A youth sports complex could be added to a New Jersey horse racing venue as part of a sweeping redevelopment proposal.
Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport is owned by the state, but operated by a private development firm.
The firm has proposed adding five youth baseball fields and indoor tennis/pickleball courts as part of a mixed purpose district that would also include a casino, two hotels and close to 500 apartments.
The big catch: Developers need lawmakers to amend the state constitution — and then a statewide ballot referendum rubber-stamping the change — to allow casino gambling outside of Atlantic City.
A similar referendum was rejected by a 77% to 23% margin in 2016.
Elsewhere …
Chicago: The NHL’s Blackhawks have re-opened their practice facility to be more public-facing. The venue has almost doubled in size and has four ice sheets, including a 2K-seat arena for the USHL’s Chicago Steel. It also has event spaces and concessions; it is expected to see 1.5M visitors annually.
Southport, Florida: The $13.9M Southport Recreation Complex opened last weekend. The venue has six baseball fields, batting cages and walking trails. The 37-acre complex is equipped with live streaming technology to host tournaments.
St. Charles, Missouri: Plans to turn a closed church into a youth sports club have generated controversy in the St. Louis suburb. Residents have expressed concerns about noise and traffic, but the developers behind the project say the venue would not host games and would operate solely as a training facility.
Follow on LinkedIn: Kyle Scott, James Kratch, Kyle Pagan