The Dolphins Fight For A Penny
MIAMI (CBS4) - The Miami Dolphins are a multi-million dollar franchise, but a penny could determine the future of their home.
Tuesday, the Miami Dolphins offered a potential raise for the sum of a proposed state bill that aims to fund renovations for both the Sun Life Stadium and the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Mike Dee, CEO of the Sun Life Stadium, sent a letter suggesting Broward and Miami-Dade commissioners to boost the total sum of the bill with a one-cent raise in the regional tourist development tax.
In the bills original form, the generated funds would be split evenly between the stadium and the convention center. But if the proposed one-cent raise is approved; it will allocate 60 percent to the convention center and leave 40 percent for Sun Life Stadium or other eligible sports franchises.
Last month, Broward commissioners rejected the funding proposal for the stadium, while Miami Beach commissioners voted twice opposing any public dollars for Sun Life Stadium.
The submitted offer comes in just one day after the Miami Herald reported that Sen. Mike Bennet, R-Bradenton, confirmed that he will stand by legislation to allow Miami-Dade commissioners to raise the county's convention development tax by a penny in order to finance only the convention center.
According to Dee, the altered offer was not made in response to Bennet's proposal. He also noted that the bill has not been filed, nor does it have a sponsor in the House. And if the bill is indeed filed, he predicts a "challenging" atmosphere ahead.
Along with Bennet's proposal that was posted one day before Dee's offer, Miami Beach's final draft was made public for an approximate $600 million renovation plan for the city's convention center built-in 1957.
The issue is under discussion in numerous forums as legislative sessions are looming and the vote for the convention center renovation proposal is near.
Bennet said on Tuesday that the bill is in draft and should be filed next week.
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