Social Feed

Today, Dade County and the City of Miami will have two seperate votes to decide the fate of whether south Florida will fund a new retractable roof stadium for the Florida Marlins....the FINAL hurdle. Now, the way it looks....it is 50-50 right now as far as all the reports I have seen on local news and read. It might have favored toward NOT happening due to the HUGE ruckus formed by the teachers union that was promised a raise in the last contract agreement between the county and the teachers union...and they will NOT be getting it....in fact, they have been asked to work less hours and a whole bunch of things that is somewhat TOO political to get into on this thread.

I am torn between REALLY wanting a stadium, but NOT at the expense of teachers, firemen and cops losing their jobs and watering down my children's education. It is also a VERY WELL known here how much I HATE BILLIONAIRE owners holding cities hostage for stadiums when they full well can afford to built it themselves. To the Marlins ownerships defense, they are putting more of THEIR OWN MONEY than any owner has to build a stadium in the last 50 years....somewhere in the range of $160 million dollars. BUT the city and the county has to come up with the remaining $350 million. The Marlins state they WILL pay for "any overages" above the $515-$525 million dollar price tag.

So needless to say, it is a big day here.

The Florida Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now! have clamored repeatedly for the construction of a new ballpark to begin. The team, closer than ever to its goal, now faces a last-minute struggle to pay for a new home in a sinking economy.

Two crucial votes today should determine whether the Marlins will be able to break ground this summer on a $515 million stadium at the former site of the Orange Bowl.

Marlins President David Samson calls today's meetings "the vote of all votes." Approval is not assured.

Contracts to build the ballpark need three of five votes at the Miami City Commission, and nine of 13 at the Miami-Dade County Commission, where the team is likely to run into more opposition.

The ballpark would be financed mostly from taxes paid by tourists. But county commissioners, some of whom have supported the project in the past, are concerned about pledging a large sum of money during a recession. Some also worry that certain general fund revenue could be tapped as a backstop, should bed-tax dollars run short.

"That means we could cut services," said County Commissioner Joe Martinez, who also questions team financing for its portion of the deal.

The plan's specifics call for the county to contribute $297 million from hotel bed taxes and $50 million from a general obligation bond issue. The city would provide the land and $13 million in bed taxes, and build $94 million worth of parking garages and lots. The team would contribute $155 million. The Marlins have always stressed they don't want to redirect tax dollars for social services to the ballpark.

"That's not the intent of the deal, and it will not happen in this deal," Samson said.

County Commissioner Sally Heyman supports keeping the Marlins in South Florida but doesn't like the county carrying the burden of the project.

"The Marlins want a new home and they want us to give them their home loan," she said.

County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez worries about a variety of issues, including the amount the Marlins are contributing and encumbering hotel tax dollars for decades.

"When you start doing this, you're also mortgaging the future," Gimenez said. "You're also tying the hands of future generations of commissions from having any money to do projects of their own."

County Commissioner Natacha Seijas, who hasn't always favored the ballpark, said she is pleased that her concerns that labor unions and wages be protected have been addressed. She said county staff assured her there is enough hotel bed tax revenue to cover the project.

"To this point, right now, I'm comfortable with what I'm seeing," Seijas said.


Marlins stadium teeters on 'vote of all votes' -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

EDIT: I have added some pics of the proposed new stadium