EwingCole, an award-winning, international architecture and engineering firm based in Philadelphia, has designed a new Casino for Hialeah Park Race Track. This is the first project of a master plan developed to revive the historic racetrack. EwingCole’s renderings of the new facility were revealed at a groundbreaking ceremony in Hialeah, Fl. It is expected to open in the fall of 2012.
“We worked closely with Hialeah Park’s owner John Brunetti, Sr. to develop his vision for a comprehensive entertainment resort that supports the rich tradition and revitalization of the entire 200-acre Hialeah Park property and the entertainment industry in Florida,” said Donald Dissinger, AIA, lead architect and principal of EwingCole’s sports & entertainment practice. “The plan includes preservation of the historic buildings and gardens, the reconstruction of the backstretch facilities and the creation of an urban entertainment district including development opportunities for racing, gaming, resort and business hotels, retail and restaurants and a metro rail station and business complex for the City of Hialeah.”
Hialeah Park, from its inception, was a destination experience in a lush landscape, a place for anyone to spend the day at the races, enjoy the palatial surroundings and get away from the everyday hustle and bustle. The history of Hialeah Park has been an evolving story, and the new Casino development is a contemporary interpretation emphasizing Hialeah’s unique sense of place. The overall design pays homage to the venue’s horseracing heritage, historic landscaping and draws on the existing French Mediterranean architectural style created by Lester Geisler, the young protégé of society architect Addison Mizner.
This project includes the renovation of the existing north Grandstand Building and the construction of a two-story addition, a porte-cochere and a network of covered arcades and elevated terraces surrounding the revitalized historic paddock and Flamingo Fountain garden. The 180,000-sf addition includes a 1,250 slot gaming floor, a poker mezzanine with 36 tables, a 90-seat casino lounge and a 180-seat dining village.
“To allow guests the opportunity to enjoy the tradition and grandeur of Hialeah Park, the master plan and design includes amenities that encourage a new generation of patrons to return to Hialeah Park again and again and linger after the races have concluded,” explained Dissinger. “The revitalization of Hialeah Park will once again contribute to the legacy of destination entertainment resort experiences seen throughout Florida and will provide financial and economic growth for the City of Hialeah, Dade County and the State.” BD+C
Related Stories
| Sep 6, 2013
U40 Summit featured speaker: Arthur Gensler on how to build a world-class AEC practice
Gensler, founder of the world’s largest architecture firm, will talk about the role of the architect in society, the impact of great design, and the practicalities of starting and running a practice, and will offer advice for today’s young design and construction professionals.
| Sep 4, 2013
Augmented reality: 12 applications for design and construction professionals
Building Design+Construction reached out to AEC professionals who have studied and applied augmented reality and asked them to pinpoint applications that are ripe for the technology. Here’s what they had to offer.
| Sep 4, 2013
Augmented reality goes mainstream: 12 applications for design and construction firms
Thanks to inexpensive mobile devices and increasingly advanced software apps, Building Teams are finally able to bring their BIM models to life on the job site.
| Sep 4, 2013
K-12 school design that pays off for students
More and more educators are being influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach to pedagogy, with its mantra of “environment as the third teacher”—an approach that gives Building Teams a responsibility to pay even closer attention to the special needs of today’s schools.
| Sep 4, 2013
Smart building technology: Talking results at the BUILDINGChicago/ Greening the Heartland show
Recent advancements in technology are allowing owners to connect with facilities as never before, leveraging existing automation systems to achieve cost-effective energy improvements. This BUILDINGChicago presentation will feature Procter & Gamble’s smart building management program.
| Sep 4, 2013
Last chance to pre-register for BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland Conference at 20% savings
Attendees of the BUILDINGChicago/Greening the Heartland Expo and Conference can still save 20% off the at-site registration fee by registering online in these final days before the event opens on September 9 and concludes on September 11.
| Sep 3, 2013
'School in a box' project will place school in San Diego public library
Thinking outside the box, LPA Inc. is designing a school inside a box. With an emphasis on three E’s—Engage, Educate, and Empower—e3 Civic High is now being constructed on the sixth and seventh floors of a public library in downtown San Diego. Library patrons will be able to see into the school via glass elevators, but will not have physical access to the school.
| Sep 3, 2013
Delinquency rate for commercial real estate loans at lowest level in three years
The delinquency rate for US commercial real estate loans in CMBS dropped for the third straight month to 8.38%. This represents a 10-basis-point drop since July's reading and a 175-basis-point improvement from a year ago.
| Sep 3, 2013
EDGE studio, GBBN announce merger
GBBN Architects and EDGE studio of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are very pleased to announce the merger of their firms under GBBN Architects effective September 1, 2013.
| Sep 3, 2013
Jon Pettit (1952-2013) - DLR Group Managing Principal
Jonathan (Jon) E. Pettit, AIA, died August 19, 2013 in Seattle following treatment for cancer. He was 61. Pettit was a DLR Group managing principal and practiced for his entire professional career with DLR Group.