Improvements, Upgrades and Changes Await!

Some of the improvements, upgrades and changes that will be at or near completion by the opening date of the CN Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Jan. 16.

The improvements are part of a multimillion dollar overhaul of the show grounds by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC which officially became the operating management company of PBIEC on Dec. 15, 2007.

Improvements include:

• New all-weather footing by Bart Poels in the International arena.
• Four permanent Derby obstacles constructed in the International Area: grob, hillside bank, table bank, and elevated jump.
• Expansion and complete rebuilding with new footing of Ring 6.
• New Bart Poels footing in the Bertelan Denemethy Arena.
• New footing in the Grand Hunter Field.
• New footing in the Rost Arena.
• Expansion of Rost Arena schooling area.
• Expansion of Magavero schooling area.
• Installation of one mile of pavers for new pedestrian walkways protected from golf carts, horse traffic by a fence.
• Cochina sand laid down on all bridle paths throughout PBIEC to provide softer and more stable footing for horses and reduce dust and mud.
• Golf cart roads with millings surface and fenced off from horses and pedestrians built around the entire facility and parking substantially expanded to improve safety and reduce congestion.
• Modern, hygenic mobile bathrooms with wash basins and diaper changing tables installed throughout the show grounds to replace ALL port-a-potties.
• Installation of 2,500 flip-up stadium style seats on the north, south and east sides of the International Arena.
• More reserved VIP boxes.
• Completely new permanent main spectator entrance on Equestrian Club Road off Pierson Road.
• Covered spectator area at main show grounds entrance in the event of wet weather.
• Valet parking.
• Substantial expansion of onsite parking for exhibitors and spectators.
• New vendor pavilions with pavers at show grounds entrance.
• 15 ft. x 15 ft. covered areas for trainers at every ring.
• All fences painted black
• Extensive landscaping across the facility.
• Permanent stadium TV-quality lighting for the International Arena on eight 120-foot high concrete light poles.
• Three new stairways from International Arena to other rings.
• Expansion of International Club (former Jockey Club) including catering by Tavern on the Green, business center and conference area.
• Expansion and berming of special events area to allow for tent to accommodate approximately 1,000 people in sit-down banquet.
• "The Grove," a new paved outdoor wine, coffee and food area near the Grand Hunter Field.
• Several miles of new fiberoptic and electric wiring between the South Grounds (formerly Littlewood Farm) and the main Show Grounds to link offices and all in-gates, announcers and message boards.
• Wireless Internet across entire facility.
• Show grounds-wide availability of new continuously updated status of competitions, orders of go and results in all rings.
• Enhanced integrated sound/audio capability across all rings.
• 14 new integrated message boards, one for each ring.
• New 9 ft. x 12 ft.  full motion video "Jumbotron&#xu201D; in the International arena.
• Consistent PBIEC "signage&#xu201D; and You Are Here kiosks across entire PBIEC.
• Three new training, lunging rings.
• New Press Box with electrical and wireless Internet connections and other improvements.

Guided tours in the media center golf cart can be arranged by calling Ken Braddick at 561-793-3684