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Buddy,
Are you sure you don't work for the city
Bexar steps up to plate with stadium plan
Web Posted: 03/03/2006 12:00 AM CST
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer
County Judge Nelson Wolff said Thursday he will present a stadium financing plan next week to the Florida Marlins, a step that may lead to more intense relocation negotiations between the county and the Major League Baseball franchise.
"We look forward to discussing this plan with Judge Wolff," Marlins president David Samson said. "It's the first step of a long, interesting process to see if there is a match."
Wolff said his proposal mirrors the plan the county used to build the AT&T Center for the Spurs, using public and private funding to raise the $300 million he estimates it would take to build a stadium.
The Marlins would choose the site, Wolff said.
"The general thinking is the I-35 corridor (Selma area) would work, but the Marlins may have other ideas," Wolff said.
The AT&T Center opened in 2002 at a cost of $189 million. Voters in 1999 approved increases in the hotel-occupancy and car-rental taxes to finance the county's $146.5 million share.
The Spurs provided the rest of the funding, including $41 million from the arena's naming rights.
"That's our template," Wolff said. "Although construction of a baseball stadium is more expensive, we are looking at doing something similar percentage-wise."
Wolff said voter approval would be needed to refinance the bonds, pay off the AT&T Center debt early and use new bonds to pay for a stadium.
"We would not be en bering it with a sales or property tax," Wolff said. "We would use the same financing mechanism we have in place now."
If negotiations heat up with the Marlins, Wolff said he would attempt to put the proposal on the November ballot.
Wolff said the target date for the proposed stadium's opening would be 2010.
The Marlins want a new home because they've been unable to get public financing for a new ballpark near Miami. The team has said it is prepared to help pay to build any new stadium.
Last month, Bexar County commissioners told their budget officer to find underwriters who could help the county determine, at no cost, options for financing a large sports facility.
Budget Officer David Smith chose UBS Financial Services and JP Morgan Chase, and he said he has met with them.
San Antonio was the first city the Marlins toured after receiving permission from Major League Baseball to explore relocation. Marlins officials, who say the team prefers to remain in South Florida, also have visited Portland, Ore., and talked with officials from Norfolk, Va.
Samson, the Marlins' lead negotiator for relocation talks, said South Texas is under serious consideration. Meanwhile, stadium talks in South Florida remain stalled.
"It's definitely serious when you are presented a financing plan and when you talk as much as we are," Samson said.
In addition to talking several times a week with Wolff, Samson also has had conversations with Mayor Phil Hardberger, the most recent coming last week when he was in Miami.
"We told (Wolff) we wouldn't waste his time," said Samson, who visited San Antonio in December. "We have too much respect for the county judge and the mayor. This has never been about leverage in South Florida. This is about finding a home for the Marlins."
Hardberger conceded that his plans to bring the NFL to San Antonio could be put on hold if the Marlins land in South Texas. Still, he said he thinks the city someday would be able to support three big-league franchises.
"If I had the choice of a professional football team or a professional baseball team, I would take football," Hardberger said. "Most people would, with the exception of Judge Wolff, who loves baseball. But I don't see it as an either-or situation.
"Our doormat has been out for a year or so now, and we are going to welcome the first ones through the door, and it could be the Marlins."
Asked if he had concerns about San Antonio's ability to support two major league teams, Samson said: "After peeling away one layer, the answer is no. But there are many more layers to go before we are sure our initial hunch is correct."
Hardberger said he has discussed with Wolff the possibility of the city building roads to the proposed stadium.
"But he has assured me — and I am probably going to hold him to it — that he will not ask the city for any direct money," Hardberger said.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met....1d1b9942.html
Last edited by Buddy Holly; 03-03-2006 at 01:49 AM.
Buddy,
Are you sure you don't work for the city
cool
that would kick ass if the Marlins, or any other MLB team would locate here!!
This is a article from yesterday from the Miami Herald:
---------------------------------------------------------------
San Antonio under `serious consideration'
BY BARRY JACKSON
[email protected]
San Antonio has become the focus of Marlins' relocation discussions, Major League Baseball president Bob DuPuy said Wednesday.
Asked if San Antonio has emerged as the front-runner, DuPuy said, ``I would not go that far. All I would say is that right now, that seems to be the temporal focus. I think it's too early to have a front-runner.''
The Marlins have spoken with officials with San Antonio, Portland and Norfolk, Va., but the talks with San Antonio have progressed further than the others.
Marlins president David Samson said the team and San Antonio officials are speaking three or four times a week.
However, San Antonio hasn't presented a stadium financing plan to the Marlins.
Mayor Phil Hardberger did not respond to a request for comment.
''Talks are serious, but until financial plans are discussed, it's preliminary,'' said Samson, who toured San Antonio on Dec. 6.
Samson said the Marlins are ''very encouraged'' about how aggressively San Antonio is pursuing the Marlins and that the city is ''under very serious consideration.'' Samson always has said the Marlins prefer to remain in South Florida, but stadium talks remain stalled.
