Panthers Owner Wayne Huizenga and Heat Owner Mickey Arison
"are scouting locations and studying proposals for a new arena
that could house both sports teams," according to the MIAMI
HERALD. Industry experts say that the two teams must "team up in
a single arena if they expect to be profitable." Together, the
teams could split operating costs, attract a major corporate
sponsor and fill more sky boxes at higher prices. And, they
"would require less public funding to get an arena built." Both
owners claim they need a new facility because they are losing
money at the Miami Arena (Cindy Krischer Goodman, MIAMI HERALD,
7/21). News of a possible new arena brought reaction this
weekend in Miami. Karen Rafinski writes, "While local team
owners are asking taxpayers to pick up the tab, they are bucking
a national trend for clubs to pay their own way" (MIAMI HERALD,
7/23). Greg Cote writes, "It is unfair that Huizenga is a target
of philippic attack because in seeking a new arena he tried to
cut the best deal he could. Who wouldn't?" (MIAMI HERALD, 7/23).
