If the Horse Shows Leaves, Will Wellington’s Charm Go With It?

Wellington’s reputation as an equestrian town could ride off into the sunset if the company that operates a prestigious horse show and equestrian fest takes its business elsewhere.

Stadium Jumping Inc., which produces the National Horse Show and the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington each year, has threatened to leave the area. The company is being sued by developer Mark Bellissimo, who says that even though Stadium Jumping Inc. has a lease that expires in 2008, the company signed an agreement in 2005 that would keep the horse shows in Wellington for another 30 years.

Developers, officials and residents fear that if Stadium Jumping Inc. leaves, property values on Wellington homes, some of the most prime South Florida real estate, will plunge. Wellington has cultivated an atmosphere of equestrian tranquility, a haven for horse lovers amid the urban hustle and bustle and suburban sprawl of the rest of South Florida.

Bellissimo is planning to build the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, a 400-plus acre complex which would include estate homes, retail shops and more than 100 hotel rooms. The lawsuit alleges Stadium Jumping Inc.’s decision to move out of Wellington has “seriously jeopardized” Bellisimo’s project.