A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the owners of Magic City Casino and the Bonita Springs Poker Room to stop the compact that allows the tribe to operate sports betting.
Last April, an agreement was reached between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and tribal leaders giving the tribe the rights operate sports betting using a “hub – and – spoke” sports betting plan that will allow gamblers throughout the state to place bets online with the bets being run through computer servers on tribal property. Lawmakers ratified it in May in a special legislative session. The exact compact wording says bets made anywhere in the state of Florida using a mobile app or other electronic devices shall be deemed to be exclusively conducted by the tribe.
Magic City had argued that allowing people to place sports bets while off tribal property would violate federal laws and that online sports betting controlled by the tribe will cannibalize their customer bases and cause pari-mutuels to lose money. The State countered that they did not have a legal standing to challenge the compact because they had not shown they would be harmed. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor agreed in a 20-page ruling Monday. “The parimutuals lack standing to sue the governor or the secretary because their actions are not fairly traceable to any alleged harm. In addition, the requested declaratory and injunctive relief would provide no legal or practical redress to the pari-mutuels’ injuries”.
The tribe will be paying billions of dollars to the state because of sports betting and other parts of the compact like offering “real” roulette and craps. They had totally stopped making payments a few years ago because the parimutuals were offering “banked” games of poker and other games to skirt the tribe’s exclusivity of games similar to that.
There are two other federal lawsuits floating out there challenging the compact. The Havenick family, which has owned Magic City (formally Fagler Dog Track) and the Bonita Springs track for over 50 years, also filed lawsuit in Washington DC naming the U.S. Department of the Interior and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland as defendants. Without taking any action this summer, the Interior Department, which oversees Indian gambling issues, allowed the compact to go into effect. Lawyers for Haaland and her agency filed a motion last week asking a Federal judge to reject that lawsuit.
The other lawsuit involves two prominent South Florida businessmen and the anti-gambling organization “No Casino’s”, who have filed a sperate lawsuit in Washington, D.C. That hearing will be heard early next month.
Most experts have said Magic City really didn’t have a chance winning the lawsuit, and even if they did, good luck enforcing the tribe to do anything on their property. It seems they have more power than the IRS.
It’s also odd that Magic City went this route by suing the state as the agreement will allow the tribe to work with several parimutual facilities and be able to operate sport betting under this “hub -and – spoke” arrangement and collect a commission of 55% of the profits. One must wonder if the tribe will want anything to do with Magic City. Magic City is clearly the most successful racino in the area with very successful slot machine revenues. There are several competitors just a Giancarlo Staton homerun away. It is not known yet how successful sports betting will be and how many people it will bring into the casinos outside the Hard Rock in Hollywood and Tampa.
The big kahuna is the mobile sports betting. The convenience of opening an account and being able to pull a cellphone out of your pocket and place a bet 24 hours a day on any sporting event in the world is mind boggling. How this will effect slot machine betting is unknown and likely minimal. States that allow mobile sports betting, such as the state that started the whole thing – New Jersey – have enjoyed huge revenues compared to the starts that allow sports betting without the mobile betting feature. A gambler would not have to enter the casino to place a bet on a sporting event.
Another factor that makes one wonder why Magic City tried to stop the compact is the fact they are banking their future of jai-alai on sports betting. They now run a H2H schedule, which are exciting partidos – three days a week at 5pm. You bet on a winning team in a two team partido using odds similar to a football bet. Already two states allow it, with seven more expected this year alone. If the Tribe does hold the rights to pick who they want as partners and Magic City wants Florida to add jai-alai as a sport to bet on, there might be some reluctance. Magic City has been phasing out parimutual wagering performances and only runs 3 of them a week now – on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturday’s at 1:30pm. Only retirees in a rocking chair that don’t care about college football can appreciate those hours. Florida is one of two states that know anything about jai-alai with Connecticut obviously the other one. Not having Florida to offer jai-alai sports betting would be a big blow to their plans. Let’s hope this is not the case and jai-alai sports betting will be allowed in the state eventually.
The Hard Rock has not started the sports betting yet, even though they were allowed to open it October 15th. It is unknown why they have not started – whether it takes more time to get it set up,, or perhaps the pending lawsuits – or a combination of both.
I got an interesting email this morning from a former player that I saw play for many years at Tampa and Bridgeport jai-alai. Juan I. Zulaika – who played in the USA under the name Zulaica II reached out to me. His brother Zulaica played at Miami, Hartford and Dania, and yes, that is his son Jon that now plays at Dania Jai-alai. He was a tall backcourter that played 8 years at Tampa before going to Bridgeport. I even remember telling my friends and family up north about how good this guy was when he joined the roster, and he didn’t disappoint.
But he has some amazing news that is going to tear up the history books. Every document I have ever researched says jai-alai was first introduced at the World’s Fair in St. Louis in 1904. Apparently, that is a lie. He came across the Jai-alai Chronology while reading the Pelota Press and found a big mistake. I had heard from someone else a few months ago that San Francisco was the birthplace of jai-alai in the USA, but could not document it. Without further ado, here is the story off his website with complete details. Thanks Zulaika II !!!
From Zulaika II
Until recently there was a belief that the pediment of St. Louis (Missouri) – it worked for two months in 1904 – was the first to publicize the basket-tip in the United States. Well, the belief was false. Thanks to the translator-writer Asun Garikano we have known that the first professional activity with the curved basket in THE USA was in San Francisco (California), back in 1901.
Asun Garikano discovered the press reviews once published, now digitized and exposed to the public from anywhere on the planet with access to the internet. Koldo San Sebastián showed us the clue and, in my case, through the web: California Digital Newspapers, I have looked at that fascinating path.
That it had been played in San Francisco would not be transcendent news. As we all know, the basket-tip, or its predecessor, the tip-ball, has been played in the most remote places. The news is that the fifteen pelotaris from Mexico under the orders of the “manager” Fermin Alonso and who acted in the “Eder Jai” of San Francisco were the pioneers of our game on land USA. Three years before the adventure of the St. Louis World’s Fair as a backdrop.
We must revisit the history of the basket-tip, for rigor. I have consulted on the net and the origins of the basket-tip on American soil point to St. Louis (Missouri) as the beginning. I consulted with Migel Anjel Bilbao and José Agustín Larrañaga – two researchers of the history of the jai-alai, they had no record of the adventure of San Francisco. In Bilbao’s book: “La Cesta Punta”, it does appear in one of the biographies, that of Leceta, “who played in San Francisco at the beginning of the twentieth century”.
Indeed, the Tolosarra Leceta was one of the party along with: Tucumán, Guerrita, Zabala, Urcelay, Ondarrés, Vergara, Careaga, Zalacain, Amiano, Madrileño, Lasa and Aldazabal.
(By the way, names that could perfectly fit into a chart of pointers today.)
(The mark “jai alai” is not used to refer to the basket-tip. They talk about “Basque Ball Game”).
(From the chronicles there were high hopes that the new sports import would become a mass phenomenon throughout the country.)
(The “handball”, handball. It follows that he was well known in the city, in San Francisco. Do you mean the Basque handball brought by Basque emigrants or is it some similar modality? These are several issues that I can think of soon.)
They played three-on-three matches and six-pelotaris quinelas. The “Eder Jai” was located in the city’s Central Park. The court was 60.96 meters long and the front 15.24 meters. The construction of the pediment cost $35,000.
Reviews of this pediment were published in the newspaper “The San Francisco Call”, in the months of December 1901 and January 1902. After those dates the news about the “Basque Ball Game do not show signs of life in the local newspapers. The trail is lost. Unless there are new findings. What happened to the “Eder Jai”? How did the San Francisco adventure end? Mystery.
I include below three reviews published in “The San Francisco Call”, I have translated them following as faithfully as possible the original text.
“THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL”, 9 DECEMBER 1901
BASQUE PELOTA PERFORMS WELL
The exciting Basque Sport attracts a lot of public to the Central Park
The Basque pelota game that is played four days a week seems destined to become fashionable in this country. The game has been imported from Mexico, although its birth occurred fifteen years ago in France. The Spaniards adapted it and exported it to South America where it had a great reception. It has been introduced in the United States in the belief of becoming popular given the demand for skill and expertise of the players when it comes to doing the many following the rules of the game.
A large presence of curious people was present at yesterday’s festival. Three matches were played and interesting plays made by the Spanish participants could be seen. Even for those who don’t understand the game, the spectacle of seeing a flying ball hit with a boomerang-shaped instrument and then throwing it without apparent effort was novel.
When a player missed or the ball flew too high touching the wire net, a bell rang and the goal was awarded to opponents. The plays were quick and violent at times, on those occasions the applause was generous. That the players are experts is indisputable.
