The "coordinator of the master's in business journalism program at Florida International University" (and a former Herald writer) checks out the stadium agreement. Some quotes:
"(T)he most startling thing about the agreement, to me, isn't that the Marlins get to keep all the revenue from the stadium, whether it's generated by ticket sales, tractor pulls or Cher's inevitable AARP tour.
"It's that the Marlins get to keep the revenue, and the agreement doesn't require them to spend it on the team....
"(L)ocal governments get to use the stadium they're paying for 16 days a year.
"Clearly, at $395 million, that's one expensive timeshare....
"The part of the document that I found most interesting was where the Marlins' financial status is alluded to.
"The team, you'll recall, persistently characterizes itself as poorer than the equipment manager of a Triple-A team. The hundreds of millions in tax money will help it get its act together and make it in the big leagues.
"Yet, the document says the agreement is based ``on an assumed value of the franchise of $250,000,000.''
"It makes you wonder. We live in a community where people are leaving because they can't afford the property taxes. Yet, we are told it's a good idea to spend $395 million of government revenue on a property tax-free home for a company worth a quarter of a billion dollars." (MiamiHerald)
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