The cancellation of the 2021 Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach after the final day of the event due to an oil spill has been controversial from the start.
Sued by the show’s organizers, the city council agreed to pay $4.9 million for losses claimed by the aerial extravaganza’s operators. The 2023 settlement included giving Pacific the exclusive rights for an annual air show for 40 years and other forms of compensation.
However, the deal has been widely criticized as overly generous and California State Auditor Grant Parks conducted a review of the settlement. The auditor’s office later sued the city for not cooperating…