Marlins Stadium Update No. 3,710
For those following the lawsuit filed by auto dealer Norman Braman that targets the financing of the ballpark and other Miami projects, you’ll have to wait another day for the trial to start. Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Jeri Beth Cohen delayed the trial’s start until Thursday afternoon – rather than Wednesday morning – to accommodate schedules.
For those keeping score, Cohen also made some rulings Monday that favor the defendants in the case -- the Marlins, Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami. She upheld rulings by original judge Pedro Echarte Jr. – who recused himself from the case last month – that prevent the Marlins from having to open their financial books and that Braman doesn’t have standing to challenge whether the city properly advertised the meeting in which city commissioners approved the concept of funding $3 billion of city projects.
Cohen also ruled Braman doesn't have standing to challenge the use of Community Redevelopment Agency dollars -- meant to improve areas designated as "slum and blight" -- to fund projects including a traffic tunnel to the Port of Miami and museums under the city-county plan to fund $3 billion worth of Miami projects. However, Braman will be allowed to argue that the concept should be put to a public referendum.
And among the arguments remaining in the case are whether the county can change the form of repayment of the bonds used to fund construction of the performing arts center and move the $50 million in general obligation bond dollars voters approved in 2004 to renovate the Orange Bowl to the ballpark project.
More on Thursday….
Comments
Looks like all the Marlins fans are worried about putting this scam to the public vote. I wonder why?
Posted by: Sergio | July 10, 2008 3:39 AM
Whoops. Email party foul. I hit send a few times when I thought my computer froze.
Sorry about that.
Posted by: suffering fan | July 8, 2008 6:18 PM
Thanks Sarah. You are doing a wonderful job with this blog. I appreciate the updates on the stadium fight.
I'm biased as a Marlins fan would be, but I really hope the city prevails and gets this stadium built.
I wonder how much of Braman's concern stems from the fact that more public transportation in Miami will hurt his bottom line. Somehow I don't think his reasons are entirely altruistic.
In sum, I think he's an entirely self-serving jerk.
Posted by: suffering fan | July 8, 2008 6:16 PM
Thanks Sarah. You are doing a wonderful job with this blog. I appreciate the updates on the stadium fight.
I'm biased as a Marlins fan would be, but I really hope the city prevails and gets this stadium built.
I wonder how much of Braman's concern stems from the fact that more public transportation in Miami will hurt his bottom line. Somehow I don't think his reasons are entirely altruistic.
In sum, I think he's an ass.
Posted by: suffering fan | July 8, 2008 6:15 PM
Thanks Sarah. You are doing a wonderful job with this blog. I appreciate the updates on the stadium fight.
I'm biased as a Marlins fan would be, but I really hope the city prevails and gets this stadium built.
I wonder how much of Braman's concern stems from the fact that more public transportation in Miami will hurt his bottom line. Somehow I don't think his reasons are entirely altruistic.
In sum, I think he's an ass.
Posted by: suffering fan | July 8, 2008 6:12 PM
I don't see how Braman can possibly force this issue to go to a public vote. The courts cannot set that precedent, can they? Imagine if everytime the city or county decides to do something, some upset billionaire sues for it to go to a public vote...local government would grind to a hault and cost millions of dollars for public referendums.
Posted by: joe | July 8, 2008 11:41 AM
Are the local gov'ts really going to let some childrens/juvenile/family law type of courthouse supercede what is best for the city, and that is the downtown stadium??
If Braman wins his lawsuit, are there any real viable cities for the Marlins to relocate? If there are not, I hope Braman wins, so the Marlins can push the local govt to give the team the downtown site. Look at Denver, B'More, Pittsburgh and other locales where the stadiums were in bad areas and now those areas are the hippest/liveliest in those respective cities.
The OB site has Miami Arena written all over it...
Posted by: David | July 8, 2008 11:03 AM
I know barley anyone comments on this blog but i just wanted to say thanks for the update.
Posted by: Mario | July 8, 2008 9:36 AM