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The Marlins finally will see this stadium become a reality after Miami-Dade
County commissioners voted 9-4 in favor of a funding package for the
retractable-roof ballpark (Click to see in larger view) Late night update: Miami-Dade County commissioners have voted 9-4 in favor of an amended funding package including $515 million for a baseball-only stadium and $94 million in parking lots at the former site of the Orange Bowl in Little Havana for the Florida Marlins. Voting in favor of the funding were Commissioners Dennis Moss, Bruno Barreiro, Audrey Edmonson, Natacha Seijas, Javier Souto, Barbara Jordan, Dorrin Rolle, Jose ''Pepe'' Diaz and Rebeca Sosa. Dissenting were Commissioners Carlos Gimenez, Sally Heyman, Katy Sorenson and Joe Martinez. Sorenson described attempts to making the deal better like putting “lipstick on a fish.” By a super-majority vote of 10-3, the commission also approved a bid waiver for the stadium's construction manager. Last week, the Miami City Commission voted 3-2 in favor of an amended package that will see increased profits to Miami and Miami-Dade County, should the sale of the Marlins occur. The County commissioners today looked to get much of the amendments memorialized. As reported by Sarah Talalay of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the club will look to break ground on the facility as early as this summer in order to meet a targeted 2012 opening. The plan calls for the county, which will own the 37,000-seat venue, to contribute $297 million in county hotel bed taxes and a $50 million general obligation bond. The city is to donate the land and $13 million in bed tax and build $94 million in parking lots but will be repaid as the team buys the spaces for every game. The team is to provide $155 million, including $35 million in rent. The team would cover cost overruns. […] Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has owned the team for eight years and told commissioners he has no plans to sell it.
"I've already been involved with this team longer than any previous owner," he said. "My commitment to this team is as rock solid as it's been since day one."
As part of the agreement, the club will change the name of the team from the Florida Marlins to the Miami Marlins. To see all of the following images, plus others in high-resolution: Proposed Miami Marlins Stadium ALL IMAGES COURTESY HOK SPORT Business of Sports Network Feature Articles of the Day (late night edition):
 Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.
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