It is his second World Equestrian Center, the first of which is located in Robertâs native state of Ohio. WEC, which also has a venue in Wilmington, Ohio, encompasses the vision of a dynamic family: Larry Roberts, his wife, Mary, and their son, Roby. Over the past five years, under the direction of Mary and Larry Robertsâ son Roby Roberts, the facility has blown up into what it is today and was renamed the World Equestrian Center. Developers of the massive World Equestrian Center want to make it even bigger by adding another 1,000-plus acres to the already approved 3,200-acre footprint of the project in northwest Marion ⦠At their Roberts Quarter Horse ⦠Story & Photos By Cynthia McFarland. Anyone who has visited Disney World even once can attest to the sense of magic and anticipation that permeates the park, where something magical seems to appear around each corner. The World Equestrian Center is owned by Ohio based Larry Roberts, who owns R & L Carriers, a Long Distance Freight Trucking company with an annual revenue of over $500 million and over 1,000 employees. The land is generally west of Northwest 80th Avenue, south of U.S. 27 and north of State Road 40. The center will host world-class equestrian events. Ocala, Florida, and Wilmington, Ohio worldequestriancenter.com. Situated on more than 4,000 acres, the WEC is set to attract the best of the best in equestrian sports. Roberts plans to open his latest project, Ocalaâs World Equestrian Center, in 2021. The Ohio venue houses the largest equestrian indoor ⦠Roberts Arena quickly evolved into a first-rate horse show facility that hosted the Roberts Whistle Stop Futurity for Western Pleasure horses for years. The World Equestrian Center, located in Ocala Florida, is set for a grand opening date in January 2021. Roberts' son, Roby, also owns a home nearby which is ⦠World Equestrian Center. The family had a vision of creating a golf and equestrian wonderland â and that vision became reality. âGiven those predictions and ⦠Posted August 30, 2005. Visitors to Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club will see for themselves the artistry of fountains, statuary and gardens and the creative intricacies that were invested into this ⦠âWhen [Larry] Roberts came in and [built] Golden Ocala, he raised the bar for everything that was made around here,â says City of Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn. Roberts will open his latest project, Ocalaâs World Equestrian Center, in 2021. The World Equestrian Center Ohio, located in Wilmington, will be closed from Sept. 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021 in response to the COVID-19 outlook. The unanimous commission vote puts national trucking magnate Larry Roberts closer to realizing his development dream for a 2,400-home community, upscale hotel, and world-class equestrian complex south of his Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club.â If youâve been contemplating purchasing an ⦠RLR Investments, the projectâs developer, wants to add another 1,000 acres to the 3,200-acre World Equestrian Center. Roberts Builds Central Florida Wonderland. Ralph L. Roberts Sr. is the founder of Royal Shell Real Estate and R+L Carriers, Inc., a global transportation company with domestic and international freight services. The Roberts, who own shipping company R+L Carriers, all are passionate about horses â an attribute reflected in the extensive thought and efficient design that ⦠The WEC is the dream of Larry Roberts, who seeks to create a Wellington-like development adjacent to his Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club in northwest Marion. It is his second World Equestrian Center, the first of which is located in Robertâs ⦠âExperts predict that a second wave of the coronavirus is likely later this year,â read an announcement on their website. August 31, 2005. Facilities: With two U.S. locations â an operational facility in Ohio (Roberts Arena) and a planned super-venue in Ocala â there may be two options for hosting. The venue will feature an iconic 260-room hotel overlooking a 140,000-square-foot outdoor stadium arena, â¦