http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/10199385.htm

 

Posted on Wed, Nov. 17, 2004

 

 

FLORIDA MARLINS

 

State open to stadium proposal

 

A sustained lobbying effort by the Florida Marlins to win support to build a new stadium appears to be paying off in the state capitol.

 

By MARC CAPUTO

mcaputo@herald.com

 

 

TALLAHASSEE - For the first time since 2000, the Florida Marlins may encounter open minds in the state capitol -- and, perhaps, an open piggy bank -- in their quest to build a new stadium.

 

Along with Gov. Jeb Bush, the new leaders of the House and Senate said Tuesday that they are not opposed to helping the Marlins. All cautioned that their support would hinge on the details of the plan for any tax subsidy the team seeks, which could be as high as $60 million over 30 years.

 

The leaders' tentative support is a far cry from the previous three at-bats for the Marlins: Their proposals in past years were virtually dead on arrival in one chamber or another, or marred by controversy from the very start.

 

The Marlins have proposed paying slightly less than half the cost for the $420 million, 38,000-seat stadium to be built near the Orange Bowl.

 

The rest would come from local taxes. The financing plan, which is still being fleshed out at the local level, has a hole of at least $30 million, which is supposed to come from the Legislature in some form.

 

Unlike last year, when the team waited until the middle of the spring lawmaking session to seek the money in a formal bill, team leaders and lobbyists have started schmoozing lawmakers -- months before the 2005 legislative session even starts and before the new Legislature was sworn in Tuesday.

 

House Speaker Allan Bense, sworn in Tuesday, said Marlins President Dave Samson met with him two months ago.

 

Samson declined to comment Tuesday, referring questions to his spokesman, who said the team is optimistic about its chances.

 

The main sticking point in the Legislature is likely to be whether the subsidy is a rebate or a handout, in a time when the state's Medicaid needs are growing.

 

TIED TO SALES TAX

 

The Marlins want the Legislature to allow the team to participate in a long-standing program that allows most major sport franchises to keep $2 million a year in sales taxes that would otherwise go to the state. But as the law is written, a team could receive the money even if it doesn't generate enough in sales taxes in some years.

 

''We'll certainly give it an open and fair look,'' said Bense, a Panama City Republican. ``But it should pay for itself.''

 

Tom Lee, the new Republican president from Brandon, said he was ``not closed to the idea. We're going to stay as open-minded as long as we can about everything.''

 

Also, the $60 million subsidy was already ostensibly awarded to the Marlins when former owner H. Wayne Huizenga retrofitted Pro Player Stadium, which he still owns, for only $10 million.

 

The Marlins have argued that their current lease at Pro Player hurts the team's finances and that it would be the only major franchise in Florida without the subsidy in its new ballpark.

 

Bush found the latter argument persuasive last year.

 

He suggested Tuesday that he might be supportive again, but he did not comment further.

 

Despite Bush's backing, the former House speaker, Johnnie Byrd, supported the idea last year and then backed away from it. The Senate's former president, Jim King, said he was opposed from the start.

 

WANTS INPUT

 

Lee, the new Senate leader, said he wanted to make sure that Miami-Dade's legislative delegation supports the initiative.

 

Sen. Rudy Garcia, a Hialeah Republican who is spearheading the stadium effort, said lawmakers are more supportive of the Marlins now that the team has put a plan in place and is cooperating with the county and the city of Miami.

 

''There are a lot more open minds,'' Garcia said.

Unlike last year, when the team waited until the middle of the spring lawmaking session to seek the money in a formal bill, team leaders and lobbyists have started schmoozing lawmakers -- months before the 2005 legislative session even starts and before the new Legislature was sworn in Tuesday.

 

 

That is nice to hear. :thumbup

 

Let's hope that it works.

hopefully they'll start building it soon

The main sticking point in the Legislature is likely to be whether the subsidy is a rebate or a handout, in a time when the state's Medicaid needs are growing.

...

 

 

I don't know what to make of this. Whatever you want to call it, it is a handout. It is taking tax revenue that would have gone to the and giving it to the Marlins. Maybe not exactly $2 million, but a few hundred thousand from existing Marlins ticket sales at Pro Player. It sounds like they're pushing for language that can be defended. Is that a sign that many oppose the new stadium? Is that a sign that the Governor and others are willing to fight anti-stadium advocates on behalf of the Marlins? Both?

It's all good news.

 

Looks like the deal is going to happen, just a year later than orignally planned.

 

Now what about that alternate site?

The main sticking point in the Legislature is likely to be whether the subsidy is a rebate or a handout, in a time when the state's Medicaid needs are growing.

...

 

 

I don't know what to make of this. Whatever you want to call it, it is a handout. It is taking tax revenue that would have gone to the and giving it to the Marlins. Maybe not exactly $2 million, but a few hundred thousand from existing Marlins ticket sales at Pro Player. It sounds like they're pushing for language that can be defended. Is that a sign that many oppose the new stadium? Is that a sign that the Governor and others are willing to fight anti-stadium advocates on behalf of the Marlins? Both?

616719[/snapback]

 

I wondered that too...

 

Seems to me that the way the language on this potential deal breaks down could be very important to what side(s) need pork-barrel legislation and use the Marlins as leverage.

 

Sad to think that we're potentially reduced to a political playing card at such an important time in our growth.