Lovers of “handball” (handball) will appreciate this type of Basque pelota for its similarities. An enclosure similar to a “handball” court is required, although longer. The wall to which pelotaris throw the ball is 50 feet (15.24 meters) and is called “frontil” (original version). At about 200 feet (60.96 meters) there is another wall of less height called “rebound”, against which the ball bounces. Connecting both walls is another of equal height, forming a 40-foot (12.19) court, paved with artificial stone. This enclosure is called a court.” The pelotaris are placed following the rules of the game, each provided with “the hat”. The ball is snouted by the players with skill and with a movement of the arm they throw it at lightning speed. The ball has to be taken into the air as it comes from the front. If the player does not get it, the goal is for his opponent. The handling of the ball and the speed of the ball fascinates the spectators and provokes expressions of enthusiasm.
There is a conviction among local handball players that the new game will be populized as the rules are understood. A company has been created to introduce the game and the construction of a court in the Central Park, whose cost amounts to $ 35,000. Fifteen experienced Spaniards were brought to the city and play four times a week. Every day more people come, and when the riches of the game are appreciated, there is no doubt that the company’s investment will be profitable.”
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 1902 2 The Charity Association “Doctor’s Daughter’s” will have the support of Eder Jai
The “Doctor’s Daughters are busy organizing the charity festival that will take place next Saturday with the collaboration of the businessman Fermin Alonso del Eder Jai. The association will receive the total amount of the tickets. Friends of the association, who know their philanthropic work are selling tickets quickly which ensures both social and financial success.
The Spanish ball game, with its wonderful possibilities, has become a fever in this country. Special training is needed to execute your different lances. Some of the Burlingame Country Club’s most influential personalities are expected to take part in the festival.
The festival to be held next Saturday afternoon promises to be especially interesting since in the programming the mayor Alonso has included only the champions of the game.
This sport is one of the most exciting among ball games. It has survived centuries in the Basque provinces and is very popular with the people of the Iberian Peninsula. Their play requires dexterity, strength, muscular energy and a trained eye; there is also an element of danger that makes it more fascinating.
Two matches and a tournament will be played next Saturday. During the game a music band will liven up the sailboat. If it rains the festival will be held the following Saturday.
The “Doctor’s Daughters and Clay & Co. sell tickets at $1… The boxes sell for $10… The following ladies and gentlemen have commissioned their boxes: Mrs. L.L. Baker, Mrs. Daniel Drysdale… (so to a list of more than twenty names) 3 The Society thanks the Basque Pelota Games for their help to a just cause.
People of society suffered yesterday from the cold during the game in the Eder Jai of the Central Park, but not enough to cool the enthusiasm … The representatives of the Basque pelota gave a display of their skills with the “Chistera”, in the function to benefit Doctor’s Daughters. The ladies in particular enjoyed when some player jumped and lay on the ground trying to return the ball.
The stands were full of pretty girls and their companions. Joseph Tobin, Tom Magee and a few others who have been interested in the game, demonstrated their familiarity with the players and plays by shouting words in Spanish when they executed a difficult shot or a defender demonstrated his ability at the back.
Judge Hunt, present at the event, thought that the game is more interesting than listening to testimonies. Colonel Fulton Berry of Fresno, who came in the hope of seeing some K.O., was upset. Mountford Wilson wore arctic shoes and heavy gloves, tried to feel enthusiastic, but no one heard him clapping or whistling.
When the function began, the sun shone, but as the day progressed, threatening clouds appeared. A stampede occurred after the first match…
The first match was played by Tucuman, Guerrita and Zabala against Urcelay, Verastegui and Ondarrés. They won the first 30 to 24 after a duel played. Guerrita taught her old champion class and Tucuman, though somewhat obese, did a good job.
The second game was a “quiniela”, or championship (tournament). The pelotaris were Vergara, Urcelay, Careaga, Ondarres, Guerrita and Tucuman. It was Urcelay who was the first to make six goals. Guerrita was second with three. The game was a “survival of the most prepared”, very exciting.
The last match was between the blues: Zalacain, Amiano and Madrileño. The reds: Leceta, Lasa and Aldazabal. The latter won by 35 to 28. The blues were flawed, especially Madrileño, who had to keep the back. Lasa and Captain Leceta were the stars that shone the most. Lasa was safe in his returns and Leceta finished off skillfully.
A large sum of money was collected for the charity: Doctor’s Daughters.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JUAN IGNAZIO ZULAIKA
Pilot, hain zuzen punter, hainbat urteetan professional. Geroztik, hemen nabil, kontu-kontari, zesta-punta, jai-alairi buruz istorioak kontatzen. Professional basket-tip pelotari since the age of 14. Jai-alai player in USA since the age of 17. A lucky person to have dedicated himself to an exciting sport. Retired from professional activity at the age of 36. >From the stands of life I contemplate with the same passion the past and the evolution of a unique specialty.
