The Dolphins have "given a full embrace" to a Florida state Senate plan that would require the team to "compete with other sports teams for a state tax break of up to $3 million per year," according to Toluse Olorunnipa of the MIAMI HERALD. Teams would "battle for a pot of $13 million in tax breaks and would be ranked based on potential economic impact." The House version of the bill does "not include those provisions and has stalled for the last two weeks." State Rep. Seth McKeel, chair of the House Budget committee, has "no plans to hear it anytime soon." If the House "decides to spike the bill, the Dolphins’ efforts at a taxpayer-supported stadium upgrade could die in Tallahassee." Though the Senate version has "additional stipulations that are not in the House bill (which offers a specific tax break for the Dolphins), the team has supported the bill that’s currently moving through the higher chamber." An agreement between the Dolphins and Miami-Dade County indicated that tourist tax dollars could "help the team generate up to $289 million, while the state tax break could bring in $3 million annually for several years." Still, it is "not clear where things stand in the House, where there is substantial opposition to the deal." It has "cleared two committees, but has to pass the Budget Committee to complete the committee process." There are "about two weeks left in session" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/19). In West Palm Beach, Jim Turner notes McKeel "didn’t give any indication on Wednesday as to whether his committee would have time to review the House bills for the Dolphins funding (HB 165) or any other stadium proposal" (PALM BEACH POST, 4/19).
