Berlin Connecticut will be rocking with lots of Jai-alai action next weekend as 37 players are signed up to play in a big tournament planned for April 9-11th.
Matt DiDomizio will be hosting his first tournament in nearly two years, but the vast majority of the players that have signed up will be from the northeast.
Here are the lineup sheets for Singles and Doubles action:
As the Pelota Press speculated, an agreement has been reached with the owners of Magic City Casino and the Miami City Commissioners to move forward with plans to open another jai-alai fronton and card room just a few miles east of their existing fronton. The city commissioners voted 4-1 and now only need the signature of Mayor Francis Suarez to sign off on it for final approval.
West Flagler Associates have been on a long journey to get another gambling facility built – this one in the booming Edgewater district of downtown Miami (see my previous blog for complete details). The agreement was also approved by Miami civic leader Norman Braman, whose group had filed a lawsuit to stop the gambling facility from opening.
During last Thursday’s city commissioners meeting West Flagler principal owner Isadore “Izzy” Havenick said that any opposition against jai alai and a card room was based on a false presumption that it was being run by organized crime. “this is not the 1940s anymore and the days of Meyer Lansky” Izzy told everyone. “Anyone who characterizes it as a full blown casino is not genuine. All those disingenuous statements are not valid anymore.”
Another vote was taken just before the approval of the settlement that prevented West Flagler Associates from expanding the site into a full-blown casino with slot machines. With that vote, everything fell into place. With Braman no longer opposing the jai-alai fronton and card room, it is believed Miami Mayor Suarez will not veto the settlement agreement. Last year the Mayor had vetoed a previous agreement.
The fronton will be located at 3030 Biscayne Blvd. Only one commissioner, Ken Russell, who represents the Edgewater district, voted against the settlement agreement and failed to convince the other commissioners to vote against it. “I really believe we should deny the settlement. I really believe we have a case”, Russel said. Whether that is true or not, we will never know. Kudos to the folks at Magic City for pulling this one off. It could have dragged in the already delayed court system for years.
Photo credits to Getty, iStock and The Real Deal, the excellent South Florida Real Estate Newspaper.
Cancun, Mexico: The pandemic has delayed things considerably, but the Fronton Salas in Cancun has been slowly adding on improvements to getting the long anticipated project completed. As you can see from the video, a new roof has been added and some seating area up in the front of the court. All the facilities (including a bar!) are now operational, but there is still work going on, but hopefully everything will be ready in time for their first big event April 3rd and 4th.
That event will have 22 Spaniards and several people from Tijuana including Loren Harris and his team of kids along with others from around Mexico.
As you can view in the photo and video, there was action with the Salas brothers along with Julian Abed, The Natural, Javier.
In early July 2018, the owners of Magic City Casino were granted a permit from the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering commission to open another jai-alai fronton in the downtown Miami area at 3050 Biscayne Blvd. Their plans were to run a jai-alai schedule from May through November and also allow the complex to host poker games the day after the first jai-alai matches were held. That permit was only awarded after a long legal battle that saw the 1st District Court of Appeals overturn an initial decision by gambling regulators to deny the company’s application.
When word spread quickly in the greater Miami area that more gambling establishments were coming, the locals and the city commissioners went into action. “Oh, my God! How dare you to this!” Their concern was that this was going to be an entry for much more extensive gambling in the downtown area like slots machines and blackjack. West Flagler Associates, the owners of Magic City and formally the Flagler Dog Track, had argued their only intention was to run the jai-alai games on a small court and have the poker room. No further gambling like slot machines and blackjack.
On July 23, 2018, Miami city commissioners voted 4-0 in favor of authorizing City Manager Emilio Gonzalez to create an amendment to the city’s zoning code, known as Miami 21. These sneaky new regulations would not only provide definitions of what constitutes a gambling facility and where such venues could be located within Miami, but would also require 4 of the 5 city commissioners to vote in favor of any such facility to be approved. One commissioner, Keon Hardemon, declined to vote and was against the entire motion.