I would like to provide an update on events in Phoenix and the west coast of US generally, regarding Jai Alai expansion interest. But first I wish to express my concern and disappointment at the news Dania Jai Alai is coming to an end.
I want to be clear I am not directly involved and probably not even entitled to express more than an opinion. The impact on players, their families, and the sport itself will be devastating. This seems to me, an “outsider” to be a cold business decision when in fact there are lives in the balance not to mention the future of a great sport.
Finger pointing is never appropriate, and my opinions hopefully do not get perceived that way. But if there was ever a case of the victims not deserving the outcome of decisions made by others for simply economic factors; this is one. Dania has always been a leader in support of Jai Alai so it seems they will again lead in bringing the eventual demise of the sport…or not. It is really, up to the owners. This does not need to be “the end”. It should be a “pause” and a restart.
I am promoting a “re-awakening” of Jai Alai in a new, exciting market. This is a chance to “bake in” factors that will give Jai Alai new popularity and reinvigorate player development through providing venues in upscale markets such as Phoenix Metro Area. If there was ever a great opportunity for Jai Alai, this is it. Closing and walking away is not support. It is failure of ownership to foresee business events before impacting those most devoted to Jai Alai. In my humble opinion, the fronton owners not only bear the responsibility they own the cause. No finger pointing at state lotteries will suffice. As in Any other business endeavor (and all human activity actually), responsibility is in the hands of those calling the shots.
All I can suggest, as the business of Florida frontons is not my domain; is that the owners take this great opportunity to explore options to create a new set of dynamics in Phoenix. I am herby inviting ALL interested parties, especially including Florida Jai Alai fronton owners, investors, enthusiasts, and players to investigate the opportunities for a “league” with an arrangement similar to other pro sports and built upon the franchise model. Battling head-to-head with state lotteries and other pari-mutual sports is a thing of the past. There is not ONE nationally followed sport that relies on the pari-mutual model.
Now for an update on the Tempe Arizona development where Jai Alai has been proposed.
To recap, the City of Tempe, Arizona (home to Arizona State University) has requested proposals from developers for use of a 46-acre site adjacent to the entertainment district known as “Mill Ave” in Tempe.
Our announcement to the development community including each of the 100 developers who requested the RFP, was met warmly with several inquiries including one of the world’s largest architectural, engineering and construction companies.
Discussions were held with several of the developers (which must at this point remain un-named) including some extremely “interesting” individuals who were very knowledgeable about Jai Alai, the site, and the group the Town of Tempe most wants to have at the site. Over 400 developers in total were provided a simple introduction to our concept which included construction of a Jai Alai fronton combined with an American Basketball Association franchise facility sharing common area space.
The awesome Benny Bueno contributed greatly to some of the discussions adding not only his deep understanding of players, the game, and the industry; but also putting forth his intuitive suggestions for player development as we move into the future of Jai Alai. Mr. Bueno’s expertise and ability to represent the game as no other can; went a long way in assisting us in gaining traction.
The Phoenix Coyotes Hockey team submitted a proposal though it seems it may not be as viable as desired. There are still lots of variables; one of them being the site is a brownfield (former landfill) and Tempe has not reached a decision. The momentum we developed through issuing our proposal to the developers carried us outside the original boundaries of our concept. That is where the franchise model was developed. An entertainment facility with gaming rather than a gaming facility with Jai Alai; an approach perhaps the owners of frontons in Florida and the rest of the Jai Alai world will choose to pursue with us.
Our next step is one on one engagement with prospective developers and established venue operators. While our vision remains local for the time being we are beginning to see an interest in expansion of a franchise concept throughout the west and outside the US in traditional Jai Alai markets.
Any offers of assistance from the Florida fronton owners will be greatly welcome.
Our buddy, former Tampa star player Eusebio sent over this photo to NJAA player Thomas Fillmore of a dinner reunion held last Sunday night at the Club House de Carea y Txasio in Markina, Barinaga neighborhood.
The great Bolivar is shown along with Arregui, Gorrono, Txasio, Carea, Fermin, Txikito and Eusebio and wives. Some great names in there for sure.
Special thanks to Eusebio and Thomas for sharing this with us!
Fronton Salas, the new jai-alai court constructed in Cancun earlier this year, as been named as an official “Minor League Affiliate” for Magic City.
The Salas brothers, purveyors of the hugely successful Senor Frog and Fat Tuesday establishments are grateful for Scott Savin for his support and resolve to bring this to fruition. They look forward to a long and productive association to mutually develop and grow this innovative concept.
