Gulfstream Park staff and construction crews from Forest City are spending the weekend securing materials and equipment in preparation for Hurricane Ike.

Racetrack employees stored the more-than 600 seats and tables from the apron in safe places while workers on the multi-million dollar retail development hustled to install roof tiles and weigh-down their equipment for the storm, whose winds and rains are expected to reach South Florida by late Monday or Tuesday.

Roof tiles that have not been installed by Sunday night will be taken off the roof and stored. Construction materials will be banded together and/or weighed down with construction equipment or similarly heavy materials. Dumpsters have been emptied.

Additional crews were called in to clean up loose trash and debris. The vision-screening on the fences were taken down Saturday. Generators will be delivered to the site Monday morning in preparation of a possible power loss, allowing the use of power tools for repairs and emergency needs.

Gulfstream Park’s race meeting begins Jan. 3 and will continue through April 19.

The retail project is expected to be completed October, 2009.