Isadore Havenick, VP of West Flagler Associates, felt his business was being “targeted” by the city. But City Attorney Victoria Mendez said that vote was not specifically targeted at Magic City, though it did mean that the owners should be aware that they may be facing new zoning laws as they seek approvals for their poker room and fronton. Sounds a little fishy, doesn’t’ it? “I’m deeply disappointed and saddened that the city would change the rules of the game” Havenick said.
Commissioner Ken Russell, who proposed the new rule, said that adding new regulations were necessary and they would force gambling facilities to go through a public, vetting process and allow the city to reject locations for casinos, poker rooms and other pari-mutual venues.
In 2019, that law was enacted and Magic City filed suit. On February 13, 2020, the developers won approval from the City of Miami commissioners in a 3-2 vote to proceed with its plans to build a fronton and poker room establishment. This was to be a part of a huge project being developed by Russell Galbut’s Miami-based firm Crescent Heights, which has built multiple buildings around the country.
But this was not the end of the battle. A week after the project was approved again, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez vetoed that lawsuit settlement on February 21, 2020, blocking Flagler Associates to proceed with the jai-alai fronton and poker room project.
But wait there’s more!
West Flagler Associates and the City of Miami were both sued in March 2020 by a group of civic leaders that included billionaire automobile magnate Norman Braman and Related Group CEO Jorge Perez who claimed the permission to proceed with the gambling establishment had not been properly settled by a court.
On January 20, 2021 Judge Hanzmann ruled that Major Suarez had the legal ability to veto the deal claiming that the casino owners “claimed they obtained special right to expand casino gambling through private meetings with City officials”.
Now, nearly a couple of months later, there is word that a settlement with the City of Miami and Magic City Casino that would ban gambling “elsewhere in the city”. Could that mean that they are going to allow the Edgewater Fronton to open but put a freeze on any other expansion in the city?
Vice Chairman Ken Russell said his understanding was that both sides are at the table in good faith and are getting close to a settlement. He added that they were not there yet (to an agreement) and would like a little more time. This issue has been deferred from a February 11 meeting to February 25 and now has been pushed back to March 11th – which is this Thursday.
Currently, several lawsuits are being discussed between the parties. Magic City Casino allege in a April 2019 lawsuit that the change in the zoning laws disrupted their progress with the jai-alai and poker establishment on Biscayne Blvd. They also contend that they had a permit to build from Florida’s Division of Pari-Mutual Wagering before the city commissioners voted in 2018 to require that 4 of the 5 member city commissioners must approve any new gambling location.
An outside attorney working for the city, Raquel “Rocky” Rodriguez has also confirmed the two sides are close to an agreement and said a “global settlement” would be ideal. As of last week, she said didn’t have a draft of the ordinance that auto dealer Braman’s group has suggested in which they would dismiss their litigation if the city commission bans gaming in the rest of the city.
What could be in store here? It’s only speculation, but could it mean that Magic City will have another fronton in operation – just a few miles east – in the booming area of downtown Miami? We shall find out soon!
The NJAA meet with the City of St. Pete this morning to go over plans for the big renovation project about to take place. The meeting went very well. Here is what we can tell you now:
The first phase, updating the lighting system to LED lighting will take place any day now. This may close the park down for a day or two. This will greatly improve the lighting out there till the park closes nightly at 11pm.
The next phase, which includes the court expansion, will commence in about 5 weeks from now.
That would make the start date around April Fool’s Day. The court is expected to be closed for a period of 45 days for the work to be completed, and would put the reopening of the new court likely in late May or around June 1st. This is assuming all goes as planned. As you know, COVID-19, the weather, and normal construction delays could be an issue.
What will the players do in the meantime? Outside of going to North Miami or Matt’s, or even a visit to Cancun, there isn’t much you can do unless you find a racquet ball court or something to throw the ball around, and that sucks.
At the end, it will be well worth it. For full details, see my story in the archive section in News.
Due to the pandemic situation and restrictions , there has been some changes in the Cancun Tournament plans. The new amateur court that is finishing up the final touches on its court has changed the dates and plans of what is going on.
Instead of a celebration of the Salas’s father’s 80th birthday on April 16, other activities will be taking place on different dates.
