Jai-Alai Fronton Closing After 48 Years in Seminole

Credit: Orlando Media, Bill from JaiAlaiUSA.net

Orlando Jai Alai, the Seminole County parimutuel where gamblers bet on handball-like games, is closing after nearly 48 years in business.

Employees were told Thursday that the struggling fronton's last day of operation would likely be Dec. 27.

Mutuels manager Howard Ostrom said the business' leadership had been trying aggressively for years to keep the business afloat, but increasing competition from other gambling outlets in the state contributed to its demise.

"I think most [employees] knew the writing was on the wall," Ostrom said. "Business was dropping steadily for years."

Fronton owner Hort Soper could not be reached for comment.

Jai-alai games are played February through April. The rest of the year, people come to place bets on races and games at tracks across the country.

On Thursday, some customers said they were upset but not surprised.

"We're like a family here," said Pedro Santos, 56, who lives in Kissimmee and has been coming to the fronton for 10 years. During that time, he said attendance has decreased dramatically.

"On a day like this, you'd see this place packed," he said, gesturing toward a room where a few small clusters of people moved about, and where most betting carrels were empty.

Crumpled betting tickets littered the floor and occasionally someone hollered while watching a race on a TV screen at a faraway track. There were no waits for placing bets.

About 75 people work at the fronton year-round. The fronton also employees about 30 jai-alai players, who fling small balls with boomerang-shaped baskets strapped to their wrists.

Live racing and jai alai have been declining in popularity across the state, but the Fern Park pari-mutuel was especially vulnerable because Seminole County prohibits card rooms.

Betting facilities in other parts of the state have propped up their finances with poker games. Ostrom said unfair policies at the state and county level put the business at a disadvantage. In recent years, the fronton tried to get annexed into Casselberry, where it hoped to receive authorization to open card rooms, but city commissioners weren't interested.

Casselberry Mayor Charlene Glancy, who opposes gambling, said she hates to see any business close, but she noted that it could be an opportunity for the land next door to the city limits.

"It's possible the time for jai alai has passed, and there will be a stronger interest for a different type of business there. We'd love to have it if it could be something else."

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Well I have many thoughts on this Jai Alai fans and I will post them after I gather all the facts. Just a very sad time for jai alai, another facility lost, another amatuer program lost, many jobs lost including a family of three who all worked at the fronton.

Bye bye from Orlando Jai Alai after 48 wonderful years, signing out its HOV.