Sun Life Bill Still Winding Way Through Legislature
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Florida Senate appears poised to pass the bill needed to renovate Sun Life Stadium, but the Florida House is a much different story.
Thursday, the Senate bill cleared the final committee to head to the Senate floor. The Senate version of the bill would have the Dolphins compete with other teams for a tax break of up to $3 million per year, according to CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald.
According to the Herald, teams would compete for $13 million in tax breaks and would be ranked based on economic impact.
The Dolphins have given their approval to the Senate version of the bill that could be voted on soon.
"The bill that gives Miami-Dade voters the final say on bringing Super Bowls, college championship games, and international soccer to our community now moves to the full Senate," said Dolphins CEO Mike Dee. "The momentum to modernize Sun Life Stadium and create more than 4,000 jobs continues to grow."
Still, the bill is essentially stalled in the Florida House. It's currently stuck in the Budget Committee and no movement is expected in the next few days. According to the Herald, House Speaker Will Weatherford said there is plenty of time to get a bill passed.
Once the bill passes the budget committee, it will head to the floor of the House for a final vote. The competing House and Senate bills would then have to be settled. The final day of the legislative session is May 3.
If the bill doesn't pass the state legislature, the Dolphins will be back at square one as the deal worked out with Miami-Dade County will be void. The team has already spent at least $4 million to fund a special election, but if the legislature doesn't act, it will all be for nothing.
(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Miami Herald contributed to this report.)
