Mar 19, 2009 11:39 pm US/Eastern
Marlins Stadium Approved By City Of Miami
Tim Kephart and Jasmine Kripalani
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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New rendering of the Florida Marlins Stadium to be built on the site of the now-demolished Orange Bowl.
Urban Design Review Board/CBS
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New rendering of the Florida Marlins Stadium to be built on the site of the now-demolished Orange Bowl.
Urban Design Review Board/CBS
Miami city commissioners have approved the $609-million Marlins stadium.
In a 3-2 vote Thursday, shortly after 2 p.m., commissioners approved the "development, construction and operation of a new baseball stadium," and "related parking facilities."
The second part of the plan also passed 4-1 with Commissioner Marc Sarnoff voting for it -- even though he had voted against the new baseball stadium. It named Hunt/Moss as construction manager and contractor for the stadium.
The final part of the plan also passed, which would divert tourist tax dollars to fund most of the stadium. A total of two-thirds of the $609 million deal will be paid for with the tourist tax money.
But it's not a done deal. The stadium still needs to be approved by Miami-Dade County Commissioners who are expected to vote on it Monday, March 23rd.
Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones explained to
CBS4 Reporter Michael Williams, it was about jobs. She added, "
When you hear about that, you have to do what is right".
The Marlins also agreed that no fewer than 50 percent of the construction jobs will be for people in Miami-Dade county.
Jeffrey Loria, Florida Marlins owner, said "We all know jobs are needed and families need paychecks. I'm happy about that."
Miami and Miami-Dade County would receive more should the team be sold. The team would also set aside $500,000 a year to fund sports activities for the poor.
On Tuesday, Commissioner Spence-Jones announced that she wanted half of the stadium construction and operating jobs to go to City of Miami residents who belong to unions.
She was asking the contracts go to local business owners, and she wanted to create a trust fund for youth baseball programs in the inner city.
She has also asked for guaranteed penalties in the contract so if the promises were not kept the Marlins would have to pay into that youth trust fund.
On Wednesday, the NAACP and the Marlins withdrew their written compact promising that 15-percent of the building and operating contracts will go to black-owned businesses. The deal was created last week.
According to the Miami-Dade County Attorney, the pact would have jeopardized the entire deal. The attorney voiced concerns that if the County Commission voted for the Stadium, and it included the black owned business guarantee the County could be sued. It's happened before, in the late 1990s a federal court ruled race-based contracts were unconstitutional.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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