Town Crier Opinion – December 30th, 2011 on Equestrian Village
By Mark Bellissimo
Life is about perspective, overcoming adversity, learning through experience, challenging convention and making a difference by pursuing your dreams and goals — whether those goals are social, spiritual, financial, personal, or a combination of all four. What makes America great is the ”can do” attitude that is pervasive in society. It is a place where there are opportunities for all regardless of birthright, resources or current standing. The underdog is respected and honored. It is a place where the spirit of entrepreneurship has created many great people, places, companies and industries. It takes hard work and courage to pursue your dreams because life is full of critics who want nothing more than to maintain the status quo. Many times the status quo is “preserved” by those who are quite happy with what they have, are indifferent to those who want something different, or who just fear change. America is also a place where people have the right to disagree. Often there is no right or wrong answer, only better or worse answers. However, more often than not, doing nothing is the worst answer.
The Wellington Equestrian Preservation Alliance (WEPA) recently sent out a mass mailing to an estimated 18,000 Wellington homes describing our newly proposed “Equestrian Village” project. I believe it was an extremely disturbing, divisive, misguided and dishonest mailing.
Six-time Olympian Robert Dover issued a passionate response that included the following statement, “The [WEPA] newsletter was full of angry terms that incite — terms like ’scheming,’ ’speculation,’ ‘declining home values,’ ‘crime,’
‘uncertainty,’ ‘anxiety,’ ‘insecurity,’ ‘increased danger to horses,’ ‘noise,’ ‘traffic congestion,’ ‘lack of green space,’ the list goes on. Then I read about the high- rise condominiums, a mall, a fairgrounds and an RV park. It was a negative, intentionally inaccurate, full of exaggeration, fear-mongering campaign only meant to once again scare and disrupt this community that I call home and love.”
(To see Robert’s full response, go to www.doversworld.com and click on the Dec.
8 blog. To see WEPA’s newsletter, go to www.wellingtonalliance.com.)
Robert also mentions in his blog that WEPA’s current objections are akin to the campaign waged by Lou Jacobs and Mason Phelps in 2006: “I watched in horror five years ago as the same players … and the Old Guard brutalized Mark Bellissimo, his family and the motives of Wellington Equestrian Partners in blogs and in the local and national equestrian media. In their eyes, he would destroy the event, the facility, the fabric of the community, our equestrian way of life. Through eerily similar scare tactics and attacks, they declared that it was the
‘beginning of the end’ of Wellington.”
Despite the barrage of negative press, ugly tactics and the smear campaign, Robert was correct: My partners, Roger Smith and Dennis Dammerman, and I chose not to defend ourselves in 2006. The issue was not about us but about the future of Wellington. In our opinion, we were not yet directly relevant to the community, so to the outside world it was just about a bunch of “rich people fighting with each other, so who cares.”
At the time, my oldest child, Matt, then 16,was concerned and inquired why I was not defending myself against the false accusations. I said to him and my three other children that you never let people bully you into a fight. I conveyed that we were going to take the high road and that they should always remember, a great plan, a positive message, passion, conviction, the right resources and a strong team will always prevail over indifference, negativity, lawyers, lobbyists,
political connections and all the money in the world. What is important is not what you say or how you react, but what you do that counts. The lasting and most important memory is the outcome and the destination, not the process and the journey.
Our expanded partnership, the Wellington Equestrian Partners, then laid out an ambitious plan and vision to transform Wellington from a temporary, seven- week hunter-jumper horse show and private polo club community targeted at the wealthy into a permanent, full, multidisciplinary equestrian industry that benefits the entire community for the entire year. The unifying theme was the love of the horse. It is a vision intended to be inclusive, not exclusive, for equestrians and village residents alike and be accessible to anyone regardless of his or her financial resources or status.
