Marlins deal puts ballpark in reach
The Florida Marlins and leaders from the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County agree on a site and a plan to pay most of the cost of a new ballpark for the team.
By CHARLES RABIN AND OSCAR CORRAL
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A series of lightning-quick negotiations that led to an agreement among the city of Miami, Miami-Dade County and the Florida Marlins has left the fate of baseball in Miami squarely in the hands of state legislators.
The missing piece: $30 million in state money.
Thursday afternoon, in a packed Miami commission chamber, leaders of the three entities announced plans to build a new baseball park for the club on the southwest corner of East Little Havana's Orange Bowl property.
The team now plays in North Dade's Pro Player Stadium, owned by H. Wayne Huizenga and home to the Miami Dolphins.
''Our goal was very simple from Day One,'' Marlins President David Samson said. ``It was to make sure the Marlins stay here forever.''
First, however, they must get here. And for that to happen state lawmakers have less than a day to find $30 million for the team.
House Speaker Johnnie Byrd said Wednesday there was little chance the Marlins would get any money. Thursday, Marlin supporter and Hialeah Rep. Ralph Arza was more blunt.
''I think it's dead,'' he said.
Still, Samson held out hope after Gov. Jeb Bush weighed in on the plan earlier in the day.
''There's still hope. They keep winning; there's a chance,'' Bush said. ``The team hasn't been on a sound financial footing because of the lack of a stadium . . . They had poor attendance, too, I might add. So yes, I'm concerned about that.''
Much of the team's financial plan places the stadium cost on fans via a ticket surcharge, and on the public, siphoning hotel bed tax and sports franchise tax money.
$30 MILLION
The $30 million that the Marlins are seeking from the state would come from a bond created from a sales tax rebate of $2 million a year over the next 30 years.
The Marlins lease would be for 32 years. The team would pay for any cost over-runs. The county would own the stadium. Samson said if the state awards the team money, construction could begin as soon as this fall.
''We do believe we have a finance plan that is workable, and we believe we have the right site,'' County Manager George Burgess said. ``I'm not going to suggest to you it's a done deal, but they're working in Tallahassee as we speak.''
The deal still needs to be approved by the city and county commissions. Even if the team gets no help from the state this year, Samson suggested the team could appeal to legislators next year.
''This is a major step for all of us in Florida. And we're hopeful the Legislature, in its good wisdom, will see the importance of keeping baseball in South Florida,'' Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said. ``We still need to fill that gap.''
Thursday's announcement calls for a $325 million, retractable-roof ballpark on the southwest corner of the Orange Bowl property.
The stadium would be built on what is now a parking lot and some rental properties that would be obtained by demolishing the units after they had been obtained through eminent domain.
It also calls for the creation of a $32 million, 2,500-space parking garage that would pay for itself with bond money, and an additional $10 million that would be needed for land purchases.
The Marlins would pony up $157 million: $20 million of it would be in equity, $10 million would come from a ticket surcharge to paying customers, and $127 million by using its rent money to pay off a bond the county would obtain, in much the same way one would pay off a home loan to a bank.
The city of Miami would supply the property and pitch in $28 million in tourist development tax dollars.
And the county's end would come to $120 million; $82 million from a hotel bed tax and another $38 million from a professional sports facilities franchise tax.
There is a catch to the plan, aside from the much-needed state money: The project is contingent on the sale of Overtown's Miami Arena.
The Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority has agreed to seek bids on the arena and says it has a $25 million bid from parking magnate Jacob ''Hank'' Sopher.
Miami Mayor Manny Diaz said the sale of the arena could free up as much as $93 million in hotel bed tax and bond money.
WORKING IN UNISON
Thursday's lofty agreement had giddy commissioners calling the event ''historic,'' and speaking of how rare it is for the city and county to work in unison.
''This is one of those feel-good days for the community,'' Miami Commissioner Tomás Regalado said.
Said City Commissioner Johnny Winton: ``I consider this a historic meeting.''
The announcement culminates a six-month drive by the team to find a new home for the struggling World Series champions.
After purchasing the team two years ago Marlin owner Jeffrey Loria purposely held off calling for a new ballpark in fear of alienating fans, scarred since former owner Huizenga won the World Series in 1997, and sold off most of his players.
Boston Red Sox owner John Henry later bought the franchise and campaigned unsuccessfully before state lawmakers several times before selling to Loria.
Herald staff writers Michael Vasquez and Lesley Clark and Clark Spencer contributed to this report.
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They are so close, but I still don't know if it's gonna happen. $30 million is nothing on a state budget, why are the state reps so intent on fucking this up for Florida?
