September 5, 2008 [LINK / comment]

Marlins' stadium hopes rise again

Local elections held in Miami-Dade County on August 26 has raised hopes once again that the Florida Marlins will get enough public funding on their proposed retractable-roof stadium to break ground soon. Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez and other local officials who have declared support for the project were reelected, in an implicit endorsement of the ballpark. Entrepreneur Norman Braman previously said he might drop his lawsuit (see Feb. 22) against the project if the public voted in favor of it in a referendum, and that is what just happened. See MLB.com. So, things are looking up once again, but this story has seen so many ups and downs that it's like a roller coaster. The Marlins' lease at Dolphin Stadium ends after the 2010 season, and after that they will be "homeless" unless their new stadium gets built in record time. How about a season playing in Puerto Rico, like the Expos did but on a full-time basis?

Indirect hat tip to Brian Hughes, whose fact check about Paul Lo Duca joining the Marlins led me to this news piece.