Florida Marlins Find New Owner

The Florida Marlins' 15-month search for a new owner might be nearing an end and the deal appears to guarantee the team's future in South Florida, according to published reports Wednesday.

The Miami Herald, citing unnamed sources, reported that H. Wayne Huizenga has agreed to sell the Marlins to John Henry for $150 million after the Boca Raton businessman agreed to two final demands.

Huizenga said Tuesday the sides were closer to reaching an agreement, but no contract had been signed.

"A deal is not done until it's signed," he told the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale in Wednesday's editions.

Henry declined to comment Tuesday.

Sources cited by both papers said Henry agreed to pay about $10 million to $12 million to help refurbish Pro Player Stadium, in addition to the club's $150 million purchase price.

One source told the Sun-Sentinel that "issues still remain" before the sale is completed. Foremost among those is the Marlins' television broadcast deal with SportsChannel. Henry still has not seen the proposed TV contract that would accompany the sale.

Wayne Huizenga says a deal with Henry is close. (Allsport)

The TV deal is expected to run for 10 years through the 2008 season, a much shorter term than the 26-year deal reportedly agreed to bMarlins president Don Smiley in his failed bid to buy the team.

The Herald reported Henry also agreed to allow Huizenga to keep all the money from a $60 million state sales tax rebate given to several "facilities for new ... or retained professional sports franchises" in Florida in the past decade.

The rebate, paid in $2 million installments over 30 years, was given to then-Joe Robbie Stadium in 1991 so Huizenga could retrofit the facility for baseball.

Although Henry has declined to discuss the issue, a source told the Herald he believed he should get the remaining $34 million to $40 million of that money when the Marlins move into a new stadium.

But Huizenga believes he is entitled to the revenue because the law says the money goes to a "facility" for a sports team, not directly to the team, spokesman Stan Smith said.

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