Florida Turns Down Subsidy for Marlins Stadium

Published July 1, 2006

Although Florida lawmakers declined to provide financial assistance to the Florida Marlins Major League Baseball franchise, a proposed move of the team to San Antonio, Texas has been killed.

Florida’s legislative session ended in May without a commitment of $60 million of state money for a new stadium for the Marlins. This marks the fifth time in six years Florida’s lawmakers have declined a subsidy request from the Marlins. (The team did not request a subsidy in the other year.)

The Marlins and Miami-Dade County already have agreed to provide most of the money for the proposed stadium’s $420 million financing. The state money is needed before the project can go forward.

Nevertheless, on May 15 Major League Baseball announced it could not guarantee the Marlins would move to San Antonio, killing plans for the construction of a $200 million stadium there.

— John W. Skorburg