New Buyers for Global in Wellington?

[DownYonder]

I captured this out of Global Maps and added some callouts to the images. Can someone let me know if I understand this correctly?

• The red circle is the current location of Global Dressage Festival (GDF)
• The red arrow is the derby jumping field used for H/J competitions
• The yellow circle is Wellington Equestrian Festival (WEF) - used pretty much exclusively for H/J
• The orange circle is the Wellington South Parcel

What is under consideration by the town council is for the GDF parcel (and the derby jumping field) to be removed from the umbrella “Equestrian Preserve” so the existing facilities can be demolished and the land repurposed for residential and commercial development.

If that happens, then is that the end of big international dressage competitions in Wellington, or do the current owners of GDF intend for dressage to move to the WEF location? If so, is that big enough for them to share? Didn’t I see somewhere that WEF is already overcrowded, esp. in regards to spectator parking?

And is the south parcel (orange circle) where TPTB envisions WEF expanding so there is room for both dressage and H/J at the WEF location?

[joiedevie99]

Yes, I think you have all that right. WEF would build out the orange parcel to make room for dressage somehow.

FYI: The field to the left of the derby field at Global, which your red arrow crosses, is the parking.

[MHM]

I’m not sure if the orange oval is in exactly the right place. The last time I was down there, it looked they were clearing land a little more to the right of that.

[2tempe]

Thanks for this marked map. it gives me a much better idea of what is where.

[Cowgirl]

Went to Wellington years back to attend the Masters (anyone remember?) and the Global Dressage Forum. I was incredibly surprised to see how small the property actually was. Why couldn’t you build that same stuff anywhere?

I think the hoopla is coming from the people who live there and will be developed out. Welcome to everyone else’s world!!!

[Laurierace]

There is no anywhere left to build. Wellington is an established village, there are no other empty plots of land large enough to build much of anything hence the desire to hack away part of the equestrian preserve

[Laurierace]

FYI last night the village voted yes on allowing the destruction of global and the robbing of land from
the equestrian preserve. Hopefully this wasn’t the blueprint for others to rob land as well but time will tell. It’s always hardest to get the first pickle out of the jar.

[Snowdenfarm]

It was a sad, sad night. I couldn’t take it and left just before the vote. Wellington doesn’t want this. Before land use referendums were made illegal in FL, 80% voted against this kind of development in the heart of Wellington. Now, the residents’ hands are tied and developers only have to “convince” a board. It is going to be another Devon — an island surrounded by overdevelopment. What made Wellington unique was how different it was from its South Florida neighbors with its low-density green space and horse-friendly rideability. I have no faith in the empty promises for a new showground, but if it comes to fruition it will be nice for those who show - while the other 80% of Wellington will have paid too high of a price for it.

[2tempe]

I’m elsewhere in Florida but also find this sad. The other thing that struck me in the attached article is the very last sentence re Helgstrand/PE Equity having no $ to maintain WEF… Is this true, or suspected? I’m not entirely sure who I can picture buying the property to run horse shows? What happens if they just let it run down if no buyer comes along? This whole thing seems like a complicated mess that could go on for years…

Wellington Government Approves Creation of Golf Community on Global Dressage...

[DownYonder]

So is it a given that dressage will move to WEF? Since the Global schedule is already set for 2024, I assume demolition of GDF won’t start until after this show season concludes - correct?

Ans who are TPTB expecting will build out the new dressage location? Since WEF is also for sale, it sounds like everyone involved with the development of the horse show facilities (WEF and GDF) believe they have made all the money that can be made off of those facilities. So they are therefore getting out of that line of business to focus on other money-makers such as development of residential communities and high end commercial endeavors (village-style restaurant and shopping clusters). It says to me that those big-money developers are streamlining their operations by shedding developments that are no longer adding much to their bottom lines, so they can use their funds on projects that WILL bring in a new infusion of cash.

In a way, I don’t blame them because development is what developers do, but dang, it is sad to think of the consequences to the equestrian set in that area - and to the general populace if the equestrian facilities are allowed to deteriorate and the horsey set just start going elsewhere for the winter (Terra Nova or WEC).

(Ha, I was composing at the same time that @2tempe was posting her comment , but obviously we are on the same wavelength.)

[MsFinch]

One glimmer of hope - under current agreement no construction can take place at Global until expanded WEF showgrounds fully operational slated for 2028 at the earliest. Dressage at Global and jumping on the derby field will continue in the meanwhile. If unable to completer WEF expansion on that adjacent parcel, they’re not permitted to develop Global property.

[Laurierace]

All I know for sure is that they can not build a single thing on what is now Global until the new show groups is built and operational so I assume they will continue to use Global as a show grounds until then vs letting it sit empty and unused until the new show grounds are ready.

[2tempe]

So fast forward, who is going to build the new show grounds? Not the current owners who have it for sale…Can someone who wants to buy WEF do so without commiting to developing new show grounds, or is it a requirement of any purchase deal? IE could this new show ground actually never happen?Sorry, dont mean to bombard you with questions, but I am truly curious.
Its also a sad thing to think that you can donate land to a conservancy - or money to buy land and then a decade or two later poof, here come the developers. Its happening in other places in Florida as well…

[MsFinch]

Yes the newly expanded showgrounds at WEF might not ever happen. Unless they can find a buyer with enough $$$ willing to complete the project.

[DownYonder]

Not just in Florida. Look at Montana - some of the storyline of Yellowstone revolved around that type of scenario and similar things have happened in GA and other states.

[DownYonder]

@MsFinch

One glimmer of hope - under current agreement no construction can take place at Global until expanded WEF showgrounds fully operational slated for 2028 at the earliest. Dressage at Global and jumping on the derby field will continue in the meanwhile. If unable to completer WEF expansion on that adjacent parcel, they’re not permitted to develop Global property.

That’s good to know. But I don’t understand how they can expect WEF to be expanded when it is for sale. Who do they think is going to infuse the huge amount of cash to buy the WEF location with the condition that they have to expend another huge amount of cash to expand not only the H/J portion but also develop a new world-class dressage showground? It sounds like a big thorny mess and I fear that money will talk and conditions will get waved - and all the plans for expansion, etc., will get downsized so the facility - esp. the dressage portion - is but a shadow of what is at the current GDF site.

[Laurierace]

The current owners have to build the new show grounds, they have no choice. The current owners and/or the new owners do not have to operate shows on it however.

[DownYonder]

Do the agreements mandate that the new show grounds have to be at least as big/nice as the current ones? Or do they give the builders an out to build a lesser quality facility?

[Laurierace]

I am not familiar with the exact language of the agreement but it sounded as if the council has to basically sign off on the new show grounds before issuing any building permits for the now Global project so I would hope they wouldn’t do that if they just slapped up a couple bleachers and labeled it finished.

[Laurierace]

That is incorrect. They can not build a single structure on the current Global property until the show grounds is completed in the new location. Not building the show grounds would mean not building their project which would obviously defeat the purpose of this whole fight to change the zoning.