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Mayor says Portland won't help finance Marlins stadium


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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2286405

 

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Mayor Tom Potter said Monday he has a "very strong sense" that most Portlanders don't care about landing a major league baseball team and reiterated his position that the city will not help finance a ballpark for the Florida Marlins.

 

Potter spoke after meeting with Marlins president David Samson and other team officials, who are touring potential new homes for the franchise.

 

"My concern is that Portland is facing a crisis is education," Potter said. "That's my top priority, to find funding for that. And I expressed that today."

 

Samson said a "public-private" partnership is a must because there's no way the Marlins would pay for an entire stadium project.

 

"Governments do make decisions when they attract businesses to the community," Samson said. "Baseball is not the only industry, by any stretch, to ask for government help when deciding where to have its corporate headquarters."

 

In 2003, Oregon legislators approved a stadium plan that would allow the income taxes from players and other team personnel to be diverted to a fund to pay off bonds used to build the stadium.

 

"What the state does is its own business," Potter said.

 

Samson compared Monday's meeting to a first date and said it was too soon to consider Potter's position a potential obstacle.

 

"Today it was just about meeting the mayor and getting to know him, and that's what I focused on," he said. "I don't really focus too much on public comments -- positive or negative -- because it's too premature."

 

Portland is the second stop on Samson's tour of potential sites, following San Antonio.

 

I am not sure how much money the state of Oregon can provide for a stadium under current legislation (the one passed in 2003). I suppose they'd need to provide at least 300 million (probably closer to 400). Does anyone know?

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From another board:

 

This just shows the importance of having a mayor committed to spearheading the drive for baseball -- even without a commitment of city funds. Portland's last mayoral election was won by a guy with Catania-like views on baseball, and that will probably put the chill on the stadium efforts there until he's gone.

 

Cue for Maury to weigh in here and fill in the picture.

 

And a reminder for any doubters out there: The one indispensible person in the return of MLB to Washington has been Anthony Williams. No Mayor Baseball = no Nats.

 

Looks like their will be no public money in Portland for a new Stadium.

Wouldn't go that far. TIF? Nope. Bonding? Ditto. In-stadium taxes... The jury's out on that one. PSLs? That's up to the Marlins.

 

There's public monies out there via SB5, but this is clearly a hurdle that Portland will have to address.

 

Yes, I talked with Samson for about 10 min. Yes, I'm in contact with the VP of Communications to let him know that Samson is open to doing an interview with me. Yes, the World Series ring he was wearing was the biggest piece of hand-hardware ever created. Yes, I am taller than he is.That by Portland resident and SABR Business of Baseball chairman Maury Brown.

 

There were also two other conferences going on in town yesterday - one on improving education and another on business development. Potter's comments were clearly targeted at the education crowd which is mulling over several controversial proposals.

That by a Portland resident.

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Well, that closes the door on the one city that I think probably represented the most realistic threat to relocation.

 

I think Vegas is the "front runner"

 

Not if Selig refuses to come off his stance that baseball must be taken off of casinos' sports books.

 

It's not Selig's rule, it's a Nevada law that prohibits the casino from putting Nevada sports teams in the sports book.

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Well, that closes the door on the one city that I think probably represented the most realistic threat to relocation.

 

I think Vegas is the "front runner"

 

Not if Selig refuses to come off his stance that baseball must be taken off of casinos' sports books.

 

It's not Selig's rule, it's a Nevada law that prohibits the casino from putting Nevada sports teams in the sports book.

 

If relocation happens, Selig wants all baseball taken off the books.

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Well, that closes the door on the one city that I think probably represented the most realistic threat to relocation.

 

I think Vegas is the "front runner"

 

Not if Selig refuses to come off his stance that baseball must be taken off of casinos' sports books.

 

It's not Selig's rule, it's a Nevada law that prohibits the casino from putting Nevada sports teams in the sports book.

 

If relocation happens, Selig wants all baseball taken off the books.

 

I know. I am just adding that even if Selig backs off the Nevada casinos can't bet on the Las Vegas Marlins. Imagine if the Marlins got to the World Series. That's a lot of lost money.

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Good.

 

f*** Samson AND the city of Portland.

 

I second that comment on Samson. However, I knew that Portland wouldn't have any chance of supporting a team. From what I understand the Portland Trail Blazers have a hard time with attendance, and the people there seem to care about things that are more important to their everyday lives than baseball.

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If you ask me, Portland was chosen knowing it was a non-starter. The Marlins and MLB are doing their best to keep themselves "in the news", while visiting places that won't pony up (OR), have low pop (TX), or gambling complications.

 

Loria will meet with HWH by the end of next week - that's where the deal will be done (or not). If no deal, look for the Marlins to start visiting the real contenders, including Indy & Buffalo.

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If you ask me, Portland was chosen knowing it was a non-starter. The Marlins and MLB are doing their best to keep themselves "in the news", while visiting places that won't pony up (OR), have low pop (TX), or gambling complications.

 

Loria will meet with HWH by the end of next week - that's where the deal will be done (or not). If no deal, look for the Marlins to start visiting the real contenders, including Indy & Buffalo.

 

 

remind me now once more, how big a market buffalo is?

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Good.

 

f*** Samson AND the city of Portland.

 

I second that comment on Samson. However, I knew that Portland wouldn't have any chance of supporting a team. From what I understand the Portland Trail Blazers have a hard time with attendance, and the people there seem to care about things that are more important to their everyday lives than baseball.

 

The Trail Blazers have a hard time with attendance b/c of all the turds they had and still have on the team. The whole city and state for that matter feels until the Jail Blazers or Bail Raisers ditch all the losers people they won't go to the game and support the team. That and the fact the team absolutely stinks and nobody wants to pay to watch a team that is horrible.

 

Vegas is clearly the preferred choice by Loria and company, though Portland is the better choice of the two IMHO. While the article highlights all the negatives involving Portland, I think people would love to have a baseball team come here. Unlike Miami where the Marlins have to compete with the Heat and the beloved Dolphins, the Marlins only competition would be the Jail Blazers, who are disliked by even their most die hard fans at this point.

 

Vegas has to overcome the gambling situation and the fact they are going to rely on tourists to watch baseball. Who is going to go to Vegas to watch baseball? Unless there are prostitutes and/or slot machines at the stadium not many.

 

Miami is still far and away the front runners, and yes Portland is probably just being used. But I live in Oregon, so please if there is a god bring us something other than the Blazers.

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I think rferry pointed it out earlier, but it seems the two possible state revenue sources that even the pro-baseball folks point to are not very Marlins friendly

 

From a pro-stadium article:

 

"They are very serious about Portland, assuming we can put together a financing plan for the ballpark," Steve Kanter, president of the Portland Baseball Group, said of the Marlins. "And with Washington, D.C., off the table, we are the best place.

 

....

 

Kanter and his group are not looking to siphon general-fund dollars. Instead, they propose tapping into revenues generated by baseball, such as a tax on tickets and parking. The state Legislature passed a bill that provides a financial cornerstone -- $150 million in bonds that would be repaid by an income tax on players. The ownership group would pony up another $30 million to $40 million, leaving a projected $200 million to be raised locally..

 

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian...2250.xml&coll=7

 

 

 

So a tax on baseball players and a tax on the Marlins? Thats pretty much having the Marlins pay for the stadium themselves. Yeah Id say Portland isnt very serious.

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