Former Dog Track Property Could Solve Parking Shortage at Sarasota Bradenton Airport

Apr. 3—SARASOTA — One of the possible uses for the Sarasota Kennel Club property could be providing parking for its neighbor, the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

Baird Inc., a Sarasota-based company, has the 25-acre site under contract in a $9.5 million deal.

Baird manages a diversified investment strategy in secured and asset-based lending, private equity and commercial real estate, according to its web page.

Tyler Oakley, the firm's vice president of finance and accounting, confirmed to the Bradenton Herald that his company has had talks with airport officials about using the kennel club property for airport parking.

But that is only one of several possible uses.

"It's really in the early days and there is a lot to figure out," Oakley said of finding the best use for the property. "We're vetting it out."

New plans for closed dog track

The Sarasota Kennel Club, 5400 Bradenton Road, closed in 2019 after Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment banning dog racing in the state.

A developer, Aventon Companies of Raleigh, N.C., previously sought to build 372 apartment units on the site but terminated its purchase agreement earlier this year.

Airport officials strongly opposed the planned apartments, which would have been 1,500 feet off SRQ's main runway.

Citing safety and noise concerns, Rick Piccolo, the airport's president and CEO said previously that residential development would be the worst possible use for the property.

In early March, the Sarasota City Commission voted 5-0 for a settlement with the airport which would essentially agree to rescind the land-use plan amendment that would have allowed residential development on the site.

The city commission will meet in April to vote to formally restore zoning to what had been allowed before the amendment.

Commercial development of the property would continue to be permitted. Piccolo has said he has no issue with commercial development there.

SRQ airport faces growing pains

Parking has become an acute problem at the fast-growing airport.

The Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority has authorized a parking study of the airport's options, including building a parking garage somewhere on airport property.

Construction is underway on a new ground-level terminal to help handle the airport's record passenger growth.

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