Courtesy Thoroughbred Times

By Dave Joseph

John Brunetti, owner and president of Hialeah Park, said Monday he will file for a gaming license on July 1 from the state of Florida, and he hopes to have a casino operating at the historic track by spring 2011.
 
Brunetti also said he plans to run a 22-day Quarter Horse meet this winter from November 27 through January 1 with racing on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. Although he can run a mixed meet of half Thoroughbred racing and half Quarter Horse racing, Brunetti said he was not planning to run any Thoroughbreds during the 2010 meet.
 
Hialeah was granted the right to operate a casino, including a poker and dominoes room, under a compact recently signed by the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe. Hialeah is located in the fifth largest city in Florida. Its Quarter Horse meet last winter was the first time live racing was held at Hialeah since spring 2001.
 
“The first day we’re eligible to apply for a [gaming] license is July 1,” Brunetti said. “[The state] will look over all our business plans, operating heads, security, the background of individuals, and our business plan. It can take anywhere from two to four months.”
 
Despite having the ability to operate a poker room on July 1, Brunetti said he has no plans currently to offer gaming before the casino is finished in spring 2011.
 
“While we’re waiting for our license, we’ll be doing a lot of preliminary work,” Brunetti said. “We never finished rehabbing our grandstand or doing other work around the facility. But if all goes well, we’ll be ready to open for gaming in the spring of 2011.”

Brunetti did not comment on whether he would try to regain his Thoroughbred permit—revoked in 2004 by the state—or run any Thoroughbreds upon the completion of the casino.