December 18, 201114 yr This is pretty despicable if you ask me... How are they allowed to get away with it? Occupy the Marlins ...The franchise is moving into a new $634 million ballpark, a retractable roof Xanadu-cum-stadium-sized ATM in Little Havana that figures to make team owner Jeffrey Loria even richer, largely because he: (a) Didn't have to pay for most of its construction; (b) Won't have to share the majority of the income generated by the building with the good people of Florida and beyond, all of whom who are footing the bulk of the aforementioned bill. Obviously, this is nice work if you can get it. (It helps to own a baseball team, and helps even more to make noises about moving your baseball team). The deal breaks down as follows: City and county taxpayers are on the hook for $100-plus million in parking garage construction; a $35 million loan to the Marlins; $12 million for road repairs and other incidental costs; and over $347 million in ballpark construction bonds, which will actually cost the public more than $2 billion over the 40 years it takes to repay them. While lobbying for a new stadium, the team repeatedly cried poor, publicly refuting a Forbes report that it turned a $43.7 million profit in 2008. The club also refused to open its books to city officials -- a curious refusal that became decidedly less so in 2010, when leaked financial documents revealed that the Marlins made $48.9 million in profits in 2008-09. Earlier this month, the Securities and Exchange Commission launched an investigation of the entire mess and the politicians involved, including a city commissioner who received more than $100 million for her district in exchange for her pro-stadium vote and a county commission chairman who received $40,000 in campaign donations from firms interested in bidding on the construction project. How can they hope to get away with this? And if they do, what the hell is wrong with baseball/sports/this country?
December 18, 201114 yr QUOTE (Reddy @ Dec 18, 2011 -> 07:52 AM) This is pretty despicable if you ask me... How are they allowed to get away with it? Occupy the Marlins How can they hope to get away with this? And if they do, what the hell is wrong with baseball/sports/this country? What's happening here is no different than every other state that was held hostage for a stadium, including IL for the White Sox. In fact, in the White Sox case, the Governor told the White Sox they would have to hold the state hostage to get anything done. So while JR wins awards for being charitable, which is commendable, just remember, he's also been the receipient of "charity" many more times over.
December 18, 201114 yr Author QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 18, 2011 -> 09:41 AM) What's happening here is no different than every other state that was held hostage for a stadium, including IL for the White Sox. In fact, in the White Sox case, the Governor told the White Sox they would have to hold the state hostage to get anything done. So while JR wins awards for being charitable, which is commendable, just remember, he's also been the receipient of "charity" many more times over. Yeah you're right, and the SEC investigates every stadium that gets built I'm sure.
December 18, 201114 yr Many people wonder where the Marlins got all this money they're throwing at free agents this offseason. But according to the business of baseball Forbes reports, they've been one of if not the most profitable team in baseball over recent history. Here is the Marlins' operating income from the last five published Forbes reports. Coincidence that the total is nearly identical to the $191M they gave to free agents so far? Yes, but funny how that worked out. Yr OI (Mil) Rank 10 20.2 14 09 46.1 1 08 43.7 1 07 35.6 2 06 43.3 1 Tot 188.9
December 29, 201114 yr All teams do this and like it was mentioned earlier, the White Sox were one of the worst offenders.
December 29, 201114 yr Wasn't Marlins' payroll also the lowest continuously for the last decade or so..
December 30, 201114 yr QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Dec 29, 2011 -> 07:34 PM) Wasn't Marlins' payroll also the lowest continuously for the last decade or so.. Yeah, and there was also a chart that showed what % of each team's income they put back in to their payroll. The Yankees were at the top of that %, and the Marlins were the lowest on that list. IIRC, it was something like 25%, while the Yankees were over 70% I believe. Edited December 30, 201114 yr by JoeCoolMan24
January 25, 201214 yr A bit of "revenge" by the Florida State Senate: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-leag...-151458504.html
January 25, 201214 yr QUOTE (knightni @ Jan 25, 2012 -> 02:46 PM) A bit of "revenge" by the Florida State Senate: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-leag...-151458504.html They have to find some way to fill those stadiums, since the fans sure don't show up.
January 25, 201214 yr QUOTE (knightni @ Jan 25, 2012 -> 02:46 PM) A bit of "revenge" by the Florida State Senate: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-leag...-151458504.html This amuses me.
January 25, 201214 yr Just remember the drunk loud-mouthed guy cursing at the top of his lungs that on one can understand isn't homeless. He works there.
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