Gulfstream Park

Challenge – Lack of stalls and short construction time
Solution – Three Hercules Truss Arch Buildings
Size – Two 83′ wide x 600′ long, One 85′ wide x 528′ long
Application – Stall barns

Since opening in 1939, Gulfstream Park has served as one of the most important venues for thoroughbred horse racing in the U.S. Under the ownership of the Stronach Group, the venue hosts world-renowned races like the Florida Derby, Donn Handicap, Sunshine Millions Series and the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.

In the summer of 2013, Gulfstream Park received over 4,000 stall applications for its forthcoming winter horse racing season. With around 2,000 stalls already on the property, the site enlisted ClearSpan to manufacture and install 100,000 square feet of additional thoroughbred stall space.

Gulfstream Park’s facility management was nervous about completing the two 83′ wide by 600′ long structures within a two month timeline. However, their nerves were calmed when ClearSpan delivered and installed both structures in under six weeks. The new stall barns allowed Gulfstream Park to house hundreds of additional horses on its property for the 2013-2014 horse racing season.

While the structures look great in the scenic landscape of South Florida’s premier thoroughbred horse racing facility, management truly appreciates the included benefits of their ClearSpan buildings, like natural lighting and ventilation. The feedback from racehorse owners has also been exceedingly positive.

“Owners love having their horses in these comfortable, natural structures,” said Dannean Malave, Director of Facilities for Gulfstream Park.

The structures were easy to install, and ClearSpan was able to work around existing buildings, causing no damage to the property. ClearSpan’s helical anchor foundation minimized site preparation expenses and allowed construction to begin right away.

The stall barns were constructed with 12′ side openings, allowing the refreshing sea-breeze to cool the horses on hot days. HVLS fans were also installed to promote additional comfort for the horses.

In the fall of 2014, Gulfstream Park was granted the privilege of hosting the world-renowned Fasig-Tipton Thoroughbred Auction. With less than six months to prepare for this event, the venue again called upon ClearSpan to provide a new 85′ wide by 528′ long fabric structure.

“ClearSpan personnel were first-class throughout the process, from salespeople, to project managers, to construction crews,” said Malave. “We did not even consider another provider, given our positive experience with ClearSpan.”

In addition to working on a second Gulfstream Park project, the Stronach Group also chose ClearSpan to install new structures at their Laurel Park location in 2015.