Whether the stadium vote will be passed by the Miami-Dade commissioners is still in question.
The team also handed out fliers depicting the new home and encouraging fans to show up on Friday (Feb. 13) at the Miami City (9 a.m.) and Miami-Dade County (1 p.m.) commission meetings to show their support for a new ballpark. The two commissions are scheduled Friday to determine whether ground will finally be broken for the long-sought ballpark. The commissions are considering five agreements that spell out the details of the financing and construction of the ballpark. The vote – at least at the county commission, where the team needs 9 of 13 votes – is expected to be close and is not assured. According to an announcement in Miami Today, a group called “Coalition Against Marlins Bailout” has scheduled a protest at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, outside the county government center, 111 NW 1st St., Miami. And theMiami Herald writes opposition to the use of county hotel bed tax dollars to fund the ballpark has surfaced again from Miami Beach officials who want bed taxes used to upgrade the Miami Beach Convention Center.
The Miami Herald reports that as it stands right now, there are only 8 positive votes for the stadium. And some of those are a bit tentative. Now, we've seen this before where commissioners posture against the stadium and then when push comes to shove, they vote for it.
But the economic times are different, so it should be an interesting Friday.