South Florida businessman Norman Braman is calling the proposed plan to renovate Sun Life Stadium with the public dollars "plain welfare for a multi-billionaire."
Unlike the Miami Marlins and Miami Heat, Sun Life Stadium is privately owned and does not receive any public money. The proposed bill would change that.
The Miami Dolphins say they're willing to foot most of the bill for a badly needed facelift for Sun Life stadium -- and are hoping state and local funding will supply the rest. But lingering taxpayer anger over another stadium deal could be hanging over the proposal like a dark cloud.
$400 MILLION STADIUM PLAN: Modular seating is one of the features of the Sun Life Stadium renovation plan. The team wants public funding for half of that.
New seating, new scoreboards and shelter for the fans from the sun and rain.
That's how Miami Dolphins majority owner Stephen Ross envisions Sun Life Stadium after a $400 million renovation for which he hopes the taxpayers will pay half.
NEEDS WORK: Dolphins owner Stephen Ross wants a partial roof and reconfigured seating at Sun Life Stadium and he wants taxpayers to fund some of the renovations.
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has an appointment with reporters today to discuss his plans to go after public funding to renovate Sun Life Stadium.
The cost estimate is $400 million, says the Miami Herald, some of which Ross apparently hopes to raise from state and local government sources.
Miami is a finalist for Super Bowls in 2016 an 2017. Only problem: There are other finalists - San Francisco and Houston - and each has a younger, better-looking and better-equipped stadium. The possibility of hosting the big game, the Miami Herald reports today, may put some steam behind a drive for taxpayer-funded renovations to Sun Life Stadium.