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Marlins' plans may not aid Rays

Unlike the Rays' proposal, the new plan for a Miami stadium won't seek funds from the state.

By AARON SHAROCKMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published December 14, 2007

The Tampa Bay Rays may be losing one of their few allies in securing state money to build a new stadium on the St. Petersburg waterfront.

Miami city and county leaders are close to an agreement to build a new Florida Marlins baseball stadium without state assistance.

What's more, the Marlins proposal could copy the sail-like roof design the Rays are planning, and open a year before the new ballpark in St. Petersburg.

The proposal, which was released this week, would rely solely on $370-million in local development taxes and city reserves, and a contribution from the team of $155-million.

The Rays had hoped the Marlins would help their chances to receive a $60-million state subsidy. Now the Marlins appear ready to move forward without it.

The city of Miami and Florida Marlins president David Samson both indicated their support for the plan Thursday, the Miami Herald reported in its online editions. That only leaves Miami-Dade County commissioners, who are scheduled to take up the proposal next week.

Miami's plan calls for a 37,000-seat retractable-roof stadium to be constructed at the site of the Orange Bowl. As part of the agreement, the city also would be required to construct a 6,000-car parking garage at the Orange Bowl, which may cost close to $90-million.

Unlike in St. Petersburg, the stadium would not require a public referendum to be built.

"I think over the past 13 years and three ownership groups, this is certainly the closest," the team has been to having its own stadium, Samson told the Miami newspaper.

Rays senior vice president Michael Kalt said late Thursday that the Rays still intend to ask the state for a $60-million state sales tax subsidy this spring, even though the Marlins seem out of the picture.

But Kalt added that the money is not critical to the success of the project.

The Rays are proposing to build a $450-million, 34,000-seat stadium on the site of Al Lang Field. In their plan, money would come from three sources: the state, the team and from the redevelopment of Tropicana Field.

"We've been very clear that this plan does not depend on the state money," Kalt said. "Obviously, it would make things easier, but it's not absolutely necessary."

While the Rays would pay their share of the stadium construction through $10-million-a-year rent payments, Marlins officials are preparing to pay the team's portion up front.

Kalt said the Rays could alter its plan if Major League Baseball approved it.

"It's the same thing to us. Our credit's backing it; we're paying for it," Kalt said. "If there's a better way of structuring it, we'll certainly explore it."

The Rays stadium, if approved, would open in 2012, according to the team's schedule.

Miami's stadium would open a year earlier, according to the South Florida proposal.

And it might steal the Rays' iconic and unique stadium design.

To save costs, Miami-Dade County officials say they are considering a retractable "sail" design like the Rays proposed earlier this month.

"The design of (the Rays') ballpark is intriguing to say the least, in particular the manner in which the roof will be designed and constructed," a county executive wrote in a memo to the Miami-Dade County Commission.

If it helps the Marlins, so be it, Kalt said.

"We're flattered," he said. "We think it's intriguing and exciting too.

"Anything that's good for baseball will ultimately be good for us," Kalt said. "We're rooting for the Marlins. We're not going to go out there and bang the drum and make comparisons between our deal and their deal. Our deal has to stand on its own merits."

[Last modified December 14, 2007, 02:12:43]