The Marlins get a step closer
One down, one to go:
Miami City Commissioners approved a plan to build a $639 million Florida Marlins ballpark Thursday, nudging the long-debated stadium one step closer to reality.
With a 3-2 vote, the commission approved the 37,000-seat stadium on the site of the demolished Orange Bowl. Marlins president David Samson said afterward the team hopes Miami-Dade county commissioners will give final approval to the project at a meeting next week so construction can begin.
As for the “debate” leading up to the vote, Neil deMause at the excellent Field of Schemes blog put it best: “People in suits: in favor. People in casual clothes: opposed.”
The people in suits won, of course. It kind of always works that way, doesn’t it?
Didn’t read the links (I will later) but IIRC the construction worker unions were well represented at the hearing and obviously in favor. I doubt they were wearin suits. The NAACP, in conjunction with councillor Spence-Jones, successfully lobbied for $$$ for the depressed Overton area as well as a guarantee that 15% of the construction work would be done by black owned companies. Anyway, all that to say that this was about more than “the man” getting what they want.
i was thinking – the fact that there are so many big time baseball fans that are against stadium funding just goes to show how fair and smart we are. these stadium subsidies benefit people like us far more than the casual fan and vastly more than a non fan. selfishly, we should be for these subsidies. yes, its lining the owners’ pockets, but its also strengthening MLB as a whole. yet somehow how we have the decency to recognize its not right to screw over all the people who will have to pay for these stadiums that dont need or want them.
is there no end to our awesome magnanimity?
What makes you think the head of a union can’t afford a suit? Anyways, it’s the baseball bat you should be worrying about…
Maybe the people opposed should wear suits too.
That’s because the people in casual clothes vote for the people in suits, because the people in suits promise them everything they want.