Broward County officials offered yesterday to build a $212M
arena for the Panthers and Heat if the teams choose to leave Dade
County. According to the MIAMI HERALD, with the proposal in
place, "formal negotiations with the teams will begin within
days." The county plans to pay for the project with a 2% hotel
bed tax that would raise $8M a year, a $2M annual state sales tax
rebate for which the Panthers qualify, and $5M to be taken off
the arena's bottom line. Commission Chairman John Rodstrom:
"We're not building this for [Panthers Owner Wayne] Huizenga. We
are seizing upon an opportunity to keep professional sports in
South Florida." Heat Owner Mickey Arison: "We are prepared to
move as quickly as Broward is prepared to move. From a pure
population standpoint, we are closer to the population center in
Broward. Being closer to the population center may be the best
thing that ever happened to us." Huizenga, who set a February 1
deadline for the county to promise to an arena, said through a
spokesperson that he is "pleased with the vote, but it doesn't
change the fact that the team is for sale." Huizenga said he
will "allow the NHL to take his place in negotiations with the
county." The next step for Broward will be to select a site.
Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise and Pompano are all vying for the
facility. Meanwhile Dade County "hopes to release a plan similar
to Broward's" next week (Karen Rafinski, MIAMI HERALD, 1/31).
