Hialeah Park. What is the Solution?

Keep the Hialeah Park as a Horse Track? Develop the Park into something else?

It seems that residents of Hialeah want the same thing. Although
most people will tell you that there is a debate about what should be the
fate of the Park. As a matter of fact if you search blog’s these days and you
include the word Hialeah, the majority of the information will be about the
Hialeah Park. Most opinions point that anything less than horse racing is a crime to the history of Hialeah.

All of us that were raised in Hialeah or it’s surroundings have a love affair
with the Hialeah Park. The Park has touched our lives. In one way or
another, each family has fond memories of this landmark. It is this love affair and the protective nature of these people that want to preserve the Park.

Unfortunately, reality is quite complicated and yet simple at the same time. The Hialeah Park cannot continue to sit frozen in time. It must move forward. In order to move forward it must meet the now. And it’s fate is really determined by a triangle that may not be able to deliver 100% the wish of the people. The Owner, The City and The State.

Even if the wish of all three were to preserve it as a Horse Race Track, the cost involved would be quite a challenge. Everything from renovation to maintenance may not be feasible. Therefore, even if all three decided to go in that direction, wish is the most popular one, it could be very possible that at the end of the day it may not happen. This is because too many variables exist against it that no one can control.

We believe the time has come when the blaming game needs to stop and
all of us need to think about what is real and what is an illusion. This is the only way that the right people will sit at the table and come up with a decision that makes sense. Let’s remove the pressure from the current politicians of what took place in the past. Most of them were not around when a decision could have been made that would have kept Horse Racing in Hialeah. The owner is a business person who needs to profit from the ownership of the Park. And yes, we agree that his decisions in the past may have hurt the Park. But it was his decision as a business owner and that is all it was, a business decision.


The City of Hialeah would love to have the park become just that-- a park, but they lack the funds to do so. Can't the federal or state government make this possible?
http://miamimemories.blogspot.com/2007/07/hialeah-park-save-last-gem-of-roaring.html


“You just can’t have property of that magnitude sit in the middle of the city idle. That is, in essence, what is going on right now,” City Council President and Park Administrator, Esteban Bovo said. “We have a jewel sitting in the middle of our city. It is not operating. It’s not doing anything.” http://www.therealestatebloggers.com/2007/06/28/is-the-hialeah-race-track-in-southern-florida-going-to-turn-into-a-development/


The city of Hialeah was actually the $9 million mortgage holder until Brunetti finished paying off the loan several years ago. In its last formal appraisal, the property was valued in the mid-$40 million range, asset Manager Bovo said, but since then Brunetti has been offered as much as $1 million an acre for Hialeah. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/horseracing/bal-sp.hialeah25jun25,0,6914962.story?coll=bal-sports-headlines

The current administration has demonstrated a willingness to listen to different points
of view and exercise patience to perhaps give all the ideas a chance to work themselves out.

Instead of finger pointing and dwelling on the past, let us work together and be part of the solution. And maybe not Horse Racing, but maybe something that all the generations to come will love as much as we have loved The Hialeah Park.

We welcome your point of view, positive ideas and opinions in this issue. We will caution you, we will not publish finger pointing, negative criticism and blame. Let’s us know how you feel so we can move forward. E-mail to us pictures of The Park, new and old. info@hialehtodo.com

See additional photos: http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index.cfm

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