Marlins near deal for a new ballpark

 

County and city leaders say a new financing proposal for a Florida Marlins ballpark is close to completion but not yet final.

 

BY CHARLES RABIN AND OSCAR CORRAL

 

[email protected]

 

 

STADIUM TALKS

 

Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami were close to a financing deal with the Florida Marlins early Wednesday to build a new baseball stadium near the Orange Bowl, but enough snags had developed by late in the day to send them back to the negotiating table.

 

The remaining points of discussion: who will pay for a parking garage, and how much money from the potential sale of the city-owned Miami Arena would go toward the project.

 

Still, County Manager George Burgess and Miami Mayor Manny Diaz were hopeful the sides will reach agreement, perhaps as soon as today.

 

''We're not quite there tonight. Hopefully, we'll be there tomorrow,'' Burgess said. ``It's not insurmountable.''

 

Diaz agreed: ``We're very close. It's very fluid. When all is said and done we will have a working agreement. It could be tomorrow or it could be a week from now.''

 

City Manager Joe Arriola seemed more pessimistic, saying much of the proposal had to be renegotiated because the Marlins failed to secure a key part of the funding Wednesday, a $60 million state sales tax rebate.

 

The proposed rebate of $2 million a year over 30 years is opposed by both the Senate president and House speaker, but club President Dave Samson flew to Tallahassee on Wednesday to try to change their minds.

 

There, Samson and Marlins lobbyist William McKinley met briefly with House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, who remained adamantly against awarding taxpayer dollars to the club.

 

''[byrd] told them his position had not changed,'' said Byrd's spokesman, Tom Denham.

 

Though the session ends Friday, Diaz remained confident a stadium deal could be worked out even without state money this year.

 

''The Marlins could conceivably move forward without a commitment from Tallahassee and go back next year,'' he said.

 

Early Wednesday, all three sides had tentatively agreed to put more money into the proposal for a $325 million, retractable-roof stadium. Any proposal would still need to be approved by the county and city commissions.

 

The financing under the proposal now being negotiated is contingent on the sale of the city-owned Miami Arena. The Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority has agreed to seek bids on the arena and already has one, a $25 million offer from parking facility tycoon Jacob ''Hank'' Sopher.

 

The county had previously pledged $73 million in tourist tax revenue and the club agreed to provide $137 million.

 

Now, county and city officials propose adding arena sale proceeds and tourist tax money that had previously been earmarked for the arena to make up part of the $115 million still needed to pay the full ballpark cost. The partners hope the state tax rebate makes up the rest of the gap.

 

The Marlins wouldn't comment on the proposal's specifics, but Burgess said the team would increase its share of the cost by using money obtained through naming rights, a ticket surcharge or concessions.

 

Diaz said the county would own the stadium under the latest plan.

 

But the negotiators have not agreed on who would pay the $32 million cost of a 2,500-space parking garage, nor how much of the arena money would be used.

 

The negotiators have estimated that the sale would create about $23 million that could go toward the new ballpark.

 

Additionally, the county now pays $6 million a year in tourist hotel taxes toward the debt and upkeep of Miami Arena that could be bonded out and used to build the ballpark.

 

Miami Commissioner Johnny Winton was cautious about the arena money, saying, ``We don't have the arena sold. And I still don't know if the arena will be sold.''

 

Arriola's assessment of the deal's prospects changed during the course of the day. Early Wednesday, he told WQAM-AM (560) radio host Joe Rose he was confident that if legislators didn't award the money this year, the club could return next year and a deal could still be struck.

 

''We have found ways to finance the stadium,'' Arriola said then.

 

But Wednesday evening, Arriola told The Herald, ''There's no deal.'' He cited the Marlins' lack of luck in Tallahassee as one reason for the change.

 

Despite Samson's experience in Tallahassee, the Marlins remained positive.

 

Asked if the club could begin the building process almost immediately if lawmakers were to award the $60 million before the week's end, Marlins spokesman P.J. Loyello said yes.

 

As talks continued, the sides appeared to have settled on a site to the southwest of the city-owned Orange Bowl.

 

''I love the deal and the site,'' Miami Commissioner Tom?s Regalado said. ``It can even move forward without state money. They can go back to Tallahassee next year.''

 

 

They didnt get the state money but it sounds like it will work out anyway and we will find out soon. Though there is some pessimism from Ariolla. This is so nerve racking....as if it could all fall through any second with either side just pouting and ending up with the Marlins heading out of town.

i was just looking at other ballpark costs....

 

 

when some other stadiums have gone over 400 million with cost overruns, how the heck was Enron Field built with a retractable roof for only $250 million???

 

that's not 2004 dollars granted.... but the park opened in 2000 so it wasn't very long ago.

i was just looking at other ballpark costs....

 

 

when some other stadiums have gone over 400 million with cost overruns, how the heck was Enron Field built with a retractable roof for only $250 million???

 

that's not 2004 dollars granted.... but the park opened in 2000 so it wasn't very long ago.

Enron must have shredded the real price tag.

Tallahassee can kiss my butt. I hope this all works out.

Tallahassee can kiss my butt. I hope this all works out.

 

 

Nice. :mischief

Arriola's assessment of the deal's prospects changed during the course of the day. Early Wednesday, he told WQAM-AM (560) radio host Joe Rose he was confident that if legislators didn't award the money this year, the club could return next year and a deal could still be struck.

 

''We have found ways to finance the stadium,'' Arriola said then.

 

Doesn't it seem to all of you that Arriola might be suffering from a Bi-Polar disorder? He changes his mind it seems like every day. "the deal is getting done... it cant get done..." tell this guy to shut up all ready he is really annoying me.

Here's a .pdf file if you're interested in the numbers breakdown: (from the Herald)

 

http://www.miami.com/multimedia/miami/news...diumdetails.pdf