The Effort to Save Hialeah

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by pmayjr

Without knowing enough details... let me throw a question at you guys. I think I've found a decent compromise to get Hialeah running again. But I don't know the proper info to know if this idea has a chance in hell or not.

In the fall, they have the Tropical meet, at Calder right? Is Tropical owned and run by Churchill Downs? Or is it like the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita where the Oak Tree racing association operates it?

What I'm getting at, is if the Tropical meet is NOT owned and run by Churchill Downs, and there isn't a lengthy agreement between Tropical and Calder to run races at Calder, could the Tropical meet eventually be switched to Hialeah?

Now before you guys blast me for not knowing my facts, please clarify if that's not at all possible in a polite way and say why. Thanks.

Not 100% sure but I think Tropical is not owned by CD. I have no idea what the length of the agreement is to hold the Tropical Meet at Calder. Some of our So. Fla. guys on the board may know the answer....

Assuming the contract can be worked out to shift the meet to Hialeah, the biggest roadblock here would be who is going to pay the money to upgrade the plant? I read somewhere that several barns were damaged in the hurricanes a couple years ago and torn down. The Grandstand, Clubhouse and Paddock will surely need remodeling, the dirt track will need to be brought in and re-worked and the turf will need a full facelift. We are talking a lot of money here. I don't think Tropical (whoever they are) has any money. I'm not sure if it is still true, but the purses used to go down when the Tropical Meet started.

I know that didn't answer your question Pete....it is a good idea if it is at all possible to pull off.