February 8, 200818 yr FLORIDA MARLINS Marlins stadium deal clears crucial hurdles http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/story/411162.html Differences that have delayed a deal to build the Marlins a new ballpark appear to be ebbing. Posted on Fri, Feb. 08, 2008Digg del.icio.us AIM reprint print email By CHARLES RABIN crabin@MiamiHerald.com When Miami-Dade County commissioners voted Thursday to give the Florida Marlins and county administrators a three-week window to finalize negotiations for a new ballpark in Little Havana, County Manager George Burgess grinned. Here's why: The parties have overcome two main sticking points -- agreeing on how to split revenues from a $94 million parking garage, and how to pay for $2 million a year in improvements at the proposed $525 million, retractable-roof stadium. Smoothing out those details could help deliver the Marlins the permanent home they've craved. ''Yes, we have an agreement,'' Miami City Manager Pete Hernandez said Thursday. ``The legal aspects must now be finalized by the attorneys.'' The near-closure comes after days of intense negotiations over fine-point details that have stalled ballpark financing terms since December, and delayed three votes at the county level. County Commission Chairman Bruno Barreiro said the three sides -- county, city and ball club -- have never been this close to consensus. ''There's been substantial progress,'' said Barreiro. ``I think there will be very good news soon.'' Just last week, Burgess said it could take into March before an accord was reached. Irritated by such delays, County Commissioner Jose ''Pepe'' Diaz pushed Thursday for the parties to cement the deal by month's end. If they couldn't, Diaz implied, the talks could be cut off. ''We need a contract in front of us. Every single day that goes by is costing more money to build that stadium,'' Diaz said. ``If it's not used for the stadium, we have an opportunity to use it for other things.'' Other commissioners quickly agreed to give both sides a shortened deadline. If the county does not meet the end-of-February deadline, commissioners could vote again to extend it. Miami commissioners have yet to vote on their share of the financing plan. The stadium is one piece of a $3 billion public-works megaplan for Miami. Even if the stadium is never built, it's unlikely it will affect any of the other project pieces, which include a port tunnel, a park next to museum park, hundreds of millions of dollars of affordable housing, perhaps even a $200 million streetcar system. In December, the day before the announcement of the so-called Global Agreement, Burgess showed a preliminary financing plan for the proposed $525 million, 37,000-seat, retractable-roof stadium that would be paid for by the county, Miami, and the Marlins. The county would own the stadium; the Marlins would be responsible for cost overruns. The plan calls for the county to spend $249 million, the city $121 million, and the Marlins $155 million up front. The city would build the parking garage. Most of the county and city money would come from tourist tax dollars, with smaller bits from bond money and freed-up payments from an old debt at Miami Arena. The Marlins' contract with H. Wayne Huizenga to play at Dolphin Stadium runs out at the end of 2010. The team has said in order to build a new ballpark in time for the start of the 2011 season, construction must begin by the end of the year, making each day delayed more pressing. The Marlins, with one of Major League Baseball's lowest attendance figures and payrolls, have complained that the Dolphin Stadium lease offers them little in suite or concession money. Miami's Hernandez said he hopes the attorneys wrap things up quickly enough to present financing plans to both commissions within the next two weeks.
February 8, 200818 yr One aspect of the article is always of concern-``The legal aspects must now be finalized by the attorneys.'' Sorry to my legal friends.
February 8, 200818 yr One aspect of the article is always of concern-``The legal aspects must now be finalized by the attorneys.'' Sorry to my legal friends. No offense taken, but if it wasn't for "us" that "Agreement" would be a colossal clusterf**k! Trust me on that one! In contract negotiations we get paid to put in writing how to handle every single possible way something can go wrong and how to resolve it. And even then, the best attorneys miss things . . . . that's why God created the litigator!
February 8, 200818 yr i hope this speed up deal Generally, terms being agreed to does speed up a deal.
February 8, 200818 yr One aspect of the article is always of concern-``The legal aspects must now be finalized by the attorneys.'' Sorry to my legal friends. No offense taken, but if it wasn't for "us" that "Agreement" would be a colossal clusterf**k! Trust me on that one! In contract negotiations we get paid to put in writing how to handle every single possible way something can go wrong and how to resolve it. And even then, the best attorneys miss things . . . . that's why God created the litigator! everyone hates lawyers until they need one
February 8, 200818 yr One aspect of the article is always of concern-``The legal aspects must now be finalized by the attorneys.'' Sorry to my legal friends. No offense taken, but if it wasn't for "us" that "Agreement" would be a colossal clusterf**k! Trust me on that one! In contract negotiations we get paid to put in writing how to handle every single possible way something can go wrong and how to resolve it. And even then, the best attorneys miss things . . . . that's why God created the litigator! everyone hates lawyers until they need one and then they get the bill.
February 8, 200818 yr One aspect of the article is always of concern-``The legal aspects must now be finalized by the attorneys.'' Sorry to my legal friends. No offense taken, but if it wasn't for "us" that "Agreement" would be a colossal clusterf**k! Trust me on that one! In contract negotiations we get paid to put in writing how to handle every single possible way something can go wrong and how to resolve it. And even then, the best attorneys miss things . . . . that's why God created the litigator! everyone hates lawyers until they need one and then they get the bill. yeah they do charge a lot... but you go drop six figures on one of the hardest education experiences known to man (and pass) and you can do the same thing.
