Saddle up, cowboy. Davie is taking its heritage to new heights.
The town is hoping to create a major tourist draw by expanding its Western-themed downtown with a village that would include restaurants, a saloon, a museum, a hotel, shopping and entertainment. And it plans to celebrate its agricultural heritage with an 84-acre farm park, eight miles away.
“Miami has Wynwood. Every successful community has something unique that drives people from outside to come in, and this is what is going to do it for us. It will be the driver of the bus,” said council member Bryan Caletka.
Davie resembled an Old West outpost in its early days, and the main mode of transportation — horses — still figures prominently. The town hosts the annual Davie Pro Rodeo, which brings in nationally ranked cowboys. The town has miles of equestrian trails, and the local McDonald’s used to allow horses in its drive-through before it closed.
Under its new plan, Town Hall and the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds would serve as cornerstones of a 24-acre Western Village, situated between SW 39th Street and Griffin Road, east of Davie Road.
“It adds a destination in Broward County. The No. 1 destination is Sawgrass Mills Mall, and we’re not going to compete with retail, so what do you do? You come up with something that is unique,” Caletka said. “And it is in line with a previous study that we paid for which said double down on the Western theme.”
Among the things being contemplated:
— A Western-themed luxury hotel with up to 70 suites.
— A 10,000 square-foot museum dedicated to Davie’s history.
— A $1.5 million upgrade to the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds to attract more national rodeo competitions and other events.
A consultant’s review of the proposal estimates it would cost at least $34 million.
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