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NEW HOPE FOR NEW ARENA?
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Topic Started: Apr 27 2005, 06:55 PM (350 Views)
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MAGICMANEVAN
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Apr 27 2005, 06:55 PM
Post #1
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#1 Magic Fan
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- Quote:
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TALLAHASSEE -- Doing an end run around a key Central Florida lawmaker, the Florida House breathed new life Tuesday into a proposal for $150 million in sales-tax subsidies for sports franchises, including the Orlando Magic and a proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame in Volusia County.
The measure was tacked onto a bill that would give a $1 million sales-tax rebate each year to the Orange County Convention Center.
If approved, the money would go for a new or renovated NBA arena in Orlando, the Florida Marlins baseball stadium in Miami, four spring-training facilities for baseball and the auto-racing hall of fame.
Rep. Fred Brummer, R-Apopka, in recent weeks has steadfastly refused to allow the sports proposals to be heard in his powerful Finance and Tax Committee, effectively bottling them up in the House.
But when it became apparent Tuesday there was broad support among a majority of members for the legislation, Brummer said he had little desire to be the House's "Don Quixote tilting at windmills."
At the same time, a Senate committee on Tuesday also approved similar bills that lumped the subsidy requests together.
But approval of the money is still far from certain.
House Speaker Allan Bense and Senate President Tom Lee have warned that it would be too expensive to approve all of the subsidies in one year.
Even so, Tuesday's events mean the proposals that seemed doomed just last week are on the rebound.
Bense, who stood by Brummer's decision not to give a hearing to the legislation, said a number of lawmakers asked him to allow the bills to be voted on.
"I said, 'Let the members vote on it," Bense said. "I'm not sure how I'm going to vote on it, to be honest with you, but I think the members should have an opportunity to vote on it."
Combining the measures could prove risky, making them an all-or-nothing proposition. But Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer -- former state legislators themselves -- said it was worth the risk.
"At least we're coming out of the House," Crotty said in Orlando. "A day ago, we were bottled up."
Last week Rep. David Simmons, R-Longwood, agreed to drop his request to increase the Magic subsidy to $99 million in exchange for Brummer allowing the bill to move forward.
In 1988, the state created a program for eight local governments to apply to receive $60 million each over 30 years to help build professional-sports facilities. The money has been available to the city of Orlando since the Magic began playing in 1989, though the city has never applied for those dollars.
Seven teams, including the Marlins, play in stadiums built with those funds.
Tuesday's maneuver changes the original 1988 program to specify that Orlando has exclusive rights to the eighth subsidy for the next five years and creates a ninth subsidy for a new Marlins stadium.
Rep. Susan Bucher, D-West Palm Beach, pointed to public-opinion polls that show more than 80 percent of people are against spending tax money on professional-sports arenas and a report by a Senate economist that showed the facilities provide little or no economic benefit to their regions.
"None of these proposals have gone through any fiscal scrutiny from this body," Bucher said. "We should be ashamed of ourselves."
John Saboor, executive director of the Central Florida Sports Commission, who is involved with the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Orlando basketball arena projects, was ecstatic about the progress that both made in the state Legislature on Tuesday.
"It was a watershed day," said Saboor, who is in Tallahassee to lobby for the proposals. "New life has been offered to each of these projects."
Daytona Beach is one of six cities vying for the racing museum, competing against Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Kansas City, Kan.; Richmond, Va.; and Detroit.
Rep. Sheri McInvale, D-Orlando, said the amendments on her bill that would rebate sales-tax money to certain convention centers, including Orange County's, are likely the best way to make sure the bill passes the Senate because it will have more "buy-in" from other members if the sports proposals are attached.
Dyer, meanwhile, met with Orlando Magic General Manager John Weisbrod on Tuesday to discuss the idea of renovating the 15-year-old TD Waterhouse Centre.
"I'm not putting pressure on them to make a decision," Dyer said. "I would expect them to do exactly what they're doing, which is to look at this from every angle."
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iceveins333
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Apr 27 2005, 07:04 PM
Post #2
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Rocks blocking shots on guys with dreadlocks
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dude I hate that Susan Bucher b**ch...she's so f**king stupid, I mean just cause s**tty ass west palm beach will always be known as the town by Ft. Lauderdale doesn't mean she needs to be a b**ch about it, not to mention the state already passed funding in the past to building South Florida TWO NEW ARENAS, where was her b**ching at then!!!
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MAGICMANEVAN
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Apr 27 2005, 07:09 PM
Post #3
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#1 Magic Fan
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what?
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iceveins333
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Apr 27 2005, 09:53 PM
Post #4
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Rocks blocking shots on guys with dreadlocks
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that dumb b**ch legislator for west palm beach...she wasn't b**ching when the state gave the state tax dollars to miami to help build the american airlines arena, and whatever arena the florida panthers made, but now that the magic want to get some money for a new arena she is being a stubborn b**ch about it
hopefully the ppl up in tall. have half a brain and vote to pass this and then maybe we can have like the mafia family in tampa go negotiate w/ Rich Crotty to let us use the tourist tax for a new arena
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Black and Blue
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Apr 27 2005, 10:30 PM
Post #5
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Have You Hugged Your Van Gundy Today?
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Damn man. Being a Marlins and Magic fan, looks like I have all my eggs in one basket with this bill.
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MagicMadness
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Apr 28 2005, 08:51 AM
Post #6
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Latest Info:
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TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida House gave final approval Wednesday to spending more than $100 million in taxpayer money on sports facilities across the state, including an Orlando Magic arena and NASCAR Hall of Fame in Volusia County.
But Senate President Tom Lee immediately cried foul and said the mega-package was "a long shot" to pass his chamber. Without Senate approval, the measure would die.
"I don't want to put the body through a protracted debate on which there are not the votes to pass," Lee said.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/bask...magic&track=rss
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iceveins333
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Apr 28 2005, 08:54 AM
Post #7
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Rocks blocking shots on guys with dreadlocks
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damn...looks like the Senate is gonna screw the Magic over
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MagicMadness
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Apr 28 2005, 08:56 AM
Post #8
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Yeah, seriously. f**k the Senate.
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dxwwf3
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Apr 28 2005, 01:00 PM
Post #9
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Legend
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If you live in Florida, call your Senator's office. Let them know that the Magic have to stay in Orlando.
http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/index....Tab=legislators
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MAGICMANEVAN
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Apr 28 2005, 08:03 PM
Post #10
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#1 Magic Fan
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Yeah, seriously. f**k the Senate. hell yeah, f**k them!!
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