February 8, 200818 yr haha...LETS GO LAWYERS...clap clap clap clap clap...LETS GO MARLINS...clap clap clap clap clap clap clap...
February 8, 200818 yr Marlins stadium talks move forward Club, Miami county officials given timetable to finalize details By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com MIAMI -- A week of encouraging negotiations has created more optimism about the Marlins' stadium efforts. Miami-Dade County commissioners voted Thursday to give the Marlins and county officials a three-week timetable to finalize details on a retractable-roof stadium at the Orange Bowl site in Miami. "There's been substantial progress," county commission chairman Bruno Barreiro told the Miami Herald. For months, the Marlins have been in talks with county and City of Miami officials on a $525 million ballpark with a roof at the Orange Bowl. In recent days, headway has been made in some of the sticky financing parts of the deal. Momentum started building on Tuesday, when all sides reached common ground on key issues, and negotiations have continued to move along nicely. http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/articl...sp&c_id=fla
February 8, 200818 yr any bets on when we could see a finalized deal and then announcement? I'm gonna say within the next three weeks. :thumbup
February 8, 200818 yr yeah they do charge a lot... but you go drop six figures on one of the hardest education experiences known to man (and pass) and you can do the same thing. Damn straight! I left law school ten (10) years ago with a $65,000.00 student loan debt, and I had $25,500 paid for with a grant that I didn't have to pay back! By the way, if you need me, my hourly rate is $325.00.
February 8, 200818 yr Saw this earlier on mlb.com, great news, can't wait to move back to my home town in time for a new ballpark!!
February 9, 200818 yr Well, at the very least we can't say that this offseason has been uninteresting. :cool
February 9, 200818 yr yeah they do charge a lot... but you go drop six figures on one of the hardest education experiences known to man (and pass) and you can do the same thing. Damn straight! I left law school ten (10) years ago with a $65,000.00 student loan debt, and I had $25,500 paid for with a grant that I didn't have to pay back! By the way, if you need me, my hourly rate is $325.00. I would be one of the first with a good lawyer joke. Or 10. But if even one of mine were a woman I would marry her. Probably wouldn't be any cheaper, but I would know where to find her 24/7.
February 9, 200818 yr Have they even started the demolition process on the OB yet? At least tearing fixtures, etc, out yet? Or are they still at the stage where they send 10 or 15 suits out there to stand around and stare at the place every other day. I never hear anything about that.
February 9, 200818 yr Have they even started the demolition process on the OB yet? At least tearing fixtures, etc, out yet? Or are they still at the stage where they send 10 or 15 suits out there to stand around and stare at the place every other day. I never hear anything about that. I believe that everything goes on sale today. Whatever is left over will be auctioned off on Sunday. I heard something to that extent on the radio this morning. Not 100% sure though.
February 9, 200818 yr one guys sell tickets that gave tour told me next three week deal will be done i heard samson at fanfest today that their work long hour last night to get all paper work done now waiting for county commission to vote soon
February 10, 200818 yr Have they even started the demolition process on the OB yet? At least tearing fixtures, etc, out yet? Or are they still at the stage where they send 10 or 15 suits out there to stand around and stare at the place every other day. I never hear anything about that. I believe that everything goes on sale today. Whatever is left over will be auctioned off on Sunday. I heard something to that extent on the radio this morning. Not 100% sure though. LOL Figures. I ask a question out of the blue and they have begun the process. Not that I really want anything from the OB as a momento. Weeelllll...Maybe someone I met at a Stones concert there about a generation ago. But that's neither here nor there. Good to know at least something is getting done that is visible.
February 10, 200818 yr Samson offered similar optimism about a new ballpark at the sight of the Miami Orange Bowl, a deal that he said is "very, very close." "I promise you this: Next year's FanFest, we're not talking about the stadium deal, we're talking about the construction, we're talking about how it's being built and what it's going to look like," Samson said to applause. Samson said the new ballpark would be "10 minutes" farther away from Palm Beach fans than Dolphin Stadium is now, and parking garages would be built to minimize traffic. "I don't know about that," said Ted Fox, 80, of Boynton Beach. "They should've been up there in Fort Lauderdale somewhere. "That place near the Panthers' stadium would've been perfect." Samson also promised the Marlins would stop trading away their high-priced players with the larger revenue streams he hopes will come with a new stadium. But only to an extent. "I always wondered what Admin could do with a $200 million payroll," broadcaster Tommy Hutton asked during the Town Hall. "And he's not going to find out," Samson answered back. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/conten...?cxntlid=inform Awesome, let's hope it comes true. The quote from the fan about building in Ft Lauderdale is something I am always amazed at....have they not been paying attention for the last 13 years?
February 10, 200818 yr "A few thousand (???) Marlins fans came to Dolphin Stadium for six hours Saturday..." The kind of first rate reporting we're used to from the Palm Beach Post. Good work Ben, I wonder what you're next assignment will be, the consensus was there were 17,000 people there. Don't they bother to fact check or at least have an editor look at copy anymore? Probably too expensive to bother.
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