Wasn't the steel beams from the former grandstand/sail loft saved as well? Also, was the reason Ringling lost their Sarasota home was because they did not put an ad for the city/county in the program as they had since they moved from Bridgeport?
In the Nov 9, 1959 edition of "The Billboard" Tom Parkinson writes that the Arvida Corporation has "purchased the 160 acre quarters site for $340,000." He adds "The picture now of quarters is one of mechanics offering to buy tools, farmers dickering to buy pieces of canvas and an occasional showman offering to buy special equipment. The deserted shops and storehouses remind one of the stories about Pompeii. But by spring there will be new ranch houses on this land."
Did Irvin Field use this property in Sarasota or another after he owned the show? Iam thinking he later moved to the Tampa fairgrounds after the railroad would not up-grade or make improvements to the tracks to the lot in Sarasota.
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You can the girders from the old train barn in the Venice Arena...
Wasn't the steel beams from the former grandstand/sail loft saved as well?
Also, was the reason Ringling lost their Sarasota home was because they did not put an ad for the city/county in the program as they had since they moved from Bridgeport?
I was told they left Sarasota over a tax issue. The city tried to raise their tax rate and Venice offered a better deal.
Bob Momyer
In the Nov 9, 1959 edition of "The Billboard" Tom Parkinson writes that the Arvida Corporation has "purchased the 160 acre quarters site for $340,000." He adds "The picture now of quarters is one of mechanics offering to buy tools, farmers dickering to buy pieces of canvas and an occasional showman offering to buy special equipment. The deserted shops and storehouses remind one of the stories about Pompeii. But by spring there will be new ranch houses on this land."
Did Irvin Field use this property in Sarasota or another after he owned the show? Iam thinking he later moved to the Tampa fairgrounds after the railroad would not up-grade or make improvements to the tracks to the lot in Sarasota.
In 1960 the show moved to the
Venice airport property where the
city of Venice leased the South
East corner for $1 per year & the
Gulf Seminole RR had a siding
on the other side of the South
bridge South of the Venice train
station where the show could
bring the train cars each year
It was this same Railroad that
was the primary reason for the
show leaving Venice
The Venice arena was created out
of many odd elements from the
buildings in the Sarasota WQ
John Mikos the Sarasota County
tax assesor had a lifelong fight
with the show but that was not
the cause for the move
Venice is within Sarasota County
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