Since the last couple got closed due to a certain loony member I'll start another one.
BASEBALL
New Marlins stadium plan unveiled
A new plan was unveiled to build the Florida Marlins a ballpark at the Orange Bowl that involved shifting the timing and burden of payments between the team and Miami-Dade County.
BY CHARLES RABIN
crabin@MiamiHerald.com
Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess offered the Florida Marlins a revised plan for the Orange Bowl site Tuesday that shifts a large out-of-pocket cash burden to the ball club, yet costs the county more in the long term.
Burgess' plan, detailed in a cramped third-floor County Hall conference room with Major League Baseball in attendance, prompted team officials to break a year-long silence on publicly discussing stadium issues.
Team President David Samson called the next 10 days ''critical,'' and said for the first time that if a deal can be brokered, the team would play at the Orange Bowl site.
''We're absolutely willing to look at that,'' said Samson, who was digesting the plan's fine print late Tuesday evening. ``We're not site-specific. We're South Florida specific.''
Burgess, surrounded not only by MLB officials but five county commissioners, said the plan ``minimizes risk to the county.''
The big reason: The Marlins would have to come up with $155 million on the front end, more than triple the $45 million previously discussed.
Yet the team would end up paying less in the long haul for the facility, now budgeted at $525 million. Before, the team's overall burden over many years would total $207 million. Now, it stops at $155 million.
The county's share, meanwhile, would shift as well.
Before, the county would have put up $145 million in bonded tax revenues. It also would have floated a $162 million bond issue that the team would have repaid over decades through gate and concession receipts.
Now, the county will put up $199 million in mostly tourist tax dollars and chip in $50 million from a General Obligation Bond. While that $249 million total is less than the $307 million previously discussed, the county would not be getting additional payments back from the team.
After seven years of failed efforts to find the two-time World Series champions a new home, Burgess said: ``We have a funding plan in place we think works -- finally.''
He said the new formula means public financing would be lowered from 95 percent to about 70 percent. ''Getting away from public financing is good,'' Burgess said. County commissioners will meet Tuesday to discuss the plan.
CITY INVOLVED
Also needing to sign off on the deal: the city of Miami, which would need to put in $121 million, mostly from tourist tax dollars.
Watching it all unfold is Major League Baseball, which believes South Florida warrants keeping the franchise. ''I've got a lot of reading to do tonight,'' said Irwin Raij, an MLB attorney.
The Orange Bowl site became available -- and the preference of some county commissioners -- when the University of Miami announced its football team would play next year at Dolphin Stadium.
Not long after, county leaders managed to shift $50 million in bond money planned to renovate the OB for the Hurricanes to instead help the Marlins build a state-of-the-art facility.
The cost has jumped from a recent $490 million estimate to build at downtown Miami's Government Center.
When complete -- the goal is to open the gates by April 2010 -- the 37,000-seat stadium would feature 60 private luxury suites, a retractable roof and natural grass.
The Marlins would be responsible for cost overruns, and the city of Miami would be on the hook for building a 6,000-car garage. The county would own the stadium.
The team would be required to enter into a non-relocation agreement.
The new details emerge as fan morale took a hit after last week's trade of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, the Marlins' two most recognizable stars and last remnants from the 2003 World Series champions.
WANT TO STAY
But with a relatively healthy radio and television audience, MLB and owner Jeffrey Loria have expressed a will to stay in South Florida.
The Marlins have said for years they're in dire need of a new facility. Dolphin Stadium, owned by H. Wayne Huizenga and on the county line, was built for football. Loria has consistently cut payroll, saying the majority of parking and concession money goes to Huizenga.
Samson believes that if a stadium is built, the team that traditionally stands near the bottom in payroll and attendance could draw crowds back. ''We've seen markets completely turn around with new stadiums,'' he said.
Tuesday's meeting started as a simple get-together of Commission Chairman Bruno Barreiro and Commissioner Jose ''Pepe'' Diaz, who co-chairs the county's sports commission. It mushroomed as word spread. Soon in attendance were Commissioners Natacha Seijas, Joe Martinez and Carlos Gimenez.
Martinez and Gimenez expressed concerns. Martinez questioned Raij about the Marlins' ability to come up with the money. Before leaving the meeting, Gimenez noted that the team's share would dip. ''Now we're at $155 million,'' he said. ``That's all I've got to say.''
I'm sure there's evidence for and to the contrary of how stadiums impact their surrounding area.and spellbound please don't make me provide research that proves that stadiums do not help revitalize areas...
The guy is a clown. His "qualification" for the job was hosting a talk show for geriatrics.When is Regalado going to retire or even better go back to Cuba.