Mark, I sure hope the Tampa folks can resurrect jai-alai in
that area.
The population in Tampa alone is huge and even better when
you factor in St. Pete, and other nearby cities with high populations.
In the early 90s I use to drive from Gainesville to Tampa on
the weekends when Ocala Jai-alai was off-season.
Tampa Jai-alai was worth every minute of that two hour drive!
A new jai-alai facility located in any highly populated area
in Florida has potential do well because the main problem for
jai-alai today is the current condition of the remaining facilities.
Miami Jai-alai was a beautiful facility where people from all
over would come to find out what the heck is jai-alai.
Once they came in the door, the excitement of jai-alai did
the rest and kept them coming back for more.
Miami had one of the most diverse crowds I had ever seen.
People of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, families, couples,
non-gamblers, serious gamblers, etc.
So instead of improving what they had to offer to patrons,
over the years they simply let the building deteriorate.
I know you have to be making money to maintain and renovate
a fronton but my question is and will always be why didn't they
do necessary repairs and improvements when they WERE making money.
Miami Jai-alai today should be a beautiful historical building
with a fresh coat of paint, bright lights and a well lit parking
lot where people can feel safe coming and going from the fronton.
On the inside, much of the structural aspects should have remained
the same but definitely maintained and freshly painted.
To move with the times, they should have added state-of-the-art
electrical equipment such as television screens, lighting, cameras,
etc.
Comfortable spectator seats, nice concession stands and a family
restaurant are a must because people go to entertainment facilities
for an afternoon or evening of entertainment which for most includes
food as well.
Shiny, clean surfaces all over especially in the bathrooms
are a must. lol
Yeah, of course its too late to talk about what Miami should
be today or any fronton for that matter but it makes no sense
to me why any business owner would allow their product get to
this point.
Now they are losing money and can't even install the miracle
slot machines because they can't afford to make the needed improvements.
Yes it is going to take a miracle for some of the older frontons
to survive because the casinos down the road already have shiny
clean surfaces, slot machines, card rooms, bright lights, big
screen televisions, great restaurants, etc.
What the other facilities don't have is jai-alai which is something
you can market but not in a building that is old, dingy, and falling
apart.
It truly sucks for future generations because jai-alai is a
unique entertainment experience that I wish everyone could experience
at least once in their lives.
Unfortunately today, people won't come to a fronton unless
they hear about it first and even if you do tell them about it,
most won't come inside or stay inside long enough to truly grasp
what jai-alai is because their first impression of the product/facility
is usually not a very good one.
