It doesn't help the Marlins cause that ATT Park in San Francisco, and the brand new Busch Stadium in St Louis were almost totally privately financed.

 

However it does help the Marlins that every other stadium were almost entirely publically-financed, correct?

 

Not really, because the City of Miami, City of Hialeah, and Miami-Dade County (or any other municipality) can point to Busch & ATT Park and say see -- it can be done. Just because other communities have fools for elected officials, doesn't mean the ones down here will commit to public financing for a facility for a private business. Nor should they. Its the classic "if someone else jumped off the bridge" should you also do it because they did it ?

 

Even the commitment Miami-Dade & the City of Miami were going to commit before the deal fell through was too high for my tastes. I believe all of these facilities should be privately financed. People that live in Liberty City shouldn't be forced to subsidize a glorified sandbox for millionaire owners & players, when they will never be able to afford to step into the stadium. Its blatantly unfair. Yes there are other businesses that are publically financed (much to my chagrin) but the poorest of our citizens may actually see see a benefit from a publicly financed airport (more tourism & the subsequent tax $$ flowing into the economy year-round), and other businesses but its very doubtful they would ever see a benefit from a publically financed baseball-only stadium. One that operates 6 months of the year, and doesn't generate but a miniscule amount of out of town tourism & low paying vendor & janitorial jobs. Summer is not the time of year that tourists flock to So Fla. Many hotels on Miami Beach & Ft Lauderdale during the Summer are full of European tourists, and at that 60-70% occupancy. To use the All-Star Game as leverage, is ridiculous. Bug Selig says we can't have an All-Star Game til we have a new stadium -- so we should spend $ 500 million for a game we'll host once every 25 years.

 

The irony is the Marlins play in a stadium that was 100% privately financed already. Joe Robbie showed it could be done when you are not the wealthiest of men.

 

Before rferry or others say I am wrong -- that's not true, none of us are right or wrong we just have different ways we look at this issue. There is no need to become personal about it either.

I don't hate Loria. This team needs a stadium and has been without one for how long again? Thirteen freaking years. It's ridiculous.

 

 

There is not ONE fan that disagrees that they need a new stadium. What we differ on is who should foot the bill. The Marlins want the taxpayers (you & me) to pay for it, while the County & other municipal entities will expect the Marlins to pay at least a portion. It doesn't help the Marlins cause that ATT Park in San Francisco, and the brand new Busch Stadium in St Louis were almost totally privately financed. It makes the Marlins owners look either :

 

a) greedy

b) poor

c) greedy & poor

d) just plain fools

e) all of the above

 

My 2?

 

And it's not even worth two cents.

 

1. The taxpayers of Miami-Dade county ARE NOT being asked to pay for a new stadium for the Florida Marlins. As of this writing, no stadium plan to date included ("you & me") taxpayer dollars.

 

2. The Marlins financial commitment or portion was and is the largest share of the three entities. It dwarfed the city and was larger than the county contribution.

 

3. St Louis was not built without a public component, in fact $200 million in bonds were written and a $45 million loan by the county.

 

Facts. Try them sometime.

It doesn't help the Marlins cause that ATT Park in San Francisco, and the brand new Busch Stadium in St Louis were almost totally privately financed.

 

However it does help the Marlins that every other stadium were almost entirely publically-financed, correct?

I believe all of these facilities should be privately financed. People that live in Liberty City shouldn't be forced to subsidize a glorified sandbox for millionaire owners & players, when they will never be able to afford to step into the stadium. Its blatantly unfair.

 

Miami-Dade's money is coming Hotel and Restaurant Taxes. If they can't afford to go to a baseball game, they can't afford to eat at most restaurants and there is no need for them to be staying at hotels.

 

Convention Development Tax (CDT)

Revenues from the CDT are used to fund a wide range of tourist-related facilities, including the Miami Beach Convention Center, construction of the new Performing Arts Center and the new South Miami-Dade Cultural Center, the American Airlines Arena, the Miami Arena and the Crandon Tennis Center.

 

Professional Sports Facilities Franchise Tax

This tax is dedicated to pay debt service on county bonds issued to support professional sports franchise facilities such as the Miami-Homestead Motor Speedway, the Crandon International Tennis Center, Crandon Golf Course, Homestead Baseball Stadium, Country Club of Miami, the Orange Bowl, the Miami Arena, and land for the American Airlines Arena.

 

You're doing a wonderful job not knowing the facts.

Not really, because the City of Miami, City of Hialeah, and Miami-Dade County (or any other municipality) can point to Busch & ATT Park and say see -- it can be done. Just because other communities have fools for elected officials, doesn't mean the ones down here will commit to public financing for a facility for a private business. Nor should they. Its the classic "if someone else jumped off the bridge" should you also do it because they did it ?

 

Even the commitment Miami-Dade & the City of Miami were going to commit before the deal fell through was too high for my tastes. I believe all of these facilities should be privately financed. People that live in Liberty City shouldn't be forced to subsidize a glorified sandbox for millionaire owners & players, when they will never be able to afford to step into the stadium. Its blatantly unfair. Yes there are other businesses that are publically financed (much to my chagrin) but the poorest of our citizens may actually see see a benefit from a publicly financed airport (more tourism & the subsequent tax $$ flowing into the economy year-round), and other businesses but its very doubtful they would ever see a benefit from a publically financed baseball-only stadium. One that operates 6 months of the year, and doesn't generate but a miniscule amount of out of town tourism & low paying vendor & janitorial jobs. Summer is not the time of year that tourists flock to So Fla. Many hotels on Miami Beach & Ft Lauderdale during the Summer are full of European tourists, and at that 60-70% occupancy. To use the All-Star Game as leverage, is ridiculous. Bug Selig says we can't have an All-Star Game til we have a new stadium -- so we should spend $ 500 million for a game we'll host once every 25 years.

 

The irony is the Marlins play in a stadium that was 100% privately financed already. Joe Robbie showed it could be done when you are not the wealthiest of men.

 

Before rferry or others say I am wrong -- that's not true, none of us are right or wrong we just have different ways we look at this issue. There is no need to become personal about it either.

 

More often than not, people have attacked you because your facts are incorrect and opinions misguided.

 

Look I don't like extortion. But you know what? If the Marlins, with the full support of the monopolistic industry leader, ask me for something I'm not going to say 'no' and feel secure about my prospects of keeping the team in town. And if I tell them 'no' for 15 years, well, then I'm really only testing their patience and it most likely won't end up good for me. That's the decision the city and county has to make. Is baseball and any additional revenue they may acquire from building the new stadium worth the funds they've earmarked (which otherwise would've gone to yet another convention center in Miami Beach) and may contribute further? Do they wish to live without MLB (let's remember, it will be even harder to acquire an expansion or relocated team without a publically-built ballpark)? It's an important question with a million different answers.