New Baseball Stadium ?

[FIUFan]

Forget about it. The White Elephant (a.k.a. the Miami Performing Arts Center) is heading to the Community feeding trough again. They are asking for another $34M, this monstrosity is closing in on half a billion dollars.

Now you think that something that is coming in 2 1/2 years late and $200 million over budget would raise the ire of our local watch-dog, you know, the Herald. But No, in reading this article ( www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/12648569.htm ) they don't have a cross word to say. What a bunch of hypocrites over there.

This again is one of their pet projects, so it doesn't matter how much is spent, who spends it or when it finally gets finished. I guess we should spend what ever it takes.

Now contrast that with the editorials we've read about the baseball stadium: 'No public money for the rich' ( be d**ned that 2 plus million Miamians would see ball games there every year). 'No Water front property for a Marlins stadium; this is a precious, limited resource' (though we can put a bunch of museums that a handful of people will use in bicentennial park; btw, where's that money going to come from?).

These idiots over at the Herald could give two cents about the local community all they care about are their own pet projects and protecting their friends.

What a bunch of Hypocrites.

[FIUFan]

Thanks to Miami Today's editor, Michael Lewis, for following up on the issue of the Performing Arts Center ( www.miamitodaynews.com/news/050922/story-viewpoint.shtml ).

Here are some 'did you knows':

• Initial Price tag for the PAC was $75 million (now estimates are over $460 million)
  
• Miami Herald editorializes for the Omni-area site then sells adjacent property for $190 million (can you say AGENDA)
  
• Resident Companies (Miami City Ballet, New World Symphony, Florida Grand Opera, etc.) say they may not sign contracts because they can't afford the rent
  
• There's no Parking (huh ?)
  
• PAC Foundation is to raise $115 million of the cost; has raised $55 million to date (and how much more do you think they'll raise if we taxpayers keep bailing this project out?)
  
  

Now the Herald says 'no public money for wealthy sports owners'. You know how much credibility they have now? None. The taxpayers have spent some $400 million on the Heralds' White Elephant. But heaven forbid giving the baseball people $35 million for a venue that will attract millions of S. Floridians a year.

Give us a break and stop trying to force your snooty agenda's down our throats.

[pantherrager1]

FIUFan - you seem to be plugged in to this.

Rumor I've heard.

1) Tear down the OB and build baseball at that location.

2) Build a joint UM-FIU first class covered chairback 45000+/- seat football facility. This would handle everything except the "really big" games, which could be up at Pro Robbie.

I know - two tenants is an issue - but not if you do it in advance and provide the necessary duplicate dressing and management rooms. Schedules can be arranged. Teams do not practice on their playing field anyways. Could also be some community use on a no-conflict basis. e.g. high school regionals and championships.

[Mike]

pantherrager1 said:

FIUFan - you seem to be plugged in to this.

Rumor I've heard.

2) Build a joint UM-FIU first class covered chairback 45000+/- seat football facility. This would handle everything except the "really big" games, which could be up at Pro Robbie.

I know - two tenants is an issue - but not if you do it in advance and provide the necessary duplicate dressing and management rooms. Schedules can be arranged. Teams do not practice on their playing field anyways. Could also be some community use on a no-conflict basis. e.g. high school regionals and championships.

It is too bad that something like this couldn't be done. I had hoped that together we could build a large first class facility. There are many pros and cons about building a facility on campus, however I fear we will never have the major league facilities necessary to become a national power without the city's support - and they are not going to build two 50,000 seat stadiums a few miles apart.