Dolphins stadium deal dies, but Ladra believes in ghosts

Dolphins stadium deal dies, but Ladra believes in ghosts

Now that the Dolphins stadium bill is dead in the water in Tallahassee — gavel down, not a peep of it in the House after passing overwhelmingly in the Senate — is the stadium modernization down the pipes with it? Not everybody thinks so. Former Commissioner Katy Sorenson said at a debate on the publicly-financed […]

Winners and losers on Dolphins stadium strike-out

Winners and losers on Dolphins stadium strike-out

Naturally, we all know the bigget loser in today’s defeat of the Miami Dolphins stadium modernization bill in the Florida House is Stephen Ross, who had hinged getting the roof and some fancy upgrades for his very own SunLife Stadium on using public dollars and creating a new revenue stream for himself. Indeed, he had invested […]

Day 60: Game clock ticks on Dolphins stadium deal

Day 60: Game clock ticks on Dolphins stadium deal

As the last day of the 2013 legislative session begins, there is one sound that is going to be heard loud and clear in the heads of those who are furiously driving the bill that would give the Miami Dolphins’ owner a potential $379 million in public funds to roof and renovate his private stadium, and those […]

Dems called for ‘undermining’ black Dems on Dolphins deal

Dems called for ‘undermining’ black Dems on Dolphins deal

Whether or not the Dolphins stadium scam gets its green light in Tallahassee this week, whether or not voters here get the chance to kill it, the negotiation to provide up to $379 million in public tax dollars for the renovation of SunLife Stadium has split both parties at the local level, at least. And […]

Republicans help parent trigger bill die in Senate

Republicans help parent trigger bill die in Senate

If ever we could see the power of one single vote, it was Tuesday, when two Miami-Dade Republicans saved the state from the parent trigger bill that most parents, ironically, are dead set against and that would have diverted taxpayer dollars from public schools to “privatish” schools. If either Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla (R-Coral Gables) or Sen. Rene Garcia (R-Hialeah) […]

Anti Dolphins stadium mayor to run for Congress

Anti Dolphins stadium mayor to run for Congress

It was bound to happen. Cutler Bay Mayor Edward “Mac” MacDougall — whose profile has soared from his vocal opposition to the Miami Dolphins publicly funded stadium renovation deal — was very coy when he was first asked if he was using this platform to run for higher office. “I just find it offensive that […]

New poll: Dolphins stadium side moving their ball forward

New poll: Dolphins stadium side moving their ball forward

A new poll of 2,000 likely voters done for a local television station shows that the owner of the Miami Dolphins has gained double digit support for his plan to use public funding to roof and renovate his private stadium. Disapproval for the deal to provide more than $289 million in bed tax dollars and $90 million […]

Political operative David Custin robos vs Dolphins stadium

Political operative David Custin robos vs Dolphins stadium

Politics really does make strange bedfellows. Ladra was already uncomfortable being on the same side as car mogul Norman Braman — whose heavy-handed meddling in the county commission races we have strongly criticized — on the Miami Dolphins stadium issue. Monday night, I found myself thanking David Custin, who has almost always been on the […]

Told ya so: Dolphins stadium bill poised to pass [the buck]

Told ya so: Dolphins stadium bill poised to pass [the buck]

Many people didn’t see this coming. The Miami Dolphins stadium bill to provide public tax funds for the renovation of the SunLife Stadium, owned by billionaire Stephen Ross, was described as a “longshot” with words like “dead in the water” and, then, “on life support,” coming out of the mouths of opponents, legislators and political […]

As early voting starts, 12,700 ABs mailed in already

As early voting starts, 12,700 ABs mailed in already

Even as the enabling legislation stalls in Tallahassee, early voting begins in Miami-Dade County today for the deal to provide more than $350 million in tax dollars to roof and renovate the privately-owned SunLife Stadium where the Miami Dolphins play. But already close to 13,000 people have voted. According to the running daily tab posted […]