[Lamar]

Has anyone else seen the horse track guys around lately??? I was walking around Lake Sumter Saturday, and stopped by their informational office. And saw them again today at the polo match!! I actually had the opportunity to meet the developer in both places. This looks like a great thing for Sumter County, and a lot of fun. Did you know we have to actually vote for this??? I am definitely going out on June 17 and voting.

[villages07]

Lamar,

There was a full page ad in Today's Daily Sun promoting the track and encouraging voters to cast a Yes ballot in the special election on June 17th.

The thing that concerns me a bit is the ad made no mention of the poker rooms that will be part of this facility...in fact, some will have you believe the horse racing is just a front for the poker operation. I wish they were a little more upfront about the poker side. I seem to recall an article (or a forum post) that said the horse racing days would be minimal but the poker rooms would be operating all the time.

A horse track with limited dates could be an enjoyable excursion.

But, before I vote Yes or No, I plan to find out more about the pros and cons of this proposal.

[Lamar]

Villages07-

I must say that these guys seem to really know what they are talking about, and did not hide the poker in my conversations with them at all. Stop by their office sometime and ask some questions. It is where the shell store used to be, I just happened to come across it with my wife shopping over the weekend.

[bestmickey]

For Villages07, there are newpapers in Flordia who do provide full disclosure. The following article appeared in The Orlando Sentinel on May 8. As a previous poster noted in another recent thread, "From Thursday Orlando Slantenal. It's primarily about a different track but touches on the one here.", (near The Villages).

The bolded verbiage was bolded by me. I did so to bring to your attention that the card games will be run daily. I also highlighted the fact that the Goldstein family is in the CASINO business. My point being, you can certainly anticipate that if the quarter-horse, poker room operation is approved by your vote, in the near future you will also have a full-fledged casino on the ballot. I raise this because you should have the knowledge before you vote, so that you can decide before the vote if you want the additional traffic flowing through your precious Villages that a 365 day per year CASINO will bring.

For those who desire to have a CASINO so near to The Villages, I'm not here to oppose your desires. It's up to those who live in Sumter County to decide (I don't live there). I've entered this post only in the interest of FULL DISCLOSURE.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/commu...,7477148.story

Quarter-horse racing bets on DeBary location
Quarter-horse races and poker may be a hard sell, official says

Rachael Jackson
Sentinel Staff Writer

May 8, 2008

A quarter-horse racetrack proposed for DeBary would have an upscale hotel, a restaurant row and even space for a farmers market, developers said at a city workshop on Wednesday night.

It would also have a "card club" with 25 tables for poker -- something that council members have said could be a hard sell in DeBary.

Rumors about the track had swirled for more than a month, after developers submitted an application to the state. But before Wednesday, city leaders had been in the dark about what exactly they had in mind for 67 acres in the community off Interstate 4 in Volusia County.

City Council members said little after the presentation that painted the project, DeBary Downs, as a country-fair-style destination with an environmentally friendly design. Developers haven't yet applied for zoning changes they'll need for the project. They're also still waiting for the state to permit a new betting facility.

Mayor George Coleman said the presentation was different than he expected and said he would take a look once he receives a formal proposal, but Council member Lenny Marks said the project was unlikely to get the community's support. He said he had received more than 150 calls and e-mails, most of which opposed bringing gambling to the town.

"I just want to say that you opened up a hornet's nest," he said.

Michael Goldstein, the 25-year-old Fort Lauderdale man who submitted the application, said he and his team were simply planning to "wow" the council and community to win approval for the project.

While thoroughbred horses race in the state, there hasn't been a quarter-horse race in Florida since the early 1990s. In the past year eight tracks for the sprinter horses have been proposed in the state, including in Ocala, Melbourne and Sumter County.

Observers say that's because state law changed last year to allow betting facilities to operate card rooms year-round, not just on race days.

Since permitting rules for quarter-horse racetracks are unusual -- they don't need to be 50 miles apart like other betting facilities -- the racetracks became very appealing.

Goldstein is related to Bernard Goldstein, chairman of Isle of Capri Casinos, which runs Pompano Park in South Florida, where horses also race.

A page of financial information in his application lists startup costs of $8.7 million and projects $8.2 million in revenue, most of which would come from 25 poker tables, in the first year of operation.

The state Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which issues permits for betting facilities, sent Goldstein a letter pointing out various deficiencies in the application, including failing to show how the project would be financed or that the land was available for use. On Wednesday, a Goldstein consultant said they were nearly finished filling in those gaps.

Goldstein has submitted two applications for quarter-horse racetracks. The second would be about 10 minutes from The Villages in Sumter County.

Rachael Jackson can be reached at 386-851-7923 or rjackson@orlandosentinel.com.

[reesep]

In the interest of "full disclosure" and as an actual Sumter County resident, I'm inclined to rely on our local paper to get to the bottom of things. That's why I was pleased to see they attended and reported on the recent Sumter County Chamber meeting at which the developer proposing the project spoke. The story and the developer, Mr. Goldstein, both talked about the fact that there would be a poker club at the facility.

I don't think they are trying to hide anything, in fact I passed their new office in Lake Sumter this weekend on my way to the movies...they have pictures up in the windows and are more than happy to talk to people about what they're proposing. As you aptly point out BestMickey, the community does get to vote on this, which means, that if they were to propose a CASINO as you say in the future then we would again get a say in whether that and the traffic it will supposedly cause is something residents of Sumter County want.

[b]Company unveils plans for horsetrack, card room

By DAVID R. CORDER, DAILY SUN

WILDWOOD — Quarter-horse racing and card-room wagering could be coming to Sumter County if voters approve a gaming proposal at a June 17 special election.

