October 31, 2003
Dade and confused
More on the latest Florida Marlins stadium pitch:
- The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau says it'll go along with diverting $50 million in hotel-tax money to a stadium, but only in the county comes up with new cash to replace this revenue, which had been earmarked for a renovation of the Miami Beach Convention Center.
- Critics are wondering how Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria expects to build a retractable-roofed stadium for $325 million, when similar existing facilities have cost more than $500 million, and the last stadium proposed in Miami (by former Marlins owner John Henry) bore a $385 million price tag.
- The team has graciously agreed to rename itself the Miami Marlins in exchange for ballpark subsidies.
"To be blunt, it doesn't matter if it's a realistic figure because if they don't build it for $325 million, it's not going to cost us the difference," insists stadium plan proponent Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas, noting the Marlins have offered to pay for all cost overruns. Of course, that's what they all say.
—Neil deMause
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