Lifestyle At The Racetrack
Forest City is teaming with Magna Entertainment to build a lifestyle center at Gulfstream Park, one of Florida’s most popular horse racetracks.
Randall Shearin

Forest City and MEC are planning an upscale lifestyle shopping destination adjacent to MEC’s Gulfstream Park racetrack in South Florida.

Aurora, Ontario-based Magna Entertainment (MEC) saw the opportunity for a retail center next to Gulfstream. As the largest operator of thoroughbred racetracks in the U.S., the company wanted to return the grandeur to the sport and bring back a level of participation and pageantry to the events. MEC put its toe in the water by developing a new clubhouse at Gulfstream Park. The 310,000-square-foot facility has a 1,000-seat restaurant stretching along the racetrack. There is also a high-end restaurant on the top level. The clubhouse also contains more than 20 loges that overlook the track.

“You are going to see what we believe is a magnificent place to enjoy the thoroughbred racing experience,” says Will Voegele, vice president of development for Forest City.

Gulfstream Park will capture the high end essence of the market, and feature a number of top dining options.

“We started to look at how all of these product types could be mixed together in a way that was complementary and that would allow each of them to function successfully,” says Voegele.

What developed from those talks was a Phase I plan that involves the development of the 400,000-square-foot lifestyle center, called The Village at Gulfstream Park. The lifestyle center will contain retail, entertainment and restaurants. There will also be 400 high-end condominium units in the first phase.

“It is a classic live-work-play environment, with one of the best demographics in one of the fastest growing parts of the country,” says Voegele. “It also has a phenomenally high-profile location stretching 2,000 feet along U.S. Highway 1.”

Forest City will base the design of the lifestyle center on the recently completed clubhouse at Gulfstream Park.

“That piece, in and of itself, is a very powerful draw,” he says.

The clubhouse will be connected at the upper level with the upper level of the lifestyle center. The ovular design of the center places a walking ring in the middle, with the clubhouse on one side and the retail and entertainment on the other side. The center’s design is very dramatic, says Voegele, centering around the theme of horse racing as “the sport of kings.” Overall, the design will follow a Mediterranean feel, with warm tones that follow the clubhouse’s design. Landscaping will be over the top, with trees providing shade and lushness for the visitor.

The clubhouse at Gulfstream Park.

But the developers won’t rely on gaming and horse racing to be the only draw. The market itself is incredibly dynamic, with a high household income. Because of the fast growing nature of the market, it is under retailed. In addition to the local market, tourists are also expected, as well as regional visitors who may make a day of coming to the center and the racetrack.

“This is clearly a destination, so it’s a perfect place for retail,” says Voegele. “There is such a broad scope appeal that it doesn’t rely on any one of those markets.”

The recently completed clubhouse at Gulfstream Park.

“The idea is that we are marrying things together that are very synergistic, while allowing them to function autonomously as well,” says Voegele.

Forest City and MEC plan to break ground later in 2006, with an expected completion of the lifestyle center planned for fall 2008. Built around a town square concept, Forest City is working on leasing to boutiques, local and national tenants. Voegele sees a mixture of lifestyle retailers and high-end shops and boutiques at the center. Seven restaurants are planned, some of which will be first to the market.

“Lifestyle projects have to be places where people just want to be,” says Voegele. “You have to want to spend time and enjoy the environment. That’s exactly what this project will be. There’s going to be a level of integration, drama and excitement that will be hard to match. The whole lifestyle equation is not just about the retailer and where you put them, but it’s the environment that you put them in. We’re raising the bar on the quality of the environment.”