Stadium News

[yagsy]

Just heard that the House of Reps (Florida) just approved a Stadium Tax bill for a new stadium to be built for the Fish. Although it still has to be approved by the Florida Senate, fans are hopeful. :Pray:

Any Floridians have any details?

[Florida Fan]

Hmmm I going to look it right now,that's great news :clap:

[Florida Fan]

Here's some info on it

TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Marlins scored a dramatic political victory Wednesday as the Florida House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of a $60 million state tax subsidy to build a ballpark in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood.

The baseball stadium proposal cleared the state House on a 90-26 vote, tied to a funding package that would provide millions of state sales tax dollars throughout the state for baseball spring training sites and other sports stadiums and facilities.


Gov. Jeb Bush gave the budget request a hesitant endorsement, saying it deserves a hearing in the Florida Senate.

"I'm keeping an open mind," he said. "I think they've done everything people have asked them to do on how to make their case.

"They've shown the community support. The cities and counties have stepped up, and I think it ought to have a fair hearing."

Sponsors of the stadium-funding package clapped hands and cheered when the House voted.

But the House bill (HB 173) is significantly different from a Senate package, and legislators have just over a week to reach an accord.

The stadium funding also faces sharp skepticism from Senate President Tom Lee.

Proponents of the stadium deal "have not been able to sell this issue," Lee told reporters late Wednesday. "There are not the votes to pass the Marlins [bill] ... People vote their conscience, and right now there just aren't the votes.

"It's a long shot," Lee added.

The House bill (HB 173) diverts $2 million a year for the Marlins and $2 million a year for four spring training sites, as well as $5 million a year to counties with convention centers.

Among the baseball training sites that would benefit under the bill are Fort Lauderdale Stadium for the Baltimore Orioles and Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie, where the Mets play spring training games. Over 30 years the bill would provide $15 million to the baseball spring training sites. And at Tradition Field, $500,000 a year would go to repay renovations made to the park two years ago.

For skeptics such as Lee, a big trouble spot is that former Marlins owner Wayne Huizenga got a similar rebate in the 1990s after he bought the team.

Huizenga used that rebate to retrofit the Dolphins Stadium for baseball, but the rebate stays with that venue.

The Marlins new owner is seeking state funds to help build a new retractable-roof stadium. This year, the team's new approach has been to rely on city and county officials to lobby for the stadium with arguments that it will be a boon to local business.

``We've paid once to have a location for the Florida Marlins,'' Lee said. If Dolphins Stadium wasn't an acceptable home for the Marlins, he said, then the buyers should have paid less or walked away from the deal.

Still, Miami and Miami-Dade County officials, who watched the House deliberations in the Capitol after spending days lobbying legislators to pass the bill, were ecstatic after the vote.

``It now goes to the Senate very strong," said Miami Mayor Manny Diaz

[Baseball Guru]

Great!

Hope this goes thru... They need a new stadium so badly.. It drives me NUTS to see they play in Dolphins stadium:Pissed:

How World Championships have the Dolphins won in the last 10 years?

[yagsy]

I'm with ya there James. It's so wrong everytime they say the name of that stadium. No advertising for the Marlins. I never liked the Dophins before but the way they have handled their tennants? Lousy, incredibly greedy and absolutely no show of any sort of friendship for a different major sport in the same area. They share basically the same fans. :hmm:

Good question there James? How many Superbowls have the Dolphins had? When was it? :hmm: