April 8, 200719 yr If you recall, when all the focus was on Hialeah I told you guys to focus on downtown miami, and now Loria is stating that downtown is the preferred site. 1 - It is not such a done deal that the Canes are leaving the OB. 2- The revenue the canes would make at JRS has been reported incorrectly. 3- The same way MLB killed Hialeah, they are planning on killing the Orange bowl site. MLB wants downtown. 4- The initial downtown site is back on the table. ( that site is bigger than the courthouse site) 5- The clock is ticking on Loria.
April 8, 200719 yr Wow , the original site is the one by the Arena is that correct? I can't believe Hialeah has been pitched, but I guess there must be some kind of agreement with City of Miami and MLB BTW the OB site needed to be killed...HORRIBLE IDEA!
April 8, 200719 yr Its called the city of Miami is giving money. If Hialeah could give the amount Miami could give then Im sure Hialeah would be in play.
April 8, 200719 yr If you recall, when all the focus was on Hialeah I told you guys to focus on downtown miami, and now Loria is stating that downtown is the preferred site. 1 - It is not such a done deal that the Canes are leaving the OB. 2- The revenue the canes would make at JRS has been reported incorrectly. 3- The same way MLB killed Hialeah, they are planning on killing the Orange bowl site. MLB wants downtown. 4- The initial downtown site is back on the table. ( that site is bigger than the courthouse site) 5- The clock is ticking on Loria. A couple of questions: So what you are saying is that this is Loria's last chance to get this thing done and if it doesn't MLB forces him to sell before MLB allows the team to relocate? I certainly hope so. This puts the pressure on Loria to step up and cover the remaining gap should the State money fail to come through again. Also, the original downtown site is the one that includes land that the Miami Arena currently occupies? And I hope that UM moves regardless if we build on the OB site or not. Wouldn't that opning additional funds to the Fish?
April 8, 200719 yr Author Hialeah's downfall has nothing to do with money. MLB wants to be in Downtown Miami period. MLB has previously implied that it was do or die for loria so who knows. I can tell yuo that they plan on keeping the team in town whoever the owner is. The old site does not include arena land as far as I know.
April 8, 200719 yr How can that be if gobuck just said: The old site does not include arena land as far as I know.
April 8, 200719 yr How can that be if gobuck just said: The old site does not include arena land as far as I know. The railroad site is near the old Arena. But it doesn't require the old Arena going bye bye
April 8, 200719 yr Is that the site ( or sites) that MLB put a down payment on or something? I believe so. AT&T and Bellsouth, now just the new AT&T own most of that land along with the Florida East Coast Railroad.
April 8, 200719 yr it count down to see when Tallahassee see bill that gave marlins money and we see what site is best we need money first
April 9, 200719 yr Perhaps this article would give us a clue: http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/66347.html FLORIDA MARLINS Downtown park site is 'sole focus,' Marlins say Florida Marlins team owner Jeffrey Loria said he'd prefer his team not play in a new stadium at the Orange Bowl site. BY CHARLES RABIN AND BARRY JACKSON crabin@MiamiHerald.com Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said before the team's home opener at Dolphin Stadium Friday night he wants a new stadium in downtown Miami rather than the historic Orange Bowl site. A downtown setting ''would be much more beneficial for the franchise and the fans,'' said Loria. "It's very easy to get to. We must get it done. It's been lagging too long.'' Added team President David Samson, "Our sole focus is completing a deal downtown.'' The team's stance drew a mixed response from Miami-Dade County leaders who had focused on the Orange Bowl site during a lengthy discussion last month, and Tallahassee legislators who still must pass a bill to give the team $30 million to complete the funding. Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Bruno Barreiro said he's concerned with Loria's statement. ''We're just trying to get money from the state. That's our No. 1 goal right now,'' said Barreiro. "We're going to do what we can do, and they'll have to make a decision. We can't get distracted by the site issue.'' Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, though, was willing to bend. Last month he was one of the strongest advocates for the Orange Bowl site. Now, after studying transportation issues, he says it's no longer his first option. ''For me, I think baseball would work better in an urban, downtown site,'' he said. State Rep. David Rivera, the man who controls the flow of legislation for House Speaker Marco Rubio, said there might be a lack of consensus to build at the Orange Bowl. Then he offered a possible alternative -- also downtown. ''My guess is the delegation would prefer Bayfront over any other site. That's based on informal discussions. It's a beautiful site. Imagine home runs getting hit into Biscayne Bay,'' Rivera said. State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who is sponsoring the bill in the house, said it's up to the city of Miami and the county to decide where to build a home for the Marlins. ''We're only concerned with keeping the team in South Florida,'' he said. DECADE-LONG QUEST Over the past two months it looked as if the team's decade-long quest to build a stadium was inching nearer. County Manager George Burgess unveiled a sweeping, $490 million plan in February to build a 37,000 seat, domed stadium with 60 suites on nine acres of land directly north of Government Center. The plan calls for the county to pony up $307 million, with the Marlins repaying the county $162 million through gate receipts and concessions. The team would chip in another $45 million, and the city of Miami would spend $108 million. The county would own the stadium. In March the county commission voted to send the plan to Tallahassee, once again in search of the elusive $30 million that the team needs -- the same money the legislature has failed to award it year after year. Since then, lawmakers have responded by drafting bills in the House and Senate to provide the funding. But the March commission vote came with a caveat: It wasn't site-specific. With commissioners expressing concerns over the downtown site, the focus shifted almost immediately to the Orange Bowl. One of the major problems with the downtown site, commissioners noted, is that there are plans to build a long-sought Children's Courthouse on the land. Even Burgess had said he would kill his own site plan for the ballpark if a new place for the courthouse could not be found. The downtown site is bordered by Government Center to the south, the Metrorail on the east, Northwest Fourth Street to the north and Miami police headquarters to the west. The Orange Bowl, too, has issues. The University of Miami Hurricanes -- flirting with moving the football team to Dolphin Stadium in the next year or two -- still plays there. The 70-year-old structure would have to be torn down to build the Marlins a park. The university is expected to make its decision on moving north in about a month. CHANGE IN STANCE The Marlins' comments Friday were a departure from their past position. Over the years, team President Samson has downplayed the issue of location, calling any site preferable to the team abandoning South Florida. But Friday Samson said ''having a downtown site makes sense,'' because of transportation issues and because it would be easy for fans to walk to the ballpark. Loria said Friday he wouldn't discuss playing at the Orange Bowl: "I'm focused on downtown.'' The Marlins' lease with Dolphin Stadium ends after 2010. The earliest a new stadium could be opened is 2011. Dolphins Stadium owner Wayne Huizenga has said he wouldn't ask the Marlins to leave if a new stadium wasn't built in time. Ultimately, it's up to the county commission to decide on where the stadium will be built. Miami Herald staff writers Yudy Pineiro, Ani Martinez and Marc Caputo contributed to this report. ''My guess is the delegation would prefer Bayfront over any other site. That's based on informal discussions. It's a beautiful site. Imagine home runs getting hit into Biscayne Bay,'' Rivera said. Hmmm... :mischief2 Yeah, I realize that it's a guess on his part and not a real plan but I doubt that idea is going to go anywhere, just like the other sites looked at so far. Why not somewhere between I-395 and I-195? Might as well try that one since they have already entertained the OB idea at least twice already.
April 10, 200719 yr "The plan calls for the county to pony up $307 million, with the Marlins repaying the county $162 million through gate receipts and concessions. The team would chip in another $45 million, and the city of Miami would spend $108 million. The county would own the stadium." Gee they couldn't disguise the Marlins contribution more or make it look like the county is footing most of the bill when in fact that's not the case at all. The paragraph should read something like this: Leading the way in financing a new stadium is the Florida Marlins who have committed $207 million of the $490 million stadium cost. Along with the Marlins, the City of Miami has pledged $108 million and Miami-Dade county $145 millon, leaving a shortfall the three partners expect will be made up by $30 million in net proceeds from a sales tax rebate now being debated in Talahassee.
April 10, 200719 yr I've believed from the beginning that it is pointless to build outside of Downtown. Virtually no other parks in MLB are outside of a major city, and certainly not the successful ones. You have to have some kind of public-transportation system going to the park, and they have the Metrorail downtown. Nothing can reach Dolphins Stadium right now, which is a major downside when you are trying to build a fanbase.
April 10, 200719 yr I know I don't need to say it. But I'm going to anyway. Bah. Humbug. LOL Would there have been more people last night if there was a stadium in downtown? Ahh, the ultimate question with no way of proving or disproving since we dont know. But if I worked downtown, I might have gone. There are few places other than in a downtown setting where there are thousands of possible customers who do not have to drive after work. I like the north for my convenience Bob, but for the Marlins, I think downtown makes the most sense.
April 10, 200719 yr looking over the pay would be a dream, a good dream but a dream. Would be amazing. Maybe loria will sell to the heat's owner and he can build next to the new arena
April 10, 200719 yr I know I don't need to say it. But I'm going to anyway. Bah. Humbug. LOL Would there have been more people last night if there was a stadium in downtown? Ahh, the ultimate question with no way of proving or disproving since we dont know. But if I worked downtown, I might have gone. There are few places other than in a downtown setting where there are thousands of possible customers who do not have to drive after work. I like the north for my convenience Bob, but for the Marlins, I think downtown makes the most sense. I would get season tickets if the Marlins played in downtown. I would leave work every night at 7 and watch my Marlins.
April 11, 200719 yr I know I don't need to say it. But I'm going to anyway. Bah. Humbug. LOL Would there have been more people last night if there was a stadium in downtown? Ahh, the ultimate question with no way of proving or disproving since we dont know. But if I worked downtown, I might have gone. There are few places other than in a downtown setting where there are thousands of possible customers who do not have to drive after work. I like the north for my convenience Bob, but for the Marlins, I think downtown makes the most sense. I don't agree but it is kinda senseless to keep rehashing this. Everyone knows my stance and the reasons for it. Just get it done someplace.
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