Harrah’s Pompano Beach Developers Seek to Avoid Relocating Burrowing Owls
Posted on: October 27, 2022, 11:08h.
Last updated on: October 27, 2022, 11:33h.
The developers of Harrah’s Pompano Beach in Florida say they would prefer to pay a fee instead of undergoing efforts to relocate burrowing owls that have called the property home for decades.
Owner and operator Caesars Entertainment ended live harness racing at the storied racino racetrack in early 2022 after 58 years. The casino company is undergoing a major redevelopment and rebranding of the location.
Caesars is renovating the Isle Casino Pompano property into Harrah’s Pompano Beach, an entertainment destination with indoor and outdoor gaming featuring more than 1,600 slot machines and electronic table game positions, and more than 40 poker tables. The renovation includes a new parking garage to allow easier guest access.
The Cordish Companies, a Maryland-based gaming and hospitality firm, has additionally partnered with Caesars to build a mixed-use development on the expansive 220-acre casino property. Cordish plans to build residential units, office space, retail shops, numerous restaurants and bars, a grocery store, and a hotel on the Isle grounds that formerly housed the racetrack and horse stables.
While Harrah’s Pompano Beach plans to open by the end of the year, the Cordish component is an expansion project that’s expected to take many years to complete.
Relocating Owls Unwise
Isle racetrack workers who were let go following the cessation of live racing were the first to voice concerns for the habitat of the casino’s burrowing owl population. The former employees say several owl families have called the vast greenspaces their home for many years.
Project Perch, a member organization of the Audubon Society working to protect burrowing owls in South Florida, has since joined the cause. Caesars and Cordish have been told by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) that they must relocate the burrowing owls or pay a $9,500 fee for eradicating their natural environment.
In August, the companies filed an application with the FWC seeking approval to pay the fee.
“Avoidance and minimization are not feasible to accomplish the project purpose,” the application explained as to why the owl burrows cannot be relocated on the property.
In 223 acres of green space, there is no way to accommodate the owls?” questioned Kelly Heffernan, a Project Perch member and spokesperson.
Roger Goldstein worked at the horse racetrack for nearly 50 years. He told the Sun Sentinel recently that Cordish and Caesars should have understood the responsibility of caring for the owls before redeveloping the property.
“They bought a property with an endangered species on it. The owls have been there forever,” Goldstein said.
Wise Owls?
The notion that owls are intelligent dates back to Greek mythology. The ancient Greeks viewed an owl’s ability to see at night and their heightened nighttime senses as mystical abilities associated with the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena.
But just how intelligent are owls? Do the burrowing owls on the future Harrah’s Pompano Beach property understand the threat facing their native homes? It’s unlikely.
It’s sad to say, but most owls actually fall into the lower range of bird intelligence,” says BirdMinds.com, an online website providing insights into bird brains.
Experts say about 75% of an owl’s brain is devoted to senses, primarily sight and sound. “Most owls are dimwits,” concluded the BirdMinds website.
According to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, when threatened, burrowing owls flatten themselves against the ground or run instead of flying as most other owls do. The burrowing owl is the only owl that perches on the ground.
Related News Articles
Most Popular
Most Commented
Most Read
LOST VEGAS: First Documented ‘Trick Roll’ by a Prostitute
Corey Levitan
— September 9, 2024
Last Comments ( 3 )
When Harrah's is spending the kind of money they've allocated for the purchase of Pompano Park, the fine of $9,500 to re-home the endangered burrowing owl population is a bird brain amount. I'd say burrowing owl's are probably the least likely to survive of all the different owl populations as they perch on the ground and will be crushed by Harrah's bulldozers by accident. I don't think a 9,500$ fee is enough compensation for an endangered species home, unless it's the fee for each one found to call the 223 acre's home. Anyone care to wager how many owl's call it home? Someone from FWC doing the counting? Let's let the good people of The Audubon Society do the head count so we can trust the number's. Let's hope that they can count better than the vote counter's of election results . Shake the bushes and see ??
I've never seen or read such controversy over owls where are all the people for wildlife why don't they get involved?! And to the gentlemen jentioning a pellet gun to get rid of them. Shame on you! There are other ways to work around the issue. If it's an endangered species there has to be someone to call to help relocate them. Especially at the Harrahs property. They should have to pay more than a $9,500 fee! It's not like they cant afford it! This what I just read is ridiculous. So we as people/us humans have to co-exist with certain animals/species, etc. Besides weren't they more than likely here first?! There has to be better resolutions to issues such as this!
These owls are pests. Mine are smack dab in the middle of my lawn of which I wanted to replace and now I can't. So now I have to look at a mound of dog poop. (Yes, they forage the poop and surround the hole so preditors smell the poop and stay away) on top of that they poop all over my mail box. Yes, it's them. Who else poops out the bones of what they eat. Same goes for my front porch lights. Every now and then they will swoop down on your head. As far as I'm concerned it's my property and these owls are a trespassing nucence. I should be able to get rid of them anyway I see fit. Short of loading my pellet gun.