OCALA, Fl. (352today.com) – Once echoing with the thunder of pelota balls and the murmur of poker chips, Ocala Gainesville Poker & Jai-Alai stood as one of the most unique entertainment venues in Marion County. From its opening in the early 1970s to its closure in 2023, it blended fast-paced sport, Florida gambling culture and small-town spectacle in a single, modest building just north of downtown Ocala.
The facility opened in 1973, when the sport of jai alai – imported from Spain’s Basque region – was as its peak popularity across Florida. The game was known for its speed and danger, with players using curved, hand-held wicker scoops (cestas) to launch a small, hard ball (pelota) against a wall at speeds reaching 150 mph.
The exact address of the venue has long been a matter of debate since the facility’s closure, though the fronton is housed in Orange Lake just off of N U.S. Hwy. 441 – a discrepancy caused by changes in postal boundaries and road naming over the decades…