Posted by: ABC10 - WPLG
Posted: March 2, 2009

MIAMI — Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez said today he had ordered his County Manager, George Burgess, to halt all county work on the proposed $600 million stadium for the Marlins, citing “political grandstanding, the dissemination of half-truths and intellectually dishonest assumptions,” that Alvarez said had rendered the stadium process “toxic.”

Meanwhile, a bevy of comments and questions were voiced Monday night at a town hall meeting for the proposed ballpark.

Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones, considered the swing vote of the deal, addressed the crowd and took questions — even though the forum was outside of her home district.

Marlins team President David Sampson was also present to address concerns.

The meeting happened hours after Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez’s announcement.

Miami City commissioners are set to vote on the stadium deal Friday, but some commissioners have suggested that they would not support the deal without concessions, including Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones’ demands that the Marlins guarantee millions of dollars in improvements in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood.

City commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones wants the boundaries of the Overtown CRA to be extended and a $500 million bond to be authorized to help pay for revitalization in Overtown’s historic district in order for her to vote “yes.’

“I’m not pulling this out of no hat. I’ve been saying this from day one,” Spence-Jones said.

Alvarez would not mention any commissioners by name, but said any late-inning demands by Miami commissioners was “appalling,’ and had nothing to do with baseball.

“Is there room for further discussion, scrutiny and additional give and take? Yes. However, the art of negotiation is being mocked,” Alvarez said.

A city commission vote is scheduled for this coming Friday. A county commission vote has been postponed.

Alvarez said he has asked County Commission Chairman Dennis Moss to delay a county vote on the stadium set for Monday until Miami commissioners finalize their vote on the deal.

Two city commissioners are against a new stadium, two are in support of it. Three of five city commissioners must approve the deal in order for it to move forward.

“It’s in their court,” said Alvarez. “ Do they want a stadium or not?”

“I‘m not sure what I’m going do this Friday,” Spence-Jones said. “But I can tell you what — I’m not all that happy with it moving without the folks in Overtown.”



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