CNet founder wants to buy, resurrect Hialeah Park
 

Steve.

A serious contender has emerged to bring back Hialeah Park to its glory. I would love to hear you interview Mr. Minor on At the Races.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/Sports/...18hialeah.html

At last, someone with a vision for racing as it is meant to be...Frank Stronach and company...are you listening?

I hope it's for real ....... I hope the state of FL doesn't mess it up.

Thats great!

Place is in really bad condition. Needs a ton of work. Gulfstream is in bad shape for numerous reasons, and if they reopened this track they would have the same problems.

1) There are a ton of casinos in south florida to compete with

2) Arkansas and LA have put together very solid meets to compete with

3) Good horses take the winter off now.

John B estimate of 20 -30 million to get Haileah operational again is way way on the short side BUT it seems this Gentlemen has very very Deep Pockets. So more power to him I would love to see it happen.

The key to this working is Hialeah itself. Yes there is competition but the competition is not Hialeah. History sells.

I assume he would include a casino, which would have a nicer setting than most of those around it. People do like nice surroundings, like the garden of Hialeah - look what Vegas puts up to attract people.

Would there be enough horses? There are at least two training centers, maybe more, that opened up in So Fla after Hialeah closed for training. Tampa has been poaching GP horses for a couple of years now, since Magna messed up the program and plant; the trainers may prefer the shorter cross-town trip.

I have so say, I would love to see the Widener and the Flamingo return.

i would really love to see hialeah back up and running, returned to its glory days. it's a beautiful place, it's a crying shame they let it go for this long.

Gulfstream probably would close down if Hialeah opened up.

If Mr. Minor can do it right and is able to secure the prime Winter dates of January and February, Hialeah could be one of those short boutique meetings that becomes a destination for vacationers. I realize it's not in a good area, but sometimes it just takes a prime attraction to revitalize an area. Something like what Oriole Park at Camden Yards did for downtown Baltimore. A casino and a state-of-the-art racebook for simulcasting customers could keep the dollars coming in during the off season.

I also like the idea that Steve Byk put forth about adding Hialeah to the Breeders' Cup rotation.

First, there is nothing wrong with the city of Hialeah. If you leave Gulfstream and walk across Federal Hwy, it is every bit as funked up as Hialeah. Maybe more so.

Second, just how are they going to get late fall or winter dates? Is Tropical (which leases Calder for the fall dates) just going to give away their days? Is Stronach, after spending $300,000,000, going to walk away?

Third, the place is now a total dump. $75,000,000 to get it ready sounds cheap.

Fourth, this is only a story because the land is worth 1/2 of what it was worth 2.5 years ago. Brunetti has been sitting on the place for seven years and turned down every offer. Now, he's screwed.

When pigs fly.

Am correct in that he doesnt even actually own the land, he just holds a 99 year lease or something like that?

I don't know.

What would the difference be?

The owner could let him out of his lease if the land
was worth bundles with buyers waiting.

So in essence, there is very little difference.
Right now.

The difference is that if he doesnt actually own the land, and the City of Hialeah does it may make things easier or more complicated. I really dont know.

And arent the racing days in FL deregulated so if Hialeah was brought back they could run against either GP or Calder, not that that would be a great idea.

I guess that is true. They and the feds can make it complicated anyway since the track is a designated national landmark.

I believe they are deregulated, yes. By the way, this is a real good article from 2001, when they were facing ruin:

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2001-03...st-pony-show/1

I think Hialeah could knock out GP. GP is just not happening.