As Brickell posted in yesterday's Chum Bucket, MLB, the County and the City have reached a tentative agreement on the stadium.
The agreement was not released, but was expected to be distributed to county and city commissioners, who will need to approve it. The city has scheduled a special commission meeting to consider the deal at 9 a.m. Thursday; the county commission is to meet at 1 p.m. that day.
The deal calls for the county and city to contribute $360 million mainly in tourist taxes and a $50 million general obligation bond Miami-Dade voters approved in 2004 to renovate the Orange Bowl, but which will instead be moved to the ballpark project.The Marlins are to contribute $155 million.
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The Marlins hope to break ground by year's end with the stadium opening by April 2011, when the team would be renamed the Miami Marlins.
I fully except that both the County Commissioners and the City Board members will approve the agreement.
One interesting part of the agreement is that it's for $515 million. In all of the press releases before the negotiations became final, the total was always listed as $525 million.
Now, that could be a typo on Ms. Talalay's part, everyone makes them. Or it could mean that something has changed. We will see once the details are released.
After the votes, whenever they take place, it will be lawsuit city. Thanks to Mr. Braham.
The lawsuits aside, we are getting closer.