Out-of-Town Speech Booed in Santa Ana

SANTA ANA —  Bob Keane, co-owner of the River View Golf Course, has long been annoyed that the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce holds its annual golf tournament at the Newport Beach Country Club.

But Wednesday was the last straw for Keane, who learned that the mayor of Santa Ana plans to give his state of the city speech in Irvine at a breakfast meeting sponsored by the chamber.

Keane, who joined the chamber 1 1/2 years ago, called to withdraw his membership, effective immediately.

“It’s ridiculous to belong to the chamber and have them do this to us,” he said.

On the Santa Ana City Council, opponents and supporters of Mayor Miguel A. Pulido Jr. said he should cancel the speech planned for Wednesday at the Orange County Airport Hilton in Irvine .

“I would say, hold it in Santa Ana and cancel the one in Irvine,” said Councilman Brett Franklin, a political ally of the mayor.

Other council members did not think Pulido should cancel the Irvine appearance but said he should also give his speech in Santa Ana.

“Who benefits by having it in Irvine?” asked Councilman Tony Espinoza.

Pulido, who has said he was disappointed with the event’s location, said Wednesday that he will not back out of it, but that he would be open to adding a Santa Ana appearance.

“I don’t want to hurt members of the chamber who want to be aware of what’s happening in the city,” Pulido said. “If someone wants to organize another event [in Santa Ana] and have me address issues, I will do so.”

Metzler stood by the decision to hold the speech in Irvine because of what he called a lack of appropriate venues for a formal, catered affair for about 250 people in Santa Ana.

The Embassy Suites Hotel in Santa Ana, a chamber member, has said it can fit about 330 people in its Pacific Ballrooms.

Metzler replied that the chamber had contacted the Embassy and was told that for the seating arrangement requested, the limit would be approximately 225.

Employees of the Elks Lodge in Santa Ana said they can cater breakfast for up to 550 people in the Crystal Room, but Metzler said the lodge is not a chamber member.

Metzler said that while the chamber seeks to hold events in its hometown, it also looks to hold events at chamber member locations. “We are adhering to that policy,” he said.

The Irvine Hilton is one of about 100 organizations outside the Santa Ana city limits that is a chamber member, Metzler said.

Several other hotels in the city, including the Doubletree and Ramada, said they were not equipped to handle a crowd the size of the chamber breakfast.

The Santa Ana City Council meeting room has a 200-person capacity.

Metzler said the chamber holds its annual golf tournament at the private Newport Beach Country Club because players are attracted to courses on which they cannot normally play.

But just as Metzler did not rule out a state of the city speech in Santa Ana next year, he did not dismiss a future golf tournament in the city.

“When we begin to talk about next year’s tournament,” he said, “we’ll know River View is interested.”