The team behind the ambitious proposal to create a space-themed entertainment and education facility in Lompoc received another year to meet the next milestones. 

On Tuesday night, the Lompoc City Council approved without comment the request of Pale Blue Dot Ventures LLC for an extension. 

The project has been proposed for an 82-acre site now home to Ken Adam Park, near the Allan Hancock College Lompoc Valley Center.

In early 2025, various uncertainties existed while the Trump administration navigated the One Beautiful Bill Act enacted July 4, Pale Blue Dot’s leader wrote in a letter seeking delays.

“Following that, the unknown consequences of tariffs and the perceived threats to the economy, including predictions of runaway inflation and unemployment, rattled financial markets and potential investors,” wrote Steven Franck, founder and chief executive officer of Pale Blue Dot. “These investor concerns precluded PBDV from attracting the next round of capital investment until late August.”

He said the next round of equity stock sales will fund the project contractors for the entitlement process, which is essentially a nine-month effort. 

“Additionally, we are now entering the fall holiday period, which historically is a difficult time to obtain investment. This past year is somewhat like the multi-year delays in fundraising the project suffered during the COVID shutdown and subsequent financial crises,” Franck wrote.

In mid-2024, a different City Council narrowly approved the development and disposition agreement for the project.

The pact didn’t take effect until after the November 2024 election, when voters approved a measure allowing the city to discontinue Ken Adam Park.

That sale hasn’t been finalized, and the city attorney said the city would continue to operate Ken Adam Park until the Pale Blue Dot proposal meets more steps.

Milestones it must meet include completing an environmental impact report, submitting applications to the city Planning Division, getting approvals from the Planning Commission and City Council, submitting an initial financing plan and providing written commitments for all construction financing. 

Construction must begin within one year after meeting the nine milestones and be completed five years after starting, according to the agreement.