Business View Magazine | December 2019

341 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 HALLANDALE BEACH, FLOR IDA reasonably-priced land available for new investment opportunities. Numerous residential and commercial projects have recently been completed and more than $1 billion worth of projects are under construction, planned, or approved by the City. More than 80 percent of the City’s land mass is designated as a Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). The mission of the Hallandale Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (HBCRA), first established in 1996, is to enhance the quality of life by eliminating and preventing blighted conditions through the facilitation of community partnerships, business growth, job creation, and neighborhood revitalization. “There’s great vibrancy taking place in our community,” exclaims Greg Chavarria, who became City Manager this past April. “And we look forward to having more developers become part of our community.” Developers and investors like consistency, predictability, and efficiency in local features horse racing, and The Big Easy, formerly known as Mardi Gras Casino, which hosts greyhound racing. Gulfstream Park first opened in 1939, and for decades was one of the most important venues for thoroughbred horse racing in America. Now, the complex is a thriving village of shops, restaurants, art galleries, outdoor cafes, bars, and nightclubs, employing more than 2,000 people and welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors, annually. The Big Easy originally opened in 1934, as the Hollywood Kennel Club, three years after Florida legalized pari-mutuel betting. It closed for several months, in 2017, after being damaged by Hurricane Irma, and was purchased in 2018 by real-estate mogul, Jeffrey Soffer of Turnberry Associates, a world-class developer. Today, The Big Easy has several entertainment venues that host nightly performances and year-round events, including concerts, stand-up comedy, dance competitions, and MMA fights. While the two casinos are major economic drivers, there is still a significant amount of