http://www.sun-sentinel.com/bu...0128,0,1465929.story

Marlins make concessions to city, county in quest for Miami stadium

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
7:52 PM EST, January 27, 2009

Ahead of crucial votes next month on the Florida Marlins' proposed $515 million ballpark, Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami have negotiated extra rent, more free tickets for community groups and other guarantees from the team.

Those concessions are part of five agreements released Tuesday that spell out the financing, construction and operating details of the venue the team hopes to open in 2012.

Last February, county and city commissioners approved the idea of building a ballpark at the site of the former Orange Bowl.

The agreements hold the team responsible for cost overruns on the ballpark and on the public cost of adjacent road work. They also require 2 percent annual increases to the team's $2.3 million rent.

If the team is sold within seven years, the county and city will benefit, receiving in the first year 18 percent of the profit, up from 10 percent in an earlier agreement.

The team, which has the lowest payroll in Major League Baseball, has also doubled to 10,000 the number of tickets available each season free to youth and community groups.

County Manager George Burgess and Marlins President David Samson denied the agreements were negotiated to meet the concerns of skeptical commissioners, who are unsure if they will support the project.

"I believe this is the best product we could negotiate with the team," Burgess said. "It certainly is a stronger agreement for the county."

City commissioners are scheduled to vote on the agreements at 9 a.m. Feb. 13, followed at 1 p.m. by a vote of the county commission.

"We believe we have a deal that is fair for everybody," Samson said. "Our focus from the beginning was saving baseball in South Florida."

Commission support next month doesn't guarantee ballpark construction will begin. The agreements include a clause allowing any participant to terminate them until June 30.

Sarah Talalay can be reached at stalalay@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4173