This doesn't appear to be going very well. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1970948 Wednesday, January 19, 2005 ESPN.com news services The Florida Marlins, already hinting they might move to Las Vegas, say it will cost taxpayers another $60 million to keep the team in South Florida, the Palm Beach Post reported in Thursday's edition. And the state's senate president is already bristling at the Marlins "terrorist" tactics. In a letter to state House Speaker Allan Bense, Marlins president David Samson said not only does the team need a new stadium with a retractable roof because of rain delays and fan "discomfort," but the team's landlord will not renew the team's stadium lease, which expires in 2010. "Our landlord has informed us that it will not, under any circumstances, extend or renew the current lease