The company that controls the Miami Arena, Decoma Miami
Associates, went to court yesterday to block the city of Miami
and its sports authority from helping Dade County build a new
arena for the Heat, according to Don Finefrock of the MIAMI
HERALD. The lawsuit "came at a critical point for Dade County,"
as the Metro Commission is expected to vote today whether to
build the $165M arena and county administrators "are counting on
the city to help them finance the deal." Decoma claims
contributions the city would make toward an arena are "prohibited
by two contracts" signed in '86 which contain non-compete clauses
that "bar the city and the sports authority from sponsoring a
competing arena." The city's lawyers maintain those provisions
are "unenforceable," and Miami City Commissioner J.L. Plummers
said the lawsuit should not affect the outcome of today's vote.
Decoma has asked the city to buy out the contract which they said
is worth $15M (MIAMI HERALD, 6/18).
DESIGNERS: Panthers Owner Wayne Huizenga hired Ellerbe
Becket of Kansas City to design the new $212M arena in Sunrise
and two Ft. Lauderdale firms for design and site work (Karen
Rafinski, MIAMI HERALD, 6/18).