The Gamarra’s, a group of Spaniards, are planning to come to Cancun for vacationing from the 2nd to 10 of April. They will be playing April 3-4 along with a “Merry Festival” atmosphere you can expect from the Salas’s. The idea of this event is to have fun and promote the sport.
The April 16th date was to coincide with their fathers 80th birthday and as of now, no plans for an event then have been set.
One of our avid readers is on a mission. No, it’s not going to Mars. That spacecraft already beat him. His mission is to visit as many pari-mutual places as he can before some of them go bye-bye. He’s on a bucket-list adventure and is willing to travel anywhere – at any time – to go visit any racino. When Kevin Cox read my story on the various frontons a couple weeks ago on when they are opening this year, he immediately inquired about Ocala Jai-alai. After I saw posting by Bennett on Tigers site, I told him that Ocala was actually running games as we speak for a two-week period. I get inquiries almost everyday from people. Private schools have contacted me about doing a jai-alai presentation and we did one in front of 165 students and faculty with Goitia and Julio Restina joining me (see story under NJAA link). Last week, the Clearwater Historical Society contacted me and want a presentation done on jai-alai history in America. But this latest request was unusual. Is this guy kidding me? After further discussions, I knew he wasn’t. He was serious.
Mr. Cox been to 64 racetracks, 9 dog tracks and 7 jai-alai frontons and that list is growing by the day. He wasn’t going to miss this once a year opportunity to add live jai-alai to his list.
Sure enough, he headed over to Ocala as soon as he could. It was last Monday and he caught live jai-alai action from for a couple of hours from 1pm-3pm. I asked him to get some photos and an update on what’s going on there. Sure enough, I got them. Upon his visit to the strangest site ever for a jai-alai fronton, he said everyone there was very friendly and accommodating. They even gave him a hat on his special visit there.
The players were stretching when got there and the players appeared to take it seriously. The place was dead quiet, but Kevin was there for two hours watching several games being played. While there, he heard stories of when George Steinbrenner used to be there all the time and the $1 million handles on the weekends. He even made a bet for good token. Even though he lost the bet, they refunded his money because he was the only one that had made a bet.
There were two players, played to 3 point games. The play was actually pretty good he said, not Dania like, but still decent action. They played 32 games that day. That would be the equivalent of 4 performances. There was 10 days of action with 4 performances a day. An old school bell rings at the start. There is no players salute. There was an occasional good play in which he applauded. Certainly a big change from 35 years ago when thousands of fans were there watching a pretty good roster that also played in Tampa.
The timing of this story is unique. Our regular contributor, Marty Fleishman, who was the first person to ever throw a ball on that court (a throw heard by goats and squirrels no less as there was no roof yet), has a story we just posted a couple days ago on the opening of Ocala. Be sure to check out his amazing story.
We appreciate Kevin Cox for the details and photos. As I was reaching back out to him, he was heading to The Meadows racetrack. Yep, a man on a mission!
Matt DiDomizio of Connecticut Amateur Jai-alai has announced a new Partido tournament for April 9-11. Complete details of the format and fees are below. Contact Matt directly (his info is on his CAJA website) to sign up.
Matt has, hand down, the best amateur court in the country. This tournament is the weekend before the Salas’s Cancun Mexico grand opening event scheduled for April 16-18 as reported on this website previously.
CAJA PARTIDO TOURNAMENT
FRIDAY-SATURDAY-SUNDAY APRIL 9th, 10th and 11th
PICK YOUR OWN PARTNER – PARTIDOS WITH PARTIDO RULES ( no carom serves)
$50.00 per player ($100.00 per team) covers all court time fees for Friday , Saturday and Sunday for singles and doubles. Thursday practice for $20.00 all you want.
