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Broward Group’s Plan Includes
No City Contributions |
Friends of the Marlins, the Broward County group trying to attract the Marlins to Ft. Lauderdale, detailed their ballpark plan, but Marlins reps and Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle were "conspicuously absent from the discussion," according to Ashley Fantz of the MIAMI HERALD. Marlins VP/Communications & Broadcasting P.J. Loyello: "We are aware of the proposal. It's good to know people are talking and are interested, but we are not commenting on the stadium situation." Naugle: "I wasn't at the meeting and neither were other city officials because the city doesn't have money to pay for a stadium." Friends of the Marlins co-Chair Chuck Malkus outlined a plan to revamp Ft. Lauderdale Stadium into a "big-league ballpark with seating for 35,000 by investing" $200M, which includes the city contributing land but no money. Of the $200M, $137M would come from the Marlins, $15M from PSLs, $18M from luxury box revenue and $30M from naming rights fees. Ft. Lauderdale would "continue to own the 67 acres surrounding the facility," while the Marlins "would be tenants of the revamped stadium, as they currently are at Pro Player Stadium." But Malkus' plan "omits what many have said is a requisite for the team's long-term success in South Florida — a retractable roof" (MIAMI HERALD, 1/6). In Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay notes the $137M from the Marlins is "the same amount the team has committed to a financing plan being negotiated" in Miami-Dade County. Since "much of the Marlins' contribution in Miami-Dade comes from future revenue such as luxury seating, it's unclear how the Friends' plan would make up the difference" for PSLs and luxury boxes. Malkus said that "the plan could pull from advertising and concession revenue," but Talalay notes "that would syphon funds from the team, which is counting on new revenue for its payroll" (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 1/6).