The proposed Oxford Horse Park could become one of the first quarter-horse tracks established in Florida in decades, said Michael Goldstein, a representative of the family-owned company sponsoring the venture.

“We are trying to regenerate an industry,” Goldstein said in an interview following a presentation on the venture Wednesday during the regular monthly meeting of the Sumter County Area Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber invited Goldstein, vice president of Sumter Real Estate Holdings LLC, to speak about the company’s plans to develop a racetrack and wagering facility on about 117 acres approximately two miles north of County Road 466 and west of U.S. Highway 301 in Oxford.

In compliance with state law, the Bettendorf, Iowa-based company requires county voter approval to operate a wagering facility for horse races.

Even then, the company must obtain additional state and local approvals to operate such a facility.




Earlier this week, for instance, the county’s Development Review Committee approved the company’s application for a major special-use permit and conceptual plan, said Brad Cornelius, the county’s planning manager.

“The Development Review Committee recommended approval with some clarification on the (facility’s) screening and buffering and hours of operation,” Cornelius said.

Once those clarifications are made, Cornelius said, the county’s Zoning and Adjustment Board will review the application at a tentative June 23 public hearing. If it is approved then, the Sumter County Commission tentatively would review the application for final development approval at its June 24 regular meeting.

With those approvals, Goldstein anticipated a fall 2009 grand opening for the gaming operation that would include a racetrack of about five-eighths of a mile in length.

Depending on the quarter-horse industry’s interest, he said, the racetrack could operate as often as every weekend. However, he anticipates operating a card room 12 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Company representatives are meeting with community groups in advance of the special election to promote the benefits of a such a facility.

“I looked all over Florida for the perfect location,” Goldstein told chamber members. “This was the area I focused on.”

If approved, Goldstein told the audience, the facility could produce $400,000 in tax revenue in just the first year of operation.

It also would create more than 100 permanent jobs, Goldstein said, in addition to the construction jobs necessary to build the facility.

“I want to use local contractors and subcontractors as much as possible,” he added.

The family-owned company possesses considerable experience in the gaming industry. Sumter Real Estate Holdings is an affiliated company of Green Bridge Co., an independently family-owned development group whose directors include Goldstein’s father, Robert S. Goldstein, Michael Goldstein said in the interview. Goldstein’s father serves as vice chairman of St. Louis-based Isle of Capri Casinos Inc.

Goldstein’s grandfather, Bernard Goldstein, is referred to in his corporate biography as the father of the modern riverboat gaming industry.

David R. Corder is a reporter with the Daily Sun. He can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9066, or at david.corder@thevillages media.com.

[villages07]

I have read these other articles that did mention the poker. My only point is that the full page advertisement paid for by the track sponsors failed to mention the poker tables. Just seemed to be an act of omission. I will check out their office and information.

[reesep]

Well I spent some time working in the news business...sometimes advertising can be limited because of space requirements. Hopefully they'll run more ads with more information...at least we can hope!

[chelsea24]

Well, my hubby and I love a day at the races and we love cards. So this sounds great to us.

But I do have one other comment. I'm baffled at the objection to gambling or playing cards for money.

Where are you people living? Cards and/or Mahjong are played at every rec center for money. This is not a secret. Get real. And that's not even mentioning all the Poker Runs and the house clubs that go on for higher stakes.

If people want to gamble, isn't it really up to them? :dontknow:

[villages07]

In the interest of fairness, there was a quarter page ad in the local section of today's Daily Sun from the Horse Park sponsors. In this ad, they address the issue of poker rooms head on...saying that the card rooms will help fund other equestrian activities, feed into the state tax coffers, are currently operating in a number of other FL locations, etc. They also reveal that the June 17 vote is just to vote yey or neigh (pardon the pun) on the horse park. It will be up to the Sumter Commissioners to approve the card rooms if the horse vote is approved. As an earlier poster mentioned, the sponsors have setup an office along Canal Street ...suggest anyone with an interest or concern stop in and speak with them.

[Russ_Boston]

Play poker - watch a horse race - have lunch - have a drink - smoke a cigar - all in the same place? Count me in!

[Pete]

Here's a link to the Sumter County Times version of the story.

http://www.sumtercountytimes.com/cgi...Lead+NewsLocal

[chuckster]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

Play poker - watch a horse race - have lunch - have a drink - smoke a cigar - all in the same place? Count me in!

I am a resident of sumter county and I agree that it will be another source of entertainment. Already drive to Tampa Downs (lunch, watch a few ponies). Will be nice to have this nearer to the Villages. Have never seen vicious, swarthy looking criminals at Tampa. There were several bus loads of retirees and believe me I kept an eye on them......... ;D ;D

[Indy-Guy]

I will vote YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dolpterry]

According to the Sumter County Commissioners last nite ( May 22) at a town hall meeting held in Wildwood the vote on June 17 does include the card rooms. The track only has to operate a minimum 1 to a maximum 20 times a year while the card room operates 365 days a year. The horse park may be very entertaining but this is all about the poker rooms. Vote with your heart

[Hancle704]

A thing to remember when you vote. The only way for folks to get to the proposed track is via CR 42, 466, 466A to CR 301. Maybe widening these roads was part of a long range plan.

My yearly visit to Tampa Bay Downs Racetrack tells me all I need to know about traffic jams leaving the track and the hour long tie-ups through narrow roads in residential & commercial areas before finally getting to a highway and I-75.

When I received my initial telephone research call about the state of the economy and it got around to the proposed Quarterhorse racetrack, there was mention of pari-mutual betting, poker rooms and slots.