Marlins to explore relocating

By Charles Elmore

 

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

 

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

 

MIAMI GARDENS ? The Florida Marlins pronounced a Miami stadium deal dead Tuesday and said Major League Baseball has granted the team permission to explore relocation as early as 2008.

 

"No longer can baseball in South Florida be assured," Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said in a statement read by team President David Samson. "It is now clear to us that there will be no baseball stadium in the city of Miami. So now we must begin to explore other options."

 

Loria said he wants to keep the team in South Florida, but it won't be in the city of Miami. The team may pursue relocation out of state if no deal emerges for a ballpark in the region.

 

The Marlins have committed to play at Dolphins Stadium for two more years under their lease with stadium owner Wayne Huizenga. They have options to renew there through 2010, but insist they will not play there after that under any circumstances.

 

The Marlins see no suitable location for a stadium in Broward or Palm Beach counties, but have talked with Huizenga about building a baseball-only facility adjacent to their current site just south of the Broward County line.

 

Even if Miami-Dade County contributes money to that project, the city of Miami is not likely to help and the Marlins say they remain about $80 million short for a retractable-roof stadium that could cost up to $500 million.

 

"Those discussions are continuing, but we still have a gap," Samson said.

 

Since the Marlins received permission Monday from Commissioner Bud Selig to explore relocation, the Oregon Sports Authority has contacted the team about a possible move to Portland, a runner-up in the bidding for the former Montreal Expos, now the Washington Nationals.

 

Drew Mahalic, the chief executive officer of the Oregon Sports Authority, said he has not yet set up a meeting with the Marlins but is eager to do so. "If they are thinking about relocating, Portland has to be the No. 1 choice," he said.

 

"There's a lot of places that want us," Samson said. "That's not a threat. That's a reality."

 

Marlins officials visited Las Vegas last year for a get-acquainted session, but Mayor Oscar Goodman said Tuesday he has not talked with the club since Major League Baseball gave the OK to pursue relocation.

 

The team that won the 2003 World Series is negotiating trades of stars, including pitcher Josh Beckett, in a bid to slash a $65 million payroll, perhaps by $20 million or more. Samson called it an end to "fiscal insanity."

 

One problem for the Marlins: They made similar declarations under other owners, yet managed to win two World Series titles right where they are. In the process, owners have often alienated fans and political leaders with their tactics, from Huizenga's "fire sale" after the 1997 season to John Henry's reversal on whether he would build a stadium with private money, said Andrew Zimbalist, economics professor at Smith College and author of several books on baseball finances.

 

"I think there are still scars from previous owners," Zimbalist said. "John Henry said he would build a stadium himself, and he never did. If the attitude is, 'I need a new stadium or I'm going to reduce the team to a skeleton,' that's not how you build good community relations."

 

Relations have been gone particularly sour with political leaders Samson mentioned by name Tuesday.

 

The Florida Senate, under President Tom Lee (R-Brandon), refused last spring to take up a $60 million state subsidy the Marlins hoped would complete a $420 million plan for a stadium beside the Orange Bowl. Talks with Miami City Manager Joe Arriola to revive the plan stalled when the the city wanted further assurances from Loria that he could come up with the team's share of the money, according to Samson.

 

Loria has pledged up to $212 million in team revenue for a ballpark, which Samson said ranks among the top four or five owner contributions in baseball.

 

Samson's last conversation with Arriola last month "was short and less than sweet with nary a goodbye," the Marlins' president said.

 

As for the Senate president, Samson said, "We're certainly not relocating in Tom Lee's jurisdiction, I can assure you of that."

 

Lee, through spokeswoman Kathy Mears, responded, "It's unfortunate that he's taking this personally."

 

She said the team failed to maintain consistent support of local governments in its "unprecedented bid for a second subsidy for one team." The state already granted the Marlins a $60 million subsidy at Dolphins Stadium.

 

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez is willing to keep talking with the team, communications director Victoria Mallette said. "The mayor is still supportive of a Marlins baseball stadium," she said. "He's been in touch with Marlins officials and they're exploring all options."

 

At the city of Miami, Arriola could not be reached. Mayor Manny Diaz told The Associated Press that he would "love nothing more than to get this deal done, but I'm not going to put the taxpayers of the city of Miami at risk."

 

Pam Gerig-Bland, executive director of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, said she has not been contacted by the Marlins and is not aware of a project to attract them, but she was distressed by the news.

 

"Nobody wants to lose a team," she said.

 

Will the Marlins leave? At the moment, neither of the cities courting them has a financial plan in place for a stadium.

 

Oregon's state legislature approved $150 million for a baseball stadium, but that might be a third of the total need.

 

Contributions from the city may be scarce. Portland, under former Mayor Vera Katz, tried to lure the Expos. But new Mayor Tom Potter said in his election campaign that he did not support public money for a stadium, said John Doussard, director of communications for the mayor's office.

 

In Las Vegas, Goodman is "aware of the situation," he said in a statement relayed by special assistant Elena Perez. "I've had a few phone calls, none from the Marlins. I'm going to play it by ear."

 

Marlins Vice Chairman Joel Mael and P.J. Loyello, vice president of communications and broadcasting, visited Goodman last December for a 90-minute meeting. Marlins officials were careful to preface that talk with the disclaimer that there would be no formal discussion of relocation at the time. But they asked about population trends, transportation, tourism, promotional resources and other issues that would be important in a move.

 

"We're going to have a team here," Goodman said then. "That, I can guarantee."

 

The Marlins guarantee they are serious, too.

 

"We must now acknowledge that Miami ? the gateway to the Americas ? could well be the first American city in 35 years to see its baseball franchise leave," Loria's statement said. "And people in Washington, D.C., know very well how long it took to get a team back."

 

Loria and Samson are shitheads.

 

How the fuck did baseball let them ruin TWO franchises? Granted, neither were in great shape when he got there, but they drove them both into the ground, winning a World Series along the way.

 

"And people in Washington, D.C., know very well how long it took to get a team back."

Well, you sure helped them out there.

 

These next few seasons in Miami are going to get ugly, though, if fans know there's no reason to support a team that's just going to move.

I hafta laugh my ass off about Loria. The man drives out the Expos, now he drives out the Marlins.

 

How the hell would anyone willing watch this team upon relocation? I mean aren't they just gonna move within 4 or 5 years under current ownership?