What’ the Future for Magic City Jai-alai?
What’ the Future for Magic City Jai-alai?
Over the past year a lot of people have been asking me about the future of Magic City Jai-alai. So, I’ve been talking to people “in the business” of what they have been hearing. I wanted to share my thoughts.
As you know, Magic City was sold a little over two years ago and this is their last year they are operating out of the upstairs location in the Magic City Casino building, in what was a music venue for concerts, and named after a highway nearby.
The new parimutuel (and final season in that location) starts September 16 and runs till November 25th. The parimutuel season will only be held on Tuesday and Thursdays during that period, and this WILL BE the final season for parimutuel wagering. They will be focusing totally on “Ari’s” Sports Betting” concept which has been very successful so far. The Pelota Press does not have the dates for the sports betting dates currently.
So, with parimutuel wagering no longer an option, they will need to find a new location for the 2026 season. As of now, Scott Savin has been tight lipped on what the plans are. But we have heard various reports on what their options are, including those that Savin has already publicly mentioned.
Let’s explore what their options are and the odds of this happening (we love to bet, don’t we!):
Construct their own building
Assuming Magic City’s previous owners are still involved with Scott Savin, building a place from scratch nearby would seem the obvious choice. Their goal is to save the sport of jai-alai and are prepared to keep going with Phase II here and an all-fixed odds Partido betting style concept.
Word is this is too expensive of an option and would likely be a last case scenario. I know the Calder “Fronton” that was built a few years ago cost a ton of money, and I am sure anything built today would be double that. I’m not a contractor, but I’m guess we’re talking $20 million and up. That doesn’t include the price of land, and Miami land isn’t cheap. Several acres would be required for parking in addition to the building itself. While I understand the Havenick’s own a lot of property around the Magic City Casino that covers 31 acres on 37th Avenue – none appear to be able to match the criteria.
Adding the numbers up, this option does not sound sustainable.
Odds of this happening? – 10%
Miami Jai-alai
The oldest fronton in America and in the city that is “Home” to Jai-alai in the USA has been brought up multiple times as a strong option. Located a few Aaron Judge homeruns away near the Miami Airport, the legendary landmark building is still alive and going strong – but as a casino. The fronton is still there – in the same condition has it has been since the 1990s. Security is tight, but you can see the fronton on your left as you walk into the entrance. It was supposed to have been turned into a Cirque Du Soleil, but those plans fell apart when COVID hit.
The idea was to build the glass court right inside of the existing 176-foot long (just guessing) cancha. Sounds like the ideal situation, doesn’t it? The glass court is staying, folks. That is not going to change.
Word is Miami is not interested. They have distanced themselves from jai-alai apparently and no one seems to know what is going to happen to the fronton section of, which has held Don King boxing events over the past few years. They have made some decent improvement to their casino on the other side and I was impressed with when I last visited.
And would ownership allow a former “competitor” to move into their establishment? There have been cross relationships with management in both groups – including one who made the actual purchase of the glass court now sitting in Magic City.
I still think this is the best option. But I have a feeling the owner of the casino, who lives in Vegas and is well known and a close friend of the President, might not be agreeable – if he has any say in the matter. He is 90 years old but still sharp as a whip. Just my thoughts and not a fact. Jai-alai needs to stay in Miami. Get it done either here or the next location to be mentioned.
Odd of this happening? – 15%
Dania Jai-alai
This idea has been discussed over the past 4-5 months. This is another option at the top of the list. Basically, it keeps Magic City Jai-alai in the area. Even closer to many players who travel from the north of Dania to get to Miami’s Magic City. As you now know, Dania will be the last fronton using parimutuel wagering. They have been running a two- or three-month tournament style version of jai-alai at the “Palace” the past couple of seasons and are the last ones with a full court, granite wall, pelota version in the United States.
Savin has made in clear that the glass court is here to stay, but we hear that they would consider having only a glass back wall while using the existing side and front walls. Any construction of a court of this magnitude would likely shut down the current form of jai-alai at Dania, unless the glass back wall could be removed seasonally.
I doubt a glass back wall would take a goat skin pelota’s impact, but I don’t know for sure. But this concept to me sounds good. The clear glass gives those awesome camera views, and watching the trio of Stu, Arra and Andrew sitting back there has been pretty cool, even though they have darkened it the past couple of years or so.
No one knows where the discussions stand on this matter that was likely discussed between the owners and Savin. But time is running out that this would be a feasible and timely solution. But that might mean the end of Dania’s 3-month tournament and goat skin full court jai-alai if the clear back wall can’t be moved.
Odds of this happening -30%
Ocala Jai-alai
This is the latest “rumor” we are hearing. Ocala night be an option if all else fails. The building still stands there unused as the poker room relocated a couple year ago. They would convert it to a small court with the glass back wall idea being kicked around at Dania jai-alai.
Several players have told me Ocala was one of the great frontons to play at, but that place shut down several years ago as far as jai-alai goes. Ocala was the initiators of the 2-man scam to keep their license going, but this would have nothing to do with jai-alai coming back.
The fronton is located in the middle of a farm and cattle land, about 2 – 2 ½ hours north of Tampa. Players would have to relocate there. In the past, many players stayed at a hotel George Steinbrenner owned. The longtime Tampa resident and owner of the Yankees was a big jai-alai fan and would be spotted at the frontons on occasion. He was big into horse raising and racing and even had a horse enter once in the Kentucky Derby. The family owned a big ranch there and loved the area. We hear Scott Savin loves horses too.
This is another doable idea, but the relocation of players might be an issue unless they made a long drive from Miami and back.
Odds of this happening – 15%
Las Vegas
The betting capital of the world has been brought up numerous times, including Savin himself as a possible relocation. Apparently, there are at least one location that has “open arms” to bring jai-alai back to the state. But this time it’s a whole new betting format unlike parimutuel wagering which gamblers find too time consuming and confusing and is the reason why jai-alai failed in both Vegas and Reno back in the 1970s.
Vegas’s popularity has been growing. Over 40 million visitors go there to play, gamble, and watch shows. Hockey is a huge success, football a gold mine with visitors of other teams visiting and baseball supposedly about to welcome the “Sacramento” Oakland A’s when the stadium is built.
Could this work? Yep. Word is the players would NOT have to relocate but would fly out there every week and stay in rooms in Las Vegas.
This is a very interesting concept and might be the solution if all the above options fail.
Odds of this happening – 20%
Rhode Island
Another strange option that has been brought up by Savin himself.
Yes, Jai-alai was there for several years, but the casino and nearby casinos in Connecticut killed it.
Apparently, someone there has “open arms” to welcome the Jai-alai League to relocate. We really don’t know much outside of that.
Could this happen? Sure, But likely a last resort if all the above fails. That still could happen.
Odds of this happening – 10%
Conclusion
Everything I have reported is just my conclusions from talking to a lot of people and what Scott Savin has previously said. I have not discussed this matter with Savin or any of the owners of the establishments themselves.
No one knows the plans as of now. But time is running out. Savin probably has no idea at this point what they are going to do. But he’s a sharp businessman with a “Steve Jobs”- like mentality. He’s the guy to make it happen and succeed.
Not only do they have to move to a new location, they must build a whole new cancha. The one at Magic City Miami cannot be transported and reset up again. And he has to come up with an entire new identity. The name Magic City Jai-alai will expire by the end of November.
Place your wagers now and avoid getting shutout!
