A bit irrelevent from where you guys are but it's worth noting another big status change - Transic

http://www.miamiherald.com/1460/story/964462.html

Play ball: Miami-Dade agrees to pay share of Florida Marlins stadium

BY CHARLES RABIN AND MATTHEW HAGGMAN
CRABIN@MIAMIHERALD.COM

After more than nine hours of debate, Miami-Dade County commissioners answered the Florida Marlins' 15-year quest for a permanent home late Monday by agreeing to bankroll a big share of a $634 million stadium complex to rise on the grounds of the old Orange Bowl.

The vote was 9-4.

Voting in favor of the stadium were Commissioners Dennis Moss, Bruno Barreiro, Audrey Edmonson, Natacha Seijas, Javier Souto, Barbara Jordan, Dorrin Rolle, Jose "Pepe" Diaz and Rebeca Sosa.

In the minority: Commissioners Carlos Gimenez, Sally Heyman, Katy Sorenson and Joe Martinez. Sorenson argued forcefully against spending public money for a private enterprise, saying trying to make changes to better the deal was like putting "lipstick on a fish."

The vote came four days after the team won similar approval at Miami City Hall, a one-two punch of "yes" votes that ended the franchise's long-tortured pursuit of a new stadium.

'It is not a perfect deal. I see more positives than I see negatives in this deal. I will tell you straight out it will create jobs,' Commissioner Diaz said shortly before the vote.

"Great communities have great stadiums," Moss said.

Also, by a 10-3 vote, commissioners approved a bid waiver for the stadium's construction manager. The votes drew applause in the chamber.

The day began early Monday afternoon with hundreds waiting in line to speak against the stadium deal, others voicing support in song outside Miami-Dade County Hall, and dogs sniffing the commission chamber for anything unsavory.

At one point tempers flared and shouting ensued inside the chamber just prior to the meeting, prompting Commission Chairman Moss to tell everyone to sit down. "We're not going to have a bunch of foolishness," he said.

About 60 people couldn't get in; they were sent to an area in the ground-floor lobby where a video monitor was set up.

Moss called the meeting to order at 1:13 p.m., but tensions continued.

Two members of the Miami Workers Center were hauled away in handcuffs after a brief melee just outside the chamber doors before 3 p.m.

Denise Perry, executive director of Power U, identified the two as Yvonne Stratford and Tony Romano, a Miami Workers Center director.

'All we did is we stood up and walked out saying, `Good jobs, no stadium,' " said Perry. "We have a democratic right to say what we're going to say.''

Inside the chamber, County Manager George Burgess gave a brief presentation, and then the commission opened the floor to community input.

"I'm an Overtowner and I wanted my voice heard," said Rosa Greene, 79, a retired school teacher who supports the stadium but wanted to press commissioners to uphold promises made for increased redevelopment funds in the Overtown area.

The public hearing portion of the meeting closed about 4 p.m., leading to long-running county commission deliberations -- and the final piece of the $634 million stadium puzzle.

Tourist bed tax dollars are paying the lion's share of that cost. The Marlins will contribute $120 million to construction and pay back a $35 million county loan.

The Marlins say they need a new ball park because of a poor lease agreement that offers little in the way of concessions, parking or suite money at Dolphin Stadium on the Dade/Broward county line.

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria made a brief statement, saying the ballclub contributes to the community with money, time and through community service.

"My commitment to this community, to you, to our team, is as rock solid as it was on Day One," he said. "We want to see this stadium, area, and Greater Miami flourish."

Those against think the chunk of tourist tax dollars that would support the ballpark say they can be better used elsewhere. They also question whether there will be enough so-called bed tax dollars to cover debt payments for the stadium.

"Everybody knows where I stand with this," said Commissioner Carlos Gimenez. "If we don't have some extraordinary recovery in next two or three years, we're going to be into the General Fund, and I'm not willing to take that chance."

Supporters say the stadium will create jobs at a time they are needed most.

"I was recently at a topping off ceremony for a building on Brickell Avenue and 300 workers there said please do whatever you can to get stadium approved," said Miami Mayor Manny Diaz. 'They said, `We finish in three months and our families don't know what we'll do when we get done.' "

Last Thursday, Miami commissioners paved the way for the vote, giving 3-2 approval for a new stadium with 37,000 seats and a retractable roof in Little Havana.

The Marlins hope to begin play on Opening Day 2012, under a new name: The Miami Marlins.

If I was any good at Photoshop, I would turn this into three images... one with the roof open and a big pile of cash overflowing the top of the stadium, then the second one with the roof closed, then a third one with the roof open again but the cash gone. And maybe add in a caption that says "burp!" or something. It always seemed appropriate, from back when Samson was here in Portland trying to jack us around (and then Potter jacking him around instead), and it seems even more appropriate now.