Open to everyone – only requirement is:
YOU MUST BE PAID BY APRIL 1st – NO EXCEPTIONS
TOURNAMENT ALL GAMES WILL BE 9 PTS THROUGHOUT ENTIRE TOURNAMENT
PRELIMINARY ROUND:
DOUBLES
1) There will be 4 groups – the amount of teams for each group will be determined by the amount of entrants
2) Groups will be handicapped with top teams/players being separated in each group – In other words –
GROUP 1) 1 – 5 – 9 – 13 – 17 (ETC)
GROUP 2) 2 -6- 10 – 14 – 18 (ETC) and so on
3) Each team, in their respective group, will play each other team ONE time
4) WIN/LOSS records will determine which division you will advance to for the PLAYOFF ROUND
5) Every team will make the playoff round and be seeded according to their records in the preliminary round TIEBREAKERS WILL BE:
1) PTS FOR
2) PTS AGAINST
3) PT DIFFERENTIAL
4) A 7 PT GAME IF NEEDED TO DECIDE A DIVISION – A COIN FLIP IF NEEDED TO DECIDE A SEED
6) Top 2 teams from each group will advance to level 1 playoff bracket and seeded according to their records , etc.
Next 2 teams will advance to level 2 playoff bracket and seeded according to their records, etc.
Remaining teams will advance to level 3 playoff bracket and seeded according to their records, etc.
PLAYOFFS
BRACKET STYLE
1-8
SINGLE ELIMINATION
FIRST AND SECOND PLACE FINISHERS WILL RECEIVE AWARDS ===================================================
SINGLES
HANDICAPPED BY MANAGEMENT
BRACKET STYLE THROUGHOUT
SINGLE ELIMINATION
1ST AND 2ND PLACE FINISHERS WILL RECEIVE AWARDS
——————————————————————————————
FINALLY
THERE WILL BE ABSOLUTELY NO ARGUING OR MISCINDUCT OF ANY KIND EITHER ON OR OFF THE COURT AT ANY TIME —
ZERO TOLERANCE AND IMMEDIATE EJECTION FROM TOURNAMENT AND THE FACILITY
Despite year two of the worldwide pandemic taking place, Jai-alai action will return this week in Florida. Here is a brief rundown of what’s ahead in South Florida:
Dania Jai-alai
The season opens this Wednesday, February 3rd with a night performance. For some reason, jai-alai websites like Dania don’t seem to promote the sport well – there is no mention on the website of the days they will be open during the week and the times of the performances. It just mentions that it reopens that Wednesday. The season will run through May 30th.
But we can tell you it will be open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights with a double performance on Saturday’s and a Sunday performance at 4pm. The roster is a bit smaller to reduce their losses, but it is still an evenly balanced one with great jai-alai action. The pools are holding their own, making Dania jai-alai a great place to be or watch on your computer or mobile device. Limited seating is allowed with masks required.
Magic City Jai-alai
Magic City begins their 4th season (how does time fly by!) this Saturday with a new expanded season. Just like Dania jai-alai, their website also fails to give details on when the performances will take place. It just says that they are reopening in February! Nerve racking for the public to plan on something like this. But this season promises to be the most exciting yet with their ever increasing roster in terms of talent. Douglas’s 17-year old brother Benny is joining the roster after spending some time up in Connecticut practicing at Matt’s. Word is, he might be as good as his brother or maybe even better at some point. He’s a great listener and learner and jai-alai blood has been in the family. Spinner is leaving the Dania roster and will be playing there too. He’s familiar with the court after being a ref there for some time. Young Julen of Miami Jai-alai is also joining the roster and he should be the one to keep an eye on. He, too has some good jai-alai blood – and in his immediate family. On top of this all of their star players are returning including Douglas, Kubala, Ron Ron, Ikeda, and Carballo. We’ve also been impressed with the improved play of Bradley, Bueno and Ben and be sure to keep an eye on them, too. Magic City is fast paced and hopefully the betting pools will pick up with a more balanced roster
The extended season incorporates the Miami jai-alai season to the be played at Magic City using Magic City players for the next 2 ½ months. Action will only be three days a week – Saturday’s at 4pm, Sunday’s at 1pm and a doubleheader on Monday’s at 1pm and 4:30pm. This is a total bonus season and is keeping Magic City jai-alai to open 10 months this year!
The schedule is confusing, but for now – February 6th till April 12 will be the 3 performances a week format. Then in May it goes back to the 6 performances a week. Fans will not be allowed in the stands for the February 6-April 12th “season”.
