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Stadium News

By craig

The Detroit News gives its report on the Marlins stadium situation.

Now, it seems, machinery is moving and a new ballpark is all but headed for the Miami area. A new governor, Charlie Crist, is going to help. A nice location a mile from Biscayne Bay and close to I-95 seems to be the best spot available. And the local mucky-mucks are finally joining with Crist to provide financing on a $500-million facility with -- and this is essential -- a retractable roof.

Unfortunately, all of the "local mucky-mucks" aren't onboard or have even officially heard of the proposal.

Despite reports that Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and Miami-Dade County officials are close to a deal to partially fund construction of a baseball stadium downtown with Community Redevelopment Agency money, the agency's director and chairman say the mayor has not contacted them.

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"I had not heard about [the stadium idea] until I read about it in the paper," Mr. Villacorta said. "I do not think it has evolved to the point where the mayor is ready to suggest it. Out of fairness to the mayor, I am sure he is trying to move the city ahead by exploring all possibilities."

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The first step toward expanding the Community Redevelopment Agency boundary would be a study of the site to prove it fits the agency's criteria for blighted conditions, Mr. Villacorta said. After subsequent public hearings, the agency board, which is composed of city commissioners, must approve the expansion before county commissioners vote, he said.

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Agency chairwoman and City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones said last week that using CRA funds to help support a baseball stadium is not a priority of the agency.

Oh, boy.  The article goes into more detail but judging from it, assuming it is accurate, a downtown Miami stadium, or anywhere else in South Florida for that matter, is no where in sight.

I heard on XM Radio that DuPuy said that MLB wants a team in South Florida and that there will be a major league baseball team in South Florida.  I like the words but how is it going to happen?

Like Yogi said: "It's deja vu all over again".

I'm still optimistic about a deal getting done but it is troubling to me to keep hearing the same old rhetoric we have heard before.

In the meantime, the clock is ticking.

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