This great news is in conjunction with Loren Harris who has devoted much of his time in promoting the great sport of jai-alai to a young generation – something that should have been done in the United States decades ago.
NBC South Florida ran a story on the closing of Dania jai-alai last night. Near the end of the story, Benny Beuno suggested that perhaps Dania could be “rebranded or repackaged” and be profitable. That would be great news if it could be pulled off. Could he be possibly talking about jai-alai sports betting on partidos like Magic City Jai-alai is converting to? Could that area be converted into a sportsbook with live jai-alai and a string of TV’s showing various sporting events where legal sports betting can take place in the state of Florida October 15th? Of course a lot of things have to get approved first with the State of Florida and the Tribe before anything like this could happen. And more importantly, would it be profitable? Stay tuned for more details.
NBC Channel 6 South Florida WTVJ was the first TV station to go live on the air in the state of Florida in 1949. Dania Jai-alai opened their doors just 4 years later.
The SunSentinel, a major newspaper in the greater Ft. Lauderdale area, is running a story on the closing of Dania jai-alai. A reader in South Florida contacted the newspaper after reading a blog released by the Pelota Press Monday morning about the closing of the fronton. I was interviewed about 50 minutes about jai-alai and the closing of Dania jai-alai. They wanted to run a major story on it, but were unable to get confirmation from the owners of Dania Casino. They were able to reach the regional offices of the players union (one of the largest unions in the world that includes the automobile industry) and were able to get the details.
I supplied much of the rest of the information seen in the story, but there is one mistake the business editor made in the article. He said there was 8-10 teams per game when he must of got it mixed up when I said there was 8-10 games per performance. The other issue I had was the photo they are using in the photo. It’s Elorri and the photo of him in his Orlando office several years ago from an article ran in the Orlando newspaper, which I was also written up in. I sent them a photo I took December 3, 2020 of action on the court. They will try to change it for the online version but the print version will run with the Elorri image. Copyright infringement and the timing of this article was the reason they went with this photo they used, but a line under it explains his background.
What is amazing, nobody really knows much about jai-alai and its history. The game, the huge crowds, the thrills, beauty of the greatest sport ever is virtually unknown to 99.5 percent of the public.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought the photo I took that night of a great partido going on and getting my buddy Monte (the referee) in it would be used to release the news to the world that Dania was closing for good 9 months later in a major newspaper.
Here is a transcript of the full story appearing in the Sun Sentinel.
Jai alai in Dania Beach won’t be around to celebrate its 70th birthday.
Owners of The Casino @ Dania Beach confirmed in a statement Tuesday that the sport will not return in 2022 to the venue where it has been played since 1953.
Owners of the landmark parimutuel, among the last survivors of a long and steady decline in jai alai’s popularity in Florida, recently told the sport’s players union that they plan to shut down the game for good after its current season ends Nov. 28. “It is with a heavy heart that we say a fond farewell to the sport of Jai-Alai in Dania Beach,” said Arnaldo Suarez, CEO of The Casino @ Dania Beach, in an emailed statement. “Generations of fans have enjoyed this exciting sport in our fronton for almost 70 years.”
Its departure will leave jai alai with an uncertain future in South Florida, 97 years after the state’s first jai alai fronton opened in Miami in 1924. The Casino @ Dania Beach, owned by a group of Argentine investors incorporated as Dania Entertainment Center LLC, is asking the union to negotiate a buyout of the remaining four months of the 26 players’ contracts, which were to have lasted through the final four months of the current season that ends in May 2022, said Leon Shepard, president of the International Jai Alai Players Association.
A collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the union runs through March 2023. In that agreement, players took pay cuts and agreed to a shorter schedule to keep the sport alive in Dania Beach, Shepard said.
The decision comes in the wake of a negotiated agreement between the Florida Legislature and the Seminole tribe last spring allowing parimutuels throughout the state to “decouple” their unprofitable horse racing and jai alai attractions that they had been forced since 2004 to operate as a condition of being allowed to offer more profitable casino games.
Union vice president Inigo Gorostola, a 20-year veteran jai alai player at the Dania Beach venue, said jai alai hasn’t been profitable in recent years.
Still, the 26 Dania Beach players, including five in the United States on work visas, would rather continue playing than negotiate a buyout, Gorostola said. “We love jai alai. We love what we do. We’re willing to play out the collective bargaining agreement,” he said.
