Plans Unveiled For New Marlins Ballpark At Orange Bowl

Miami-Dade County Unveils New Proposal For $525M Marlins Ballpark At Orange Bowl Site

Miami-Dade County (FL) yesterday unveiled a new proposal for a $525M Marlins ballpark at the Orange Bowl site, though the proposal is "still in draft form [and] still in need of significant work," according to Sarah Talalay of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. The plan "envisions a 37,000-seat retractable roof stadium" to open by April 2011. The $525M projected cost is up from the $490M suggested on the last publicly-released ballpark proposal. According to a county memo, the plan calls for the county to contribute $249M to the project -- $199M in hotel bed and sports facilities taxes and $50M "from the general obligation bond county voters approved in 2004 for the renovation of the Orange Bowl." The last proposal "called for the county to contribute $145[M] in tourist taxes and issue the bonds for the stadium the team would repay in rent." The new plan also indicates the city of Miami would pay $121M in tourist taxes, up from the earlier figure of $108M. Miami also would "need to build a 6,000-space parking garage." The Marlins' contribution "would be $155[M] up front," down from the previous $207M. Miami-Dade County commissioners next Tuesday "are scheduled to consider the plan" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 12/12). Marlins President David Samson "called the next 10 days 'critical,' and said for the first time that if a deal can be brokered, the team would play at the Orange Bowl site." Samson: "We're not site-specific. We're South Florida specific" (MIAMI HERALD, 12/12).

TRADE A BUSINESS MOVE: In Miami, Dan Le Batard wrote fans "who don't spend money on the team are complaining because the Marlins have cut payroll again." The club traded 3B Miguel Cabrera and P Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers last week, and "great as they are, [they] weren't luring money or fans or stadium support, so losing them isn't exactly going to cost the Marlins any of those things." Le Batard: "This isn't altruism or charity or a non-profit organization. It's a business, and it's cold as cash" (MIAMI HERALD, 12/10).