CNet founder wants to buy, resurrect Hialeah Park

[Quiet Chris]

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.

[Round Pen]

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.

[sumitas]

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

[Pedigree Ann]

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.

[Danzig]

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.

[sumitas]

Gulfstream probably would close down if Hialeah opened up.

[SlewsMyHero]

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.