Mik 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 From the Miami Herald... Unless the state Senate pulls a big surprise and approves the Marlins' stadium funding package by the end of the legislative session Friday, owner Jeffrey Loria faces the most difficult decision of his professional life. Does he move the team, likely to Las Vegas? Or does he change his mind and chip in the final $30 million in funding to keep the team here? If the state does not deliver by Friday, look for MLB to give the Marlins the go-ahead to speak with other cities. We have also learned that Las Vegas has emerged as baseball's top choice among markets seeking teams, with Monterrey, Mexico, and Charlotte, N.C., less likely options. Vegas needs a stadium, and MLB believes there would be adequate funding for one. MLB president Robert DuPuy and the Marlins declined to discuss relocation. DuPuy said loaning or giving the Marlins the final funding piece ``has not been suggested or considered.'' Four scenarios to save the $420 million project: • The city or county increasing its contributions. Both say they won't. The county, whose $138 million contribution includes $78 million from hotel bed taxes, has had a good year in tourist revenue, but hasn't produced nearly enough above projections to cover the remaining $30 million. Is there a way to salvage the deal without state help? ''I'm not a quitter. I never give up,'' Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, lobbying for state money in Tallahassee this week, said Tuesday. ``I'm still convinced we can get state [help].'' • Loria increasing his $192 million piece. President David Samson has said Loria's contribution, the fourth-highest in pro sports, is as far as he will go. Forget a rich businessman buying a piece of the team and covering the final $30 million -- none has emerged, and the Marlins aren't courting any. • Eliminating the dome or the retractable element to save money. The Marlins won't consider either. • Reducing the cost of the project from $420 million to $390 million by cutting corners. The team, which has vowed to cover cost over-runs, has said that's unrealistic. The Marlins, contractually bound to Dolphins Stadium through 2006, remain disinterested in forging a new long-term lease with Wayne Huizenga. The article doesn't make it look over - but I've been reading the Florida papers and the past few weeks the Florida state senate has practically come right out and say they will not pass the bill. So...what now? Some of you know that I don't live in Florida, so I really don't care what happens in terms of location. But what would you do if you were in this situation? Wayne Huizenga is practically stealing money out of Jeff Loria and the Marlins' pocket. I know, karma's a bitch, right? My final opinion - they gotta bolt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 • Loria increasing his $192 million piece. President David Samson has said Loria's contribution, the fourth-highest in pro sports, is as far as he will go. Forget a rich businessman buying a piece of the team and covering the final $30 million -- none has emerged, and the Marlins aren't courting any. Funny how $30 Million is out of reach, yet they could afford to spend $32 Million on Carlos Delgado. So...what now? Some of you know that I don't live in Florida, so I really don't care what happens in terms of location. But what would you do if you were in this situation? Wayne Huizenga is practically stealing money out of Jeff Loria and the Marlins' pocket. I know, karma's a bitch, right? Jeff Loria knew about the lease when he bought the team. And considering how he pissed on the Expos' legacy and fucked over the city of Montreal, I have no sympathy for him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 So if the team move they will play in a converted minor league or football stadium? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mik 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 If they move to Vegas, Vegas would build them a stadium. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lightning Flik 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 They'll move it to Las Vegas, its Loria after all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Brian Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Do the Marlins need a new stadium? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Salacious Crumb Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Good, I hope more cities start refusing to build stadiums for teams. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Say hello to the Las Vegas Gamblers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 I still wonder about the viability of any pro franchise in Las Vegas. There's no built-in fanbase -- it's a tourist town. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Las Vegas in the NL East? lol... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hhh6294 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Pfft... let 'em move... no one down there cares about the team outside of the playoffs anyways. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mik 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Do the Marlins need a new stadium? Yes. They don't even get the money from the luxury suites or the parking and Wayne Huizenga is kicking them out after 2010. He amended that to say they can stay after pressure from the state, but they aren't wanted and they don't particularly want to be there. They are getting shorted the best profits. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkktookmybabyaway 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Funny how they won two World Series titles in 10 years and they're going to move... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dobbs 3K 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Yeah... Frankly I wonder if Florida has enough baseball fans to support two teams, especially when you have the regions most popular team, the Atlanta Braves right up the road? Opening the expansion Devil Rays in Tampa Bay was stupid, and probably hurt the Marlins financially, I would think. I would've thought the Devil Rays would have left or been disolved before the Marlins left, though (given the championships they've won, and all). As far as Las Vegas, they've apparently wanted a team for years, and I'm sure they could make a lot of money on suites for corporations and business executives, etc. What would they rename them, though? The Las Vegas Mafia or something? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Las Vegas in the NL East? lol... Just move them to the N.L. West and make it a six team division and move the Pirates to the East where they should already be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dobbs 3K 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Las Vegas in the NL East? lol... Just move them to the N.L. West and make it a six team division and move the Pirates to the East where they should already be. Better yet, move the Las Vegas Marlins (or whatever they'd be called) to the _AL_ West (since that division has only four teams right now), and move the Pirates to the NL East as you suggested. Then every division has five teams, and the two leagues are even. Oh, and then Selig's office should order at least a ten year moratorium on any consideration of expansion teams so we don't have to go through this again. Force the Angels to be called the Anaheim Angels again, or California Angels, and all is right with Major League Baseball (...other than the steroid crap). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vitamin X Report post Posted May 4, 2005 I still wonder about the viability of any pro franchise in Las Vegas. There's no built-in fanbase -- it's a tourist town. Totally incorrect. Las Vegas is one of the fastestr-growing cities in the country, it's far from "just a tourist town". There IS more to Vegas outside of the Strip, I hope y'all know... Pfft... let 'em move... no one down there cares about the team outside of the playoffs anyways. Speaking as someone who actually lives here in Miami, I can testify to this being very much the case. Which is the reason Heat fans piss me off- they've only popped up this year. The only team people here will stick with through thick and thin has been the Dolphins. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Better yet, move the Las Vegas Marlins (or whatever they'd be called) to the _AL_ West (since that division has only four teams right now), and move the Pirates to the NL East as you suggested. Then every division has five teams, and the two leagues are even. The leagues are set up as they are (16 NL, 14 AL) so that everyone will have an opponent, rather than have 2 teams off for three or four days at a time. The Pittsburgh to the East and Marlins to the West is a much better idea. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dobbs 3K 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Why can't the two odd teams at any given time just play each other in interleague play? It seems like there should be ways to get around that. It just seems silly to me to have a division with only four teams, personally. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Brian Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Do the Marlins need a new stadium? Yes. They don't even get the money from the luxury suites or the parking and Wayne Huizenga is kicking them out after 2010. He amended that to say they can stay after pressure from the state, but they aren't wanted and they don't particularly want to be there. They are getting shorted the best profits. My feeling is that unless the roof is falling, the public is already doing enough to pay for these things. No need to subsidize people's private ventures to this extent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Las Vegas in the NL East? lol... Just move them to the N.L. West and make it a six team division and move the Pirates to the East where they should already be. The Pirates' were in a division with the Cubs and Cardinals for years, that shouldn't change. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Why can't the two odd teams at any given time just play each other in interleague play? It seems like there should be ways to get around that. It just seems silly to me to have a division with only four teams, personally. Major league baseball doesn't want season long interleague games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Las Vegas in the NL East? lol... Just move them to the N.L. West and make it a six team division and move the Pirates to the East where they should already be. Better yet, move the Las Vegas Marlins (or whatever they'd be called) to the _AL_ West (since that division has only four teams right now), and move the Pirates to the NL East as you suggested. Then every division has five teams, and the two leagues are even. Hey genius. If it was that easy, they'd have done it that way. You can't have a league that plays every day with an odd number of teams. Nobody wants all that interleague all year long. I'm sorry but it seems like I've explained the "durrr why aren't there 15 and 15" thing a hundred times. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Styles 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 So, do we start mentioned the "C" word again? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 Las Vegas in the NL East? lol... Just move them to the N.L. West and make it a six team division and move the Pirates to the East where they should already be. The Pirates' were in a division with the Cubs and Cardinals for years, that shouldn't change. But at the same time, they were the Phillies' main rival until the division shift in 1994. With the unbalanced schedule, we sometimes only see the Pirates one series a year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 So, do we start mentioned the "C" word again? Fuck no. Portland, Las Vegas, and another location would all like a Major League Baseball team. Folding a team is bad for business overall. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 The AL will add two before MLB takes away two, now that baseball is big again. Like Al said, Portland and Vegas could be viable candidates, so could Memphis or Nashville. if that happens I'd like to see one team in the AL West, one team in the AL East, and the Blue Jays getting shifted to the AL Central to be with Cleveland and Detroit, two cities that are closer to Toronto geographically than Boston or St. Petersburg. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 The Twins stadium bill goes to the State legislature for a vote. If those useless idiots add any pork, or lecture us about how this should be decided by the voters. I'm gonna puke. You had no problem passing bills for light rail, the Walker Art Center, the Guthrie theatre, and god know's how much money is wasted by these incompetent boobs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mik 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 According to one of the articles I read this morning (there was something in all three big Florida papers that cover the Marlins)... one of the potential cities besides Vegas is Charlotte. Sure....AFTER I decide to move back to New York. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Your Paragon of Virtue 0 Report post Posted May 4, 2005 But how can you still like the team after they move? Most people I know stop caring for a team once it's not a part of their city anymore. Like the Phoenix Coyotes, Indianapolis Colts, etc. Okay, I know that MLB doesn't want interleague play all year long which explains the "15 and 15" thing, but WHY don't they? Is it because they've always done it like that, so that's just the way it is? The only thing I can think of would be to make the World Series feel special, but most people seem to pay more attention, or have in recent years, to the CS probably BECAUSE those teams played each other throughout the year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
