Miami commissioners on Monday agreed to Metro-Dade's
offer of $97M to lease waterfront land for a new arena for
the Heat, but added conditions "that could hang up the
deal." Among the conditions: the city of Miami will pay no
more than $10M for its shared costs with the county for
environmental cleanup and the new arena must have "Miami"
included in its name (MIAMI HERALD, 6/10)....In Toronto, the
SUN's Don Wanagas writes that negotiators for MLG and the
city of Toronto are "very close" to an agreement on the
value of nine acres of municipal land the Maple Leafs want
for a new arena behind Union Station (TORONTO SUN,
6/10)....In Seattle, a statewide poll taken Sunday by KXLY-
TV in Spokane showed the Seahawks stadium measure ahead by
11 percentage points. WA residents go to the polls June 17
(SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 6/10). In Seattle, TIMES
columnist Steve Kelley supports the stadium measure, and
added, "This is the best deal we'll ever see for keeping pro
football in this city, while climbing out from under the
tonnage of the Kingdome's debt. Two words: Vote yes"
(SEATTLE TIMES, 6/9)....Steelers Owner Dan Rooney and
Pirates Managing General Partner Kevin McClatchy sent
letters to "more than" 60,000 season-ticket holders of the
two teams, "asking support for state legislation authorizing
a November referendum that would permit a sales tax
increase" in 10 southwestern PA counties for seven years. A
portion of the tax increase would go to a new stadium for
the Pirates and a renovation of Three Rivers Stadium or a
new stadium for the Steelers (TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 6/8).
