It's Bergeron's Century, Davie Just Lives In It (Photos)
The Town of Davie is considering an idea to restrict the deed on the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds for the next 99 years.
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| Bergeron with the former governor |
Don't get me wrong. The roots of Davie do need to be preserved and the rodeo grounds and certainly Ron Bergeron himself are big parts of that. But there are ways to do that other than locking the town into a century-long freeze-out.
I'm going to wager it passes. Why? The man himself, Bergeron, wants it to happen. And what Alligator Ron wants, Alligator Ron generally gets. Hell, he got his name put on the rodeo grounds after giving a mere $150,000 to the city for parking. That there's a deal.
You can't fault Bergeron for that, he's a good businessman. It's on the city. If Davie had tried to sell eternal naming rights to the rodeo grounds, I'm pretty sure they could have gotten more than 150 grand for it.
You'll note that the people who voice opposition to the deed restriction aren't elected officials. The electeds don'thave the gonads to cross Bergeron, who showers them with campaign contributions. The only council member quoted in the story, Susan Starkey, voiced support for the idea. Bergeron and his lobbyist-girlfriend Ali Waldman have been huge supporters of Starkey for years and she's not about to bite the hand that feeds her.
Inside, a peek inside Bergeron's world, a place where horses run, alligators lurk, and politicians pander.
The place is Alligator Ron's Saloon, which is located out at Bergeron's giant Everglades spread, Green Glades. Here's what the saloon looks like:
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This is where Bergeron throws fundraisers for the politicians he favors. Here's a shot from one of those fundraisers:
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That photo was taken at a fundraiser for Weston commission candidate Jim Norton, who won office with Bergeron's help. Also photographed, from left to right, are Sheriff Lamberti, Weston Mayor Eric Hersh, Weston Commissioner Angel Gomez, and Pembroke Pines Commissioner Angelo Castillo.
Below we have an example of a saloon invite for one of Bergeron's fundraisers.
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That of course is state Rep. Franklin Sands. He won too.
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That's Davie Mayor Judy Paul, an old friend of Bergeron's, chilling at the saloon last July during a screening for the documentary Florida Crackers: The Cattlemen and Cowboys of Florida.
In the mood for a blast from the past:
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| Blacktie South Florida |
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