State Green Lights Casino Gambling At Hialeah Park
HIALEAH (CBS4) - Hialeah let out a hallelujah Tuesday over state approval of casino-style gaming at the historic Hialeah Park race track.
"It is a great day for the city of Hialeah," said a beaming Mayor Julio Robaina, flanked at city hall by state lawmakers, city leaders and representatives of the track.
"This has been a long time coming, in achieving our goal of bringing Hialeah back to its golden years and golden days," Robaina said.
Hialeah Park, opened in 1925 and on the National Register of historic places, saw its heyday in a bygone era marked by champions like Citation, Seabiscuit and Seattle Slew. It was a time when horses and dogs were about all you could bet on legally in South Florida.
The advent of casino-style gaming, with it's flashing lights and clanging bells provided gamblers with a faster, flashier, more exciting way to lose money. As a result, Hialeah Park lost money. The track, family-owned since 1977, closed in 2001 and remained closed for eight years. Owner John Brunetti gave the place a multi-million dollar restoration, and reopened to quarter horse racing last year. Brunetti received assurances from local leaders that they would fight to bring casino-style action to the park.
The fight ended three days before Christmas when the state issued Hialeah Park a license to operate slots and other games of chance. The bid had been vigorously opposed by competitors who already have slots. The legislature this year approved the Hialeah plan though, and last month challengers lost a court fight.
Rep. Esteban Bovo, R-Hialeah, said the Miami-Dade legislative delegation and others involved in the effort had "to move mountains" to get it done.
"This was a long shot, no pun intended," Bovo said.
Long range, the plan is to surround Hialeah Park with a resort hotel, shopping mall, restaurants, clubs and a theatre.
"This is going to be a family entertainment complex. This is not going to be just racing and casinos," said Robaina. "This is going to be a full entertainment park."
Robaina said marketing research shows the project to be viable. It is centrally located, Robaina said, and has its own Metrorail station that is being expanded to connect to Miami International Airport.
Developers estimate the eventual cost of the make-over to be $1 billion.
Robaina said that, when fully complete, the project will provide "thousands of permanent jobs." He said approval of the plan includes assurances that the historic clubhouse, grandstands and other structures will remain in place.
John Brunetti, Jr., president of Hialeah Park, said private investors will foot the tab.
"This is an even bet," Brunetti said. "It's going to happen, and it's going to be successful."
The first phase of expanding gambling at Hialeah Park - adding slots, gaming rooms, and preparing for the return of thoroughbred racing - is scheduled to get underway next month and be completed in less than a year, Brunetti said.
