Ocala Business Litigation and Business Dispute Attorney

Ocala is the county seat in Marion County, Florida, located in the northern part of the state.

According to the United States Census Bureau, its population was 60,786 as of the 2019 census, making it Florida’s 49th most populous city.  

The Horse Industry in Ocala FL

No discussion of Ocala is complete without talking about Horses.  With almost 400 thoroughbred farms and training institutions, Ocala was dubbed the “World Horse Capital” in 2007. The Ocala National Forest, Silver Springs State Park, Rainbow Springs State Park, and the College of Central Florida are within a stone’s throw of the city of Ocala.

Establishment as a horse capital in the late twentieth century

Carl G. Rose founded Florida’s first thoroughbred horse farm in Marion County in 1943. Other farms grew up around Ocala, making it the heart of a horse-breeding region. Individual races in the Triple Crown series have been won by local horses. In 1978, Affirmed, a horse bred and trained in Marion County, won all three races, boosting interest in the industry.

According to Chamber of Commerce criteria, only five locations (four in the United States and one in France) are entitled to claim the term “Horse Capital of the World,” based on annual revenue generated by the horse business.

 The horse sector, which generates over $2.2 billion in annual sales, supports 44,000 jobs through breeding, training, and related support. Postime Farms and Ocala are home to one of the country’s largest horse exhibitions, H.I.T.S or “Horses in the Sun,” a two-month Dressage/Jumper event. It brings in between $6 and $7 million to the Marion County economy each year. Over 100 different breeds are represented in the event, including the Tennessee Walker, Paso Fino, Morgan horse, Saddlebred, Draft horse and American Quarter Horse. Mounted shooting by the Florida Outlaws, as well as endurance rides, barrel races, extreme cowboy events, jumper shows, trick shows, parades, draft pulls, rodeo events, and more, are all held in the area.

Ocala’s Business Environment

The city’s median household income was $30,888, and the family’s median income was $38,190. Males had a median income of $29,739, while females had a median income of $24,367. The city’s per capita income was $18,021. About 13.2 percent of families and 18.1 percent of the population were poor, with 28.6 percent of those under 18 and 9.8 percent of those 65 and older falling into this category.

 Emergency One, a global designer and manufacturer of fire rescue vehicles, has its headquarters in Ocala.

The top employers in Ocala, according to the city’s 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report are:

• Marion County Public Schools
• Munroe Regional Medical Center
• State of Florida
• Wal-Mart
• Ocala Regional Medical Center
• Publix Super Market
• AT&T
• City of Ocala
• Lockheed Martin

Ocala’s Growth

For a city of its size, the greater Ocala area experienced one of the greatest growth rates in the country in the latter decades of the twentieth century. Marion County has a population of over 250,000 people in 2000, up from less than 100,000 in 1975.

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