San Antonio was the first city the Marlins visited after receiving permission to explore relocation.
''I imagine there will be another visit there,'' Samson said.
The Marlins have not received permission to visit Las Vegas, because MLB is believed to have concerns about relocating to the gambling mecca. Asked if the Marlins would be given permission to visit Las Vegas, DuPuy told The Las Vegas Review Journal for today's editions, ``I have no information. Focus seems to be on San Antonio at this point.''
The Marlins' discussions about building a stadium in Hialeah have not progressed, Samson said.
Even with a contribution by the team and Miami-Dade County, the Marlins need free land and an additional $100 million or so toward construction costs.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald...l/13995528.htm
Baseball in SA would be awesome... It does get a little boring during the Spurs offseason
And both sports do not overlap each other by very much.
You'd have the NBA season ending and still have the MLB going to about when the NBA season restarts.
I still can't believe that the good people of Dade County, with the support they've given to the U's football team over the years, won't open their checkbooks for their only championship pro team of recent vintage. But they can't even find a sponsor for that dump Joe Robbie when Tampa's freaking newspaper stepped up and bought the name for the dome there.
I have my doubts on the viability of an 81 game summer home schedule in San Antonio, of course. But if Miami won't pay when the Marlins are actually offering to spend their own money, and Bexar County's going to build a brand new facility at no cost for the team, why the not?
Last edited by j-6; 03-03-2006 at 02:35 AM. Reason: 81 games, not 82
That thing would have to have a retractable roof -- or else prepare for the usual Ranger August swoon.
Well, baseball games are cheap. Thats one thing that they have going for them.
No way this happens. San Antonio is being used, again.
Last edited by Kori Ellis; 03-03-2006 at 05:55 AM.
I don't think its all that far fetched (not as far fetched as getting an NFL team) - but its just a dumb idea since MLB blows, especially if you don't have one of the 5 teams who can afford to buy their way into the playoffs year after year.
We probably COULD support an NFL team - we just are down on the list of desired locations for the league to put a team (better options exist). No city outside of NY, Boston, and Chicago can support a modern MLB team.
Sort of off subject, but not really. If the NFL goes with an uncapped season in '07, football could quite possibly blow up into baseball economically. Why would the union accept a deal for a cap after guys like Dan Snyder are going to be perfectly willing to pay $5M a year for backup defensive ends for a one-season spending orgy to get a le?
No matter how much the town has grown, it's still a small-to-middle size market in professional sports terms, and Jeff "I sold the Expos" Luria isn't going to spend a ton of money to be compe ive.
Frankly, San Antonio has a much better chance of filling a 65-70K stadium eight times a year for the NF'ingL than it does averaging 20-30K for baseball on eighty-something home dates in the South Texas heat. And they better win, 'cause SA doesn't have a very good track record for supporting ty teams.
Not only will they not "open their checkbooks", they won't even support the team by attending games. Have you ever taken a look at the stands when the Marlins are playing at home? Tons of empty seats. Florida is notorious for not supporting their sports teams by attending games; odd, too, considering the amount of money down there.
That's what I think, too. As much as I'd love to take off work an afternoon or two a week to attend a professional baseball game...it ain't gonna happen.
It's good to see that the public leadership is being proactive on this but MLB in SA? I think the NFL has a far better chance. That's only about 10 home games (incl preseason) a year that you have to get 50K or so people per game to show up to. Far easier than getting 20K on average to go to 81 home games. The Spurs manage to do it with 41 or so home games, but they're a team that's just won 3 les in the last 7 seasons. Football is also king in South Texas.
As an avid Baseball fan, I sure hope this happens.
I sure do love me some baseball!
for sure I would be going for 20 or 30 home gaems... maybe buy a 1/2 season pass.
And you don;t need "great" seats to enjoy a baseball game...the $8 - $15 ones will do just fine in a jiffy.
BTW - any ideas what thier name could be IF we get them??
They can't be the San Antonio Marlins.. .that just makes no sense.
I loves this idea. I don't know what the chances are of landing the Marlins, but I would be down for it. Its too much to go to Houston and Arlington to watch baseball. I have to dish out money to get there, stay there, tickets, and food. This would be great. It has to have the sunroof though. Its too hot here in SA for it to be an opened stadium.
Note to self: Look for land deals around Selma.
Holy CHit Mans..i am tired of the pinche Local Federales Pimping our City for No reason....Those putos are only using the good peoples of this town to get somethin better else wheres......PINCHE CABRONS!!!
If we DO get a Team we chould name it LOS BANDITOS after me......that is all...
San Antonio Shamus.BTW - any ideas what thier name could be IF we get them??
They can't be the San Antonio Marlins.. .that just makes no sense.
Screw you guys! We want the Marlins here!
Yeah, what she said.
Sincerely,
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz
Yeah, so much so that the MLB president says the Marlins are very serious about SA and the main focus right now.
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