Shows (RCS) to operate its midway amusement rides and carnival games in 2022. After the contract was awarded to RCS, a competing company, Talley Amusements (who had a contract with the Fair for 18 years), filed a lawsuit claiming that the Fair tailored their contract qualifications to favor RCS over competitors.
A San Diego Superior Court Judge determined that the process the fair used to select the vendor for rides and games was "essentially rigged." As a result, the judge issued and injunction blocking the 22nd Agricultural Association from using RCS, which now means that the Fair does not have a vendor in place for their June 8, 2022 opening.
In a statement, Fair organizers have confirmed that they have received the injunction and are working on an alternate solution,
"We are very concerned by some of the contentions upon which the court's ruling is apparently based, which have not been proven. With fewer than ten weeks before the start of the fair, the 22nd DAA is committed to doing everything it can to save this beloved summer ritual that is enjoyed by 1.5 million San Diegans and Californians."