The Jai-alai channel will carry both Magic City and Dania Jai-alai and the playing times appear to not conflict with one another.
Miami Jai-alai
The Miami season has just ended after running an all singles season in December and January with some of the world’s greatest players including Goiko, Lopez and Dania’s Erik. It was great to watch, but not having doubles action, nor any crowd in the stands to speak of, or betting pools, it was hard to get into like we would have decades ago. Plans remain to open up a Cirque du Soleil on the site but have been put on hold due to the virus. Donald Trump’s buddy in Vegas holds the cards of this one.
Calder Jai-alai
The Calder season will start May 1st with a roster of 30-32 players. Word is, those ridiculous player names they have been using may be out the door and a more traditional name – the name they have been using all their lives as a jai-alai player – may be coming back. This means Mr. White can go look for Mrs. White in the game of Clue, and Gitty-up needs to realize Calder is no longer a horse track. Kidding aside, the season plans to run for four months and Watch and Wager will offer betting action if all goes as planned.
Ft Pierce Jai-alai
They run their “season” in May but don’t waste your time with this place!
Pompano Jai-alai
The drawings for this new jai-alai fronton look amazing, but not much progress has been seen since the July 2019 announcement of the conversion of harness racing to jai-alai. This fronton will not be a glass court and will be one of a decent size and height – sort of a super-size Matt’s court. Right now, harness racing continues to run thru May 16th. The Pompano Racino is Florida’s most successful non-tribe slot machine operator. We will release a big story and fronton drawings when this becomes closer to a reality. The Pompano roster will incorporate many of the Calder players and management.
Edgewater Jai-alai
The folks at Magic City almost had another jai-alai fronton about to get built in downtown Miami when a wealthy auto dealer aroused the mayor and now recently getting a judge to put a holt to it. The facility was only going to hold jai-alai action and poker, but many in the area don’t believe it and want nothing to do with gambling downtown. This is going back to the city counsel for an appeal and then if that fails, its back to court where Magic City is confident they will prevail in the end. Who knows, this court may be built before mine is.
Ocala Jai-alai
The two-man sham remains where they play to two-point games behind a curtain with no betting.
Orlando Jai-alai
This place must be done with. The website is gone and I’ve been unable to find out if the building is still standing. Big plans were planned to really clean up the entire area and build a big residential area, but this has been going on since 2008.
Magic City Tournament
This hugely successful event went off after a few postponements from its original April 25-26th plans on December 5-6 without anyone in attendance. All players were tested for COVID, allowing for a safe operation. This year’s event is now scheduled for late August or early September, meaning it will fall on the weekend of August 21-22, 29-29 or September 11-12 assuming they don’t play over Labor Day weekend. The poor way our vaccines are getting administered, allowing crowds indoors like this may be still on restricted even in the late summer. Having 500-600 friends and family in the crowd would add to the excitement this event has the potential for. Also, if the full allotment of people are allowed to sign up again and show up, the event would stage 12-hour plus days, and that is too long. Players would cramp up on top of it, especially if you have to sit for several hours, then get up and play again over and over. They might look at extending it on Friday and/or tinker the format. Perhaps holding it over Labor Day weekend might be an option if you wanted that 3 day event, but generally events stay away from holidays.
The Cancun amateur court, built by Arturo and Javier Salas, are finishing up on their dream “fronton” and will be holding a grand opening celebration in April. The Senor Frog and Fat Tuesdays’ purveyors Arturo & Javier Salas are holding a big grand opening event to coincide with their fathers 80th birthday party. Exact details are still to be announced, but the event should be a festive one. The big day is tentatively set for April 16th, a Friday, with plans for the entire weekend underway.
Tournaments will be played for fun, and will even include a kids tournament with future stars coming in from towns all over Mexico.
Watch here for more details as they develop. Jai-alai fans from all over the world are welcome. You can expect some big names in jai-alai to be there. Arturo and Javier are first class entertainers and do things right, so this is a going to be a great event that jai-alai fans won’t want to miss. And Cancun is a fun town to come and play – and not just jai-alai!