Jeff Conway, a jai alai fan and amateur player, first reported the decision to eliminate jai alai at the Casino @ Dania Beach on a blog he authors called Pelota Press. Reached by phone on Tuesday, Conway said the amount of money bet on games has fallen dramatically over the past two or three decades, from more than $100,000 per performance of eight to 10 games to around $20,000.
The Dania Beach venue, which eliminated the words jai alai from its name in 2016, once regularly drew crowds of 7,000 to 10,000 per day. Casino games moved into the main arena in 2016, displacing the jai alai game to a 500-seat arena that is never filled, Conway said.
“Jai alai was so exciting when the place was packed and people were screaming their brains out,” he said. “Now it’s real quiet and numb in there.”
The players would like the opportunity to finish their season, Shepard said.
A shutdown would leave Florida — once home to jai alai frontons in cities across the state — with just a handful of venues offering the sport. Magic City Casino offers the sport in a reduced-size arena. Casino Miami, built in the 1920s, finished its most recent schedule in January, while Calder Casino in Miami Gardens wrapped up its most recent season in August.
Whether those venues also plan to jettison their jai alai operations now that state law no longer requires them to continue playing remains to be seen, Conway and Gorostola said.
A woman who answered the phone at Casino Miami said that jai alai would be returning there in November.
Played on courts with three high walls, jai alai resembles racquetball, except that the racquet is a long curved basket. Spectators bet on round-robin tournaments waged among eight teams, with payoffs going to betters who correctly chose winners, trifectas, quinellas and other racing-type combinations.
Popularized in the Basque region of Spain, it made its way to the U.S. via Latin America early in the 20th century. By 1926, jai alai had found a permanent home in the U.S., at the current Casino Miami structure once dubbed jai alai’s “Yankee Stadium.”
The reasons for jai alai’s decline date back to the 1980s when the professional jai alai players union went on strike for what turned out to be three years. At about the same time, the Florida Lottery was created, giving residents and tourists a new gambling opportunity. Then casino gambling arrived on cruise ships and Indian reservations, prompting the parimutuels to seek legalization of card games and slots on their properties.
The Dania Beach jai alai fronton opened in December 1953, following three years of conflict between gambling proponents and southeast Broward residents who argued that the area did not need another business that attracted bookmakers, gambling addicts and other unsavory characters. But the business interests prevailed, and the Dania fronton opened in December 1953 with seating for 3,400, a restaurant, two cocktail lounges and four snack bars.
It was built for $1.5 million, which would be about $15.3 million in today’s dollars.
Jai alai in Dania Beach isn’t the only once-popular parimutuel that could disappear in the wake of the “decoupling” bill. Isle Casino Pompano, another longtime parimutuel that has seen its casino growth outstrip interest in its longtime harness racing attraction, is widely expected to drop its racing activities as well. Currently, the property’s website shows live racing returning in October and running through the end of April.
The last remaining full court jai-alai fronton in America is closing its doors. Yes, the Fat Lady is singing.
Dania Jai-alai is in its 69th season, and apparently its last. The owners likely have had enough with losing money and had its attorney send a letter to the UAW of their intentions to shut down at the conclusion of the season, which is November 28th. Jai-alai operators were able to shut down jai-alai games July 31st while maintaining card games, slots, etc. in a decoupling measure that was passed last spring.
The UAW is the players union. There will be legal hurdles ahead, but whether that stops Dania from running a season in 2022, will remain a challenge.
This is sad news, and will likely be the end of goatskin, parimutuel wagering, full-court jai-alai in America. The only other jai-alai court in operation is Magic City, which today is more resembling a recording studio staging one on one games for sports betting – that is only allowed in two states at the moment. They have been cutting back on their parimutuel schedule dramatically and only allowing fans in the building one afternoon a week.
Dania opened in 1953, and for decades saw crowds in access of 7,000 a night on weekends and was actually called “The Palace”.
Dania Jai-alai will have locked up their doors, but that is not stopping “Magic City Tournament Star” Matt DiDomizio from keeping his doors open as they are about to enter their 12th season with another big tournament coming up.
The next one is scheduled for 3 big days – December 3-5th, in “historic” Berlin Connecticut, home of America’s best amateur jai-alai cancha.
This event with be a Doubles Partido Tournament – where you pick your partner and enter as a team.
The entry fee is $100 per team.
Note: Your team will only play either Friday and Sunday or Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday is Playoffs/Finals day.
The tournament is open to everyone – with experience and is limited to 24 teams.
Players must be signed up and PAID for by Thanksgiving.
To register, contact CAJA at 860-335-6346. NJAA players can contact me if they wish to register, as I keep in touch with Matt frequently.
