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Could Frank McCourt really bring horse jumping to Dodger Stadium?

Former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt is working toward growing his international tour for jumping horses. Would Dodger Stadium ever play host to a U.S. stop for the series?
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Close your eyes and imagine it:

A warm fall afternoon, world-class horses jumping at Dodger Stadium and Frank McCourt sitting in the owners’ box, wearing an open-neck shirt with monogrammed cufflinks and singing the sport’s praises.

Hey, who needs the NFL in the Dodger Stadium parking lots when McCourt can bring us jumping horses?

Far-fetched? Well, hopefully, but maybe not as far-fetched as you might imagine.

As mentioned in June, McCourt apparently grew weary of sitting on the sidelines of the sports world and re-entered it by purchasing half of the Global Champions Tour.

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This is an international tour for show jumping, has major riders and horses, $12 million in prize money, and under McCourt, ambitions to become the Formula One of horses jumping over stuff.

There are 14 international stops on the tour and McCourt wants it to grow. Wants to take it to Asia and the United States.

Don’t tell me this isn’t a match made in show-jumping heaven. McCourt, as you may just possibly remember, still owns a half interest in the property surrounding Dodger Stadium.

McCourt, come on home!

He was in London over the Labor Day weekend to take in a stop on his tour, apparently already having won over the United Kingdom press. Wrote the Irish Times:

“McCourt takes his seat, wearing an open-neck shirt with monographed cufflinks. He has the engaging character of an Irish-American dealmaker, who is clearly passionate about his new investment.”

Where have we heard that before?

According to the report, the reason we haven’t seen McCourt much since he sold the Dodgers for $2.15 billion is because he moved to New York and renamed his business arm “McCourt Global.” He never did lack ambition. It has two main arms, one to develop real estate and the other to make investments.

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Hey, they have parking lots in Europe.

McCourt’s partner in this little endeavor is Jan Tops, who created the tour in 2006. Wrote the Irish Times:

“McCourt knew Tops had developed a good series, but he felt his knowledge of growing revenues by television, merchandising and other deals could make it a greater success.”

Not to mention his personal expertise on sports bankruptcy.

They already had stops in Paris, London and Monaco and have added new ones in Shanghai and Qatar.

“We will also be expanding into the United States,” McCourt told the newspaper.

“This is the chance to build one of the very rare truly global brands in sport. That makes it very, very special. Each venue looks totally different and feels different. It is not like we are going from one cookie-cutter event to the next. Each one is a piece of artwork.”

This doesn’t scream Dodger Stadium? McCourt doesn’t own the ballpark, but his half interest in the land around it includes an agreement with Guggenheim Baseball Management that allows him to buy back part of the parking lots to build a sports venue.

You know, like for horses to jump over stuff. Is this a natural, or what?

In addition to the $2.15 billion he received for selling the team, the deal also called for Guggenheim to invest up to $650 million in a real estate investment fund run by McCourt. He told the Irish Times:

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“We are building grand projects all around the world with Guggenheim. For a builder there is nothing more special.”

I don’t know of anything he’s ever actually built, either, but McCourt said he’s bought a site on 10th Avenue in New York for $167 million to develop a skyscraper. In the meantime, there are all those Manhattan cars with nowhere to park.

Yes, life is pretty good for Billionaire Frank. He even has a special way of looking back at his experience with the Dodgers: “We are very proud of what we were able to accomplish in a very short period of time. We fixed the team both on and off the field.”

As validation, he offers the record prize the Dodgers went for, not mentioning the record TV deal that was on the horizon.

Oh well, he has horses to worry about now. And don’t tell me you can’t picture “The Royal Frank McCourt Horsejumping Joint” nestled along Chavez Ravine. Bet Frank can.

“I really consider myself to be a hugely fortunate human being,” he said. “I have always felt that way. A lot has been given to me in life and I try to do the best with it. I don’t take it for granted.”

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