Miami-Dade County (Fla.) commissioners “unanimously agreed Thursday to place a question on the Nov. 6 ballot asking voters if they want to approve a nearly $50 million face-lift to the Crandon Park Tennis Center and a lease extension for the Sony Open Tennis Tournament,” according to Mazzei & Rabin of the MIAMI HERALD. The ballot question will “include a condition, put forth by tournament organizers, that the upgrades can only be paid for with tennis center and tournament revenues and private funds, not from the county’s general fund.” Organizers will need “a two-thirds majority to approve the proposal for the county to take the next steps.” The organizers said that their plans to “expand the tennis center’s existing main stadium and build the three permanent grandstands do not involve using new tourist tax dollars or reducing revenues the parks department receives from the annual tournament.” The renovations will be paid for “exclusively with revenues from parking surcharges, ticket fees and other tournament revenues” (MIAMI HERALD, 8/24).