When I was there playing last month, Matt indicated that the initial response was excellent and a record turnout may be expected. He fully expects to fill up most of the 24-team slot allotment, which would be great news.
Here are the complete scores of the 93 matches played over the 3-day USNJAC Event held at Magic city Casino in Miami.
The pace was fast-paced as most days were wrapped up in 4-5 hours vs. last year’s monster long 2- day event.
The big winners were Matt DiDomizio who walked out of there with $1,500 in his pocket of winnings for his good old fashioned style of play. Matt, the owner of Connecticut Amateur Jai-alai, drove over 20 hours and 1,378 miles each way for the thrilling event. He can even deduct 100% of his winnings by claiming the IRS allowed .56 a mile!
The other big winners were the Langhan brothers and even their dad James. Douglas, 22, and Benny, who just turned 18 are an unbelievable talent. They learned to play jai-alai in a batting cage area using North Miami balls I sold to their father four years ago. I had no idea who James was at the time, especially shipping balls to a small town in North Carolina. The huge checks you see in the story tell the story. And poppa Langhan impressed me more than anybody with his intelligent play. Yes, we was “leaking oil” at the end, but that was understandable.
One other player that caught my eye was Suits. He was really exciting to watch out there.
The coverage on the Jai-alai Channel was excellent with Stu and Andrew doing a great job as usual.
I’m currently interviewing about a dozen players who participated and will be providing another story on the event on their thoughts and how to make it even better next year.
DIVISION
DATE
S/D
RND
PLAYER(S)
SCORES
WINNER
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Garby vs Geno
1-6
Geno
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Suits vs Chewy
6-2
Suits
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Big Z vs Lenny
4-6
Lenny
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Jefe vs Jay
6-2
Jefe
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Borechip vs Douglas I
2-6
Douglas I
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Jimmy Jam vs Bob
6-2
Jimmy Jam
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
The Goat vs Rule
0-6
Rule
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Okie vs Phat Boy
6-5
Okie
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Kullster vs Alex
6-5
Kullster
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Adam vs Lorenzo
6-4
Adam
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
David vs Gach
David forfeits
Gach
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Richie D vs Mikey Mo
6-2
Richie D
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Goya vs Gizmo
6-1
Goya
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Petro vs LJS
6-1
Petro
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Cachin47 vs Ant
5-6
Ant
Masters
08/27/2021
S
1
Richardson vs Casio
0-6
Casio
Masters
08/27/2021
S
2
Geno vs Suits
5-6
Suits
Masters
08/27/2021
S
2
Lenny vs Jefe
4-6
Jefe
Masters
08/27/2021
S
2
Douglas I vs Jimmy Jam
6-0
Douglas I
Masters
08/27/2021
S
2
Rule vs Okie
6-1
Rule
Masters
08/27/2021
S
2
Kullster vs Adam
6-0
Kullster
Masters
08/27/2021
S
2
Gach vs Richie D
3-6
Richie D
Masters
08/27/2021
S
2
Goya vs Petro
6-2
Goya
Masters
08/27/2021
S
2
Ant vs Casio
3-6
Casio
Masters
08/27/2021
S
3
Suits vs Jefe
6-1
Suits
Masters
08/27/2021
S
3
Douglas I vs Rule
6-3
Douglas I
Masters
08/27/2021
S
3
Kullster vs Richie D
2-6
Richie D
Masters
08/27/2021
S
3
Goya vs Casio
6-5
Goya
Masters
08/27/2021
S
4
Suits vs Douglas I
3-6
Douglas I
Masters
08/27/2021
S
4
Richie D vs Goya
0-6
Goya
Masters
08/29/2021
S
5-Finals
Douglas I vs Goya
6-7
Goya (Matt)
Masters
08/27/2021
D
1
Casio-Geno vs Kulster-Lenny
6-3
Casio-Geno
Masters
08/27/2021
D
1
Ant-Petro vs Alex-Cachin47
6-1
Ant-Petro
Masters
08/27/2021
D
1
Big Z-LJS vs Gach-Jefe
6-4
Big Z-LJS
Masters
08/27/2021
D
1
Beach-Goya vs Garby-Rule
6-2
Beach-Goya
Masters
08/27/2021
D
1
Bonechip-Richie D vs MikeyMo-Suits
6-2
Bonechip-Richie D
Masters
08/27/2021
D
1
Gizmo-Okie vs Bob-Jay
6-4
Gizmo-Okie
Masters
08/27/2021
D
1
Chewy-Jimmy Jam vs Adam-Douglas I
2-6
Adam-Douglas I
Masters
08/27/2021
D
1-Playback
(7) Rnd 1 Losers in round-robin rotation to 6-pts (top 2 move on)
6-1 Micky Mo-Suits vs Gache-Jefe
Micky Mo-Suits
Masters
08/27/2021
D
2
Casio-Geno vs Ant-Petro
6-2
Casio-Geno
Masters
08/27/2021
D
2
Big z-LJS vs Beach-Goya
2-6
Beach-Goya
Masters
08/27/2021
D
2
Bonechip-Richie D vs Gizmo-Okie
6-1
Bonechip-Richie D
Masters
08/27/2021
D
2
Adam-Douglas I vs Mickey Mo-Suits
3-6
Mickey Mo-Suits
Masters
08/27/2021
D
3
Casio-Geno vs Beach-Goya
2-6
Beach-Goya
Masters
08/27/2021
D
3
Bonechip-Richie D vs Mickey Mo-Suits
1-6
Mickey Mo-Suits
Masters
08/29/2021
D
4-Finals
Beach-Goya vs Mickey Mo-Suits
7-4
Beach-Goya
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
bye vs Jairo
n/a
Jairo
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
Julen vs Gallo
7-2
Julen
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
Peugot vs Benny
1-7
Benny
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
Goya vs Goitia
2-7
Goitia
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
Douglas I vs Urbieta
7-3
Douglas I
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
El Nino vs Bueno
6-7
Bueno
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
Zulaika vs Bradley
7-4
Zulaika
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
Frank vs Erik
4-7
Erik
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
bye vs Arrieta
n/a
Arrieta
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
T Bone vs Spinner
3-7
Spinner
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
Jeden vs El Barba
7-3
Jeden
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
Johnny vs Douglas
0-7
Douglas
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
Ladutxe vs Tennessee
7-4
Ladutxe
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
CRB vs Anderluck
3-7
Anderluck
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
Ben vs Brodie
7-2
Ben
Pro
08/28/2021
S
1
bye vs Carballo
n/a
Carballo
Pro
08/28/2021
S
2
Jairo vs Julen
3-7
Julen
Pro
08/28/2021
S
2
Benny vs Goitia
6-7
Goitia
Pro
08/28/2021
S
2
Douglas I vs Bueno
7-3
Douglas I
Pro
08/28/2021
S
2
Zulaika vs Erik
3-7
Erik
Pro
08/28/2021
S
2
Arrieta vs Spinner
3-7
Spinner
Pro
08/28/2021
S
2
Jeden vs Douglas
1-7
Douglas
Pro
08/28/2021
S
2
Ladutxe vs Anderluck
7-4
Ladutxe
Pro
08/28/2021
S
2
Ben vs Carballo
1-7
Carballo
Pro
08/29/2021
S
3
Julen vs Goitia
5-7
Goitia
Pro
08/29/2021
S
3
Douglas I vs Erik
0-7
Erik
Pro
08/29/2021
S
3
Spinner vs Douglas
1-7
Douglas
Pro
08/29/2021
S
3
Ladutxe vs Carballo
6-7
Carballo
Pro
08/29/2021
S
4
Goitia vs Erik
7-4
Goitia
Pro
08/29/2021
S
4
Douglas vs Carballo
7-1
Douglas
Pro
08/29/2021
S
5-Finals
Goitia vs Douglas
4-9
Douglas
Pro
08/28/2021
D
1
Goitia-Arrieta vs El Nino-Gallo
7-3
Goitia-Arrieta
Pro
08/28/2021
D
1
Ubilla-Zulaika vs Ben-Bueno
7-2
Ubilla-Zulaika
Pro
08/28/2021
D
1
Benny-Douglas vs Beach-Goya
7-0
Benny-Douglas
Pro
08/28/2021
D
1
Frank-Johnny vs Anderluck-Bradley
6-7
Anderluck-Bradley
Pro
08/28/2021
D
1
Carballo-Spinner vs El Nino-Gallo
7-5
Carballo-Spinner
Pro
08/28/2021
D
1
Brodie-Kubala vs CRB-Tennessee
7-5
Brodie-Kubala
Pro
08/28/2021
D
1
Erik-Ladutxe vs Mickey Mo-Suits
7-2
Erik-Ladutxe
Pro
08/28/2021
D
1
Jeden-Julen vs Jairo-Urbieta
5-7
Jairo-Urbieta
Pro
08/28/2021
D
1-Playback
(6) Rnd 1 Losers (excl Beach-Goya) Playback, Winner plays Goitia-Arrieta
