Among the many changes at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida is the 11-story, 110 foot tall, 473-ton bronze sculpture of Pegasus battling a dragon that greets visitors at the entrance. Taking more than a year to create, at a cost of multi-millions of dollars, Gulfstream Park owner Frank Stronach says the massive statue symbolizes strength and the ongoing battle between good and evil, as well as the evolution of this South Florida landmark that opened in 1939. Originally a racetrack that drew 18,000 people on opening day, today the family friendly complex includes shops and restaurants that employ more than 2,000 people and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
Frank Stronach purchased Gulfstream Park and the surrounding property in 2011. Managed by the Frank Stronach Group, the open-air mall includes home stores, art galleries, a bowling alley, outdoor cafés and nightclubs, fashion boutiques and health and beauty services.
The property offers 10 bars that offer happy hours as early as 3 p.m., plus two nightclubs and two sports bars. Stronach’s own establishments, Adena Grill & Wine Bar and Frankey’s Sports Bar, have added to the dining scene. And two longtime Gulfstream Park establishments, Ten Palms and Christine Lee’s are open to the public during racing season, providing patrons with a panoramic view of the racetrack below.
The park offers a wide array of live entertainment and, of course, thoroughbred horseracing and a casino. Future plans for the complex include several new parking garages, hotels, private residences and a state-of-the-art luxury movie theater. Corin Angel, marketing manager for the Village at Gulfstream Park, said, “The space is always evolving. The vision, the end goal, is to create an entertainment destination that goes beyond the betting and racing, and I think we’re accomplishing that.”