After a five-year, $30 million turnaround, we prevented the Winter Equestrian Festival from moving from its current location. The newly renovated Palm Beach International Equestrian Center is now a permanent venue and regarded as one of the finest facilities in the world. There is record rider attendance from all over the world. The season is longer and has a greater impact on local businesses and Palm Beach County. A record number of Wellington residents now feel welcome to attend the events. Our organization is responsible for distributing millions of dollars to more than 50 local charities. We have launched a public school initiative that will begin to make the equestrian community relevant and accessible to the children in our community. We are creating a community jobs
program that will provide education, access and training for residents who are out of work and want to pursue the hundreds (if not thousands) of jobs available within the community. All of this occurred during the most challenging financial climate in our lifetimes.
I am proud of our accomplishments. My family and I are thrilled to call Wellington our home. While it would be easy to stop and take a deep breath, we believe the Equestrian Village project is the single most important economic engine to enhance Wellington’s equestrian economy and position it to have a greater impact across the community while still maintaining Wellington’s unique character. The most significant benefit is the ability to create jobs from critical short-term construction jobs to long-term, full-time jobs in all areas of the industry (horse shows, hospitality, lodging, administration, equestrian support and specialty retail). It will elevate the real-estate market, which enhances the tax base that supports community services; reduce the seasonality, which strengthens and supports local businesses; create a common gathering spot to engage, educate and entertain the community; and position Wellington to attract more world-class equestrian events such as the 2018 World Equestrian Games,
thus firmly establishing Wellington as the No. 1 equestrian destination in the world.
Once again, we stand at a crossroad: WEPA states that our project would create uncertainty, anxiety and insecurity. Its members want you to imagine a project with crime, traffic, high-rises, shopping malls, RVs, noise, declining home values and increased danger to horses. Instead, let’s challenge them once again.
Let’s all imagine a project that drives a robust economic industry for Wellington and the county. Let’s imagine a place with children and families playing, seniors relaxing and local residents and riders from around the world competing in diverse and accessible events. Let’s imagine hundreds of industry professionals and businesses coming to Wellington for trade shows, industry conferences and new events. Let’s imagine many of those businesses returning or moving their businesses here — creating more jobs. Let’s imagine an industry
that provides hundreds of jobs in a world where people are struggling to find jobs, pay their mortgages to keep their homes, feed their families, educate their children and maintain a decent quality of life.
Let’s imagine a world where a couple of large estate owners with their lobbyists and lawyers do not dictate policy to protect their mega-compounds and access roads at the expense of the community. If you have a job, a great estate and tremendous wealth, the status quo is great. When you are a high school senior without a job, or a father who has been laid off and cannot support his family, the status quo is not such a nice place. WEPA was wrong in 2006, and they are even more wrong in 2011.
In my heart, I believe we can and will reshape this community into the most unique place in the world that benefits a much broader group of people. Unfortunately, that requires change, and change is extremely hard for most people, especially those people who are vested in what they know, feel and touch. Add a level of uncertainty in the outcome of that change, and it creates
fear. That fear then evolves into resistance and criticism of the unknown and then criticism of the individuals who are pursuing the change. This is true for most exploration and invention in history.
The fact is, visions do not come with majority support, and the execution of the vision is filled with setbacks in the form of mistakes, failures and shortcomings that provide fodder for the critics. In response to these setbacks and critics, you can either quit, adapt or get stronger, smarter and overcome. If the critics prevail, the status quo prevails, and the corresponding change and opportunities die. You will never know what could have been. Your willingness to persevere directly correlates to your fundamental belief in the outcome, your resources and your team.
This is the message I have ingrained in my children, because the ultimate fact is, critics do not write great novels, produce great movies, build great buildings, invent cures, lead companies, build products or change society. They criticize. Criticism is important to improve a process, but it should not be the lasting
legacy.
What is the Equestrian Village?
The Equestrian Village (EV) is the most important investment that WEP will make in Wellington. It is more than just a real estate project. It is also a business strategy to develop a connection to the community, enhance the current business, and provide an engine for economic growth. The location of the EV is critical as it represents a very strategic, visible, and accessible location. It will become the “gateway” to the Equestrian community. It will provide a central gathering spot open to the entire community that educates, entertains and inspires residents about the equestrian industry. There are 4 components of the Equestrian Village; 1) local shops with an exhibition arena and a Wellington Hall of fame; 2) a riding academy; 3) a world class Showgrounds with dressage complex, covered arena, and derby field; 4) and a resort condo/hotel. All of the elements are integrated. The hotel on the corner will become a world-wide recognizable piece of architecture for Wellington.
How do the four components of the EV help you accomplish your objectives? The four components above allow us to accomplish four key objectives that are critical to Wellington’s long term success; engaging the community, increasing community participation, expanding the equestrian season, and finally as a vehicle to market Wellington to the equestrian industry and to the world.
How will the EV engage the Community? The EV provides a central gathering spot open to the entire community that educates, entertains and inspires residents about the Wellington equestrian industry. The limited number of shops and restaurants at Equestrian Village (only 45,000 feet) will surround an “exhibition” area where there can be daily and nightly exhibitions, demonstrations, training, and/or clinics highlighting all dimensions of equestrian sport including riding, horse training, horse care, horse welfare, or job opportunities within the industry. On some days and evenings it could just be pony/horse rides (a live carousel, so to speak) for residents of all ages to get exposed to and ride a horse. Some examples of demonstrations could be explanations of the different disciplines, jumpers, hunters, dressage, polo, driving, vaulting, reigning, cutting, etc. It could be an Olympic rider demonstrating their craft or a top, a top groom or Ferrier explaining what they do. There would be an online schedule that would be available to those interested in attending. It would also include a “Legends of Wellington” Hall of fame exhibit that educates the community on Wellington’s History. It would include a “Golden Horseshoe” on a walk of fame that would initially include C. Oliver Wellington, Bill Ylvisaker, and Gene Mische.
Why will it increase Community Participation? Once people become engaged and knowledgeable we believe they will want to participate. If they have an interest in riding they would now find a high quality, accessible, and affordable Palm Beach Riding Academy. The Academy provides a facility that will allow residents to participate in the sport whether a child, adult, or senior or whether for recreational or competitive rider. It will also be the center of the universe for our new public school riding initiative and our proposed interscholastic riding program. Also, with the right level of awareness, education, and training we think that residents will increase their interest in jobs that are available within the industry.
How will it expand the Equestrian season? The EV will strengthen and stimulate the expansion of the equestrian season by adding new events (e.g. Global Dressage Festival, Breed Shows, Young Horse Shows, Horse Auctions etc). With an integrated hotel option and covered arena, we believe we can pursue regional and national finals for licensed events as well as collegiate events. With a world class Showgrounds, an indoor arena, and a hotel option, we can pursue the 2015 World Cup Finals and/or the 2018 World Equestrian Games. We are also exploring western, cross country, and driving disciplines to add to the calendar of events. The more events the longer the season and the more economic impact on the community through increased spending and jobs.
What does it mean to market Wellington to the Industry and to the World? The EV allows us to introduce and market Wellington to a broad array of industry professionals (horse owners, veterinarians, trainers, product manufacturers, equestrian retailers, drug companies, and tourists) in order to enhance the exposure of Wellington through Trade Shows, Industry Conferences, spectator-oriented equestrian events and festivals. (e.g. Equitana, BreyerFest, Equine Affair). Those events can leverage the hotel, competition arenas, covered arena, and various hospitality complexes. Many of these events would occur during the shoulder periods (i.e. non-winter) and would allow us to attract new riders, sponsors, and new businesses interested in relocating to Wellington, or new tourists (some of whom can be converted to participants).
Why focus on a Dressage Complex? Dressage has been the step child of equestrian sport in Wellington for years. There is a large passionate group of people who participate in the sport who have not had a world class facility in which to compete. There is an increasingly large group of dressage riders that make Wellington their full time home. I think that will increase and there will be a longer season.
Internationally, there is no real winter home for dressage and we are already seeing hundreds of new dressage horses and riders flowing into the community. The sport is growing and I think it will give Wellington an important new dimension.
Why is the Hotel Important? The Hotel is one of the most important elements to bring Wellington to the next level and it will have the biggest impact on extending the season. First, the most obvious issue is meeting demand and serving our customers. The Palm Beach Sports Commission recently published an independent report that highlighted that the Winter Equestrian Festival generated 47,400 bed nights during the 12 week event. The Hampton Inn, the only hotel in town, at full capacity during that time period generates 8,400 bed nights leaving a gap of 39,300 bed nights. Thus, 83% of the demand is filled outside of Wellington. This translates into tens of millions of dollars spent outside of Wellington and a tremendous amount of unnecessary traffic on the roads. Those guests are most likely eating and supporting non-Wellington businesses. Second, attracting world class Sponsorship is critical to our long term success. One of the biggest complaints from our sponsors is that there is no full service hotel to put up their senior executives and customers. The Hampton is the only hotel in Wellington and it does not have room service or conference facilities. Some of our sponsors have to put up their guests at the Hotels throughout Palm Beach which can be a 30-40 minute trip each way. Our largest sponsor FTI believes it is critical to maintain our standing and attract broader sponsorship. Many of our existing and potential sponsors would love to bring in their key customers and entertain them locally, however, it is inconvenient. A world class hotel would allow us to dramatically expand our sponsor base. Finally, and most importantly, the existence of a Hotel will allow us to create and or attract new events to Wellington. A hotel would allow us to attract new events, industry conferences, trade shows, or to develop a new equestrian tourism product. The hotel would act as the headquarters for the events, tradeshows, conferences, and sponsors. These events will allow us to extend the season before and after the winter which will create jobs. If you bring a big conference, you would use the hotel as the headquarters for the event with the banquet and conference facilities. The event would be unique because you could leverage the other components of the property like the village shops, the covered arena, the equestrian arenas, and the riding academy which would make the event unique. This would also bring commerce to other hotels, local businesses, rental properties, and restaurants. As for tourism, this year the Palm Beach Convention and Visitors bureau ran an ad in Horse and Hound magazine, the largest equestrian oriented English language magazine in the World, which is based out of England. I believe that it has generated one group of 30 people and over 70 other tourists to experience Wellington and the Winter Equestrian Festival. Since there was no place to stay in Wellington, they are staying as far away as Delray. A destination equestrian resort would also be unique in that you could bring your horse to the local stables and compete on site during off season shows. I believe it will also be critical for our bid for the 2018 World Equestrian Games.
Why does the hotel need to be 5 stories? While the hotel is five stories at its maximum point the hotel has been designed to be an attractive architectural landmark. In order to maximize green space and equestrian activity we went vertical instead of horizontal. The allowable height in Wellington is three stories. The design of the hotel steps down from 5 floors to 4 floors to 3 floors giving it a layered feel making it less than of box structure. The fifth floor is only 10% of the total area of the hotel so on average it is about 4 stories which is one story above what is allowed. Again, the height is important in order to get the number of rooms and to achieve the green space and equestrian competition areas.
Why don’t you use the commercial property across the street and put the hotel there? Our strategy entails bringing more equestrian businesses and jobs to Wellington. That site is approved for commercial professional and offices. At this time we think the expansion of the season, increase in number and types of events, increased awareness of Wellington, along with county and state incentives can elevate Wellington for a potential site for a corporate headquarters or a regional office for an equestrian targeted enterprise. In combination with the great infrastructure of Wellington; schools, recreational facilities, lifestyle, quality home inventory, it leverages the strengths of the two complementary worlds. Further, it is critical that the hotel is a resort hotel with many amenities (spa, banquet, conference facilities, stables, pool etc. with beautiful grounds that will support many types of activities that directly linked to the equestrian activity. With a strong World Class product we can attract many equestrian events during the non-winter periods.
There is empty commercial space in Wellington. Why should we create more?
Nearly all the tenants will be locating in Equestrian Village because it is an equestrian venue. They will be economic base businesses in that they will be associated with the equestrian industry and participants. This property is already zoned Commercial Recreation with a floor to area ratio (FAR) of 10%. This 59 acre property has an existing entitlement for almost 250,000 sqft of commercial activity. Despite the misleading information that is flowing around. The pure commercial elements are only 75,000 feet split between restaurant (20,000), retail (25,000), and office (30,000), all small numbers. The increase in FAR that is being requested to 15% is intended to be more consistent with what is allowed throughout the equestrian preserve. The balance of the Sqft is supporting the hotel and equestrian pavilions that are located within the property. A lot of the sqft beyond what is necessary to support the Condo/hotel is going to be used for spas, banquet facilities, conference rooms, and hospitality areas that will support the events.
It is my understanding that this approval would set the stage for 8 more projects on commercial recreation zoned land within the preserve, is that true? That is incorrect. This is a one of a kind property and project. All projects of this scale would need to be approved by the Village council. The village staff is defining conditions or requirements that would preclude most if not all of the other commercial recreation properties from this type of development. Our partnership is committed to a strong Wellington that has the necessary components to make it viable in the long term. We do not believe it should be overdeveloped.
Won’t this destroy the rural equestrian lifestyle? There are close to 8000 acres in the equestrian overlay zoning district (EOZD). This property represents 59 acres or less than one-one hundredth of a percent of the acreage. It is ideally located on the Northern-most border which is on the fringe of the preserve. In fact, it is only one of a handful of equestrian properties that lie to the north of Pierson road as Pierson road is typically viewed as the Northern boundary (the eastern most boundary is 120th street). This project will contribute to the preservation of the lifestyle in that it will create more interest and demand for the community, local farms and housing making it more durable and long lasting. There are hundreds of equestrian communities in the country, many of them flailing, but there is only one Wellington and it is strengthening. The key differentiator is the commercial equestrian elements with their hubs of activity (polo, hunter/jumper, dressage) that draw people to the community.
How does your Vision Benefit Wellington? We believe that we are just scraping the surface of the opportunity in Wellington. The goal of this project is to not necessarily to make the winter season busier but rather to provide a platform to make the fall and spring months stronger. Executing on this vision will provide for the following benefits;
• Provides hundreds of critical short term construction jobs.
• Provides Wellington a strong base to develop the very important dressage market.
• Develops hundreds of long term full time jobs in all areas of the industry (horse shows, hospitality, lodging, administration, equestrian support, specialty retail).
• Elevates the real estate market which enhances the tax base that supports community services.
• Reduces seasonality which strengthens and supports local businesses.
• Creates a common gathering spot to engage the community.
• Firmly establishes Wellington as the number one equestrian destination in the world.
How does WEP and Wellington’s equestrian industry? How will the partners both expand and preserve the equestrian lifestyle for years to come?
We believe Wellington is poised for a new level of success which is focused on integration with the community.
• Increase the level of participation in direct equestrian activity of Wellington children, adults, and Seniors through after school programs, clinics, summer camps, adult riding programs, scholarships, and seniors programs.
• Create a public interscholastic riding program in wellington that will be a model for the country.
• Increase spectator particpation in saturday night lights and the dressage activities at the new Stadium property.
• Increase the level of annual fund raising for the FTI consulting Great Charity Challenge to $3 million dollars per year within five years.
• Increase the equestrian season to 7-8 months by bringing in new equestrisan disciplines and new events which will create full time jobs and opportunites for Wellington residents.
• Create training programs for Wellington residents who want to seek employment in the equestrian industry.
• Create an indoor arena to support a broader range of equestrian and community events.
• Create a World class equestrian village that is the gateway to the equestrian domain that provides a central architectural feature in the form of a world class hotel and a ccorresponding equestrian plaza that would be a gathering inviting for the community.
• Secure the World Equestrian Games in 2018
Cheer, RD
