The redevelopment of Broward County's three struggling racetracks and jai-alai fronton into major
casino-entertainment venues could begin as early as summer following voter approval this week of
slot-machine gambling.
The pari-mutuel businesses expect shortly to begin mapping out specific expansion plans with city officials
even as Gov. Jeb Bush and state legislators decide how to tax and regulate the gambling. The initial phase
will include restaurants, nightclubs, entertainment stages and simulcast theaters alongside the slot machines,
but high-end hotels and convention centers could follow within a couple of years.
Hollywood Greyhound Track wants to install slots in its grandstand this summer at the same time it begins a
$100 million renovation. Pompano Park Harness Track wants to begin construction in May but would not add
slot machines until that work is completed early next year.
Executives at Gulfstream Park and Dania Jai-Alai are taking a more wait-and-see approach to what happens
in Tallahassee but are widely expected to follow suit.
"We've gotten over a major hurdle and are interested in making this an economic reality as soon as
possible," said Allan Solomon, executive vice president and general counsel of Isle of Capri Casinos, which
owns Pompano Park.
City officials in the three cities that are home to the pari-mutuel businesses -- Dania Beach, Hallandale
Beach and Pompano Beach -- said they want a strong say in specifics of the projects, such as the hours of
operation and traffic flow. But they are supportive of the change and hope it will spur a new wave of
development nearby.
"These are properties that have been decaying, and now they can be redeveloped, so it opens us up to many
new possibilities," Dania Beach City Manager Ivan Pato said.
Executives at Hollywood Greyhound and Pompano Park said they will pursue initial planning of their
expansions as the Legislature decides specific regulations. They could pull back if legislators decided to be
overly restrictive but said they want to open quickly because of the promises they made about generating
more tax money to help education.
Both expansions are expected to cost more than $100 million.
At Hollywood Greyhound, the plans call for a Mardi Gras theme with one or two entertainment stages, at
least three themed bars, a restaurant, a simulcast theater and the casino. Pompano Park plans to have
restaurants and entertainment venues alongside its casino.
How the projects develop is critical to the cities because of the amount of land involved and the locations
along the major corridors of their communities. Dania Jai-Alai, for example, sits on 50 acres just east of
downtown Dania Beach on Dania Beach Boulevard.
The fronton and city have been discussing a mixed development that includes a casino, other entertainment
and a hotel. Pato said the project would likely require the city to reassess its plans for renovating its
downtown, because those plans to this point focused more on Federal Highway than Dania Beach Boulevard.
A new and improved fronton would create a ripple effect up and down that street, Pato said. The city has
recently approved a high-rise condo project to the east and wants to buy property to the west where the Dania
Beach Hotel is situated.
"I know the hope and aspiration of city has been to redevelop downtown, and what we do can be a catalyst for
good development of the community since we are one of largest parcels on east side," said Steve Snyder of
Dania Jai-Alai.
In Pompano Beach, slots at the harness track offer the possibility of something city officials long have
wanted, a hotel-convention center. That is envisioned in the second phase of the expansion.
Leaders of the three cities said they will be active in lobbying the Legislature.
Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper said she wants to ensure expansion at Gulfstream and Hollywood
Greyhound doesn't overburden roads.
The cities vary on what they would like to see in terms of operating hours.
Cooper opposes round-the-clock gambling, calling it too disturbing to city residents, but Pato favors it
because he would not have to field large numbers of police officers late at night to control traffic at closing
time. Pompano Beach Mayor John Rayson said he is willing to discuss the options with Pompano Park and
said a compromise could be reached to allow each city to decide operating hours.
Staff Writer Lori Sykes contributed to this report.
Scott Wyman can be reached at swyman@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4511.