Les Storrs Santa Monica Portrait of a City Yesterday and Today, Santa Monica Bank: Santa Monica, CA, 1974, 67 pp., 1957
"With the advent of the council-manager government, however, law enforcement became more strict, and a new concept was developed for Ocean Park.
"The Los Angeles Turf Club, operators of the Santa Anita track, sought diversification, already having a project at Lake Arrowhead. Together with a major broadcasting system [CBS, KR], they launched Pacific Ocean Park, which was intended to provide family type amusement. They leased the pier, the no longer used municipal auditorium which had been built on the beach adjoining the pier, and some privately owned property along the Ocean Front Promenade.
"In setting up the project, it was evident that the operators had been encouraged by the success of Disneyland at Anaheim, and by Marineland on the Palos Verdes peninsula, and Pacific Ocean Park had some of the features of both.
"For a time, the operation appeared to be a success, but attendance began falling off, and a new organization took over, cutting the admission price and making most of the amusement devices open to all who had paid at the main gate, without further charge.
"The effort failed, and the operation went into a receivership. Almost endless litigation followed, so confused was the financial structure by that time.
"As of 1974 the whole pier and adjacent structures were in ruins, aside from a small area which was leveled by the owner. From time to time large parts of the pier had been falling into the ocean as timbers decayed, and three major and many minor fires have contributed further to the scene of desolation.
"Demolition has been determined to be the only solution, but the issue is somewhat complicated by the fact that the old amusement zone straddles the line between Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The Santa Monica City Council, however, ordered demolition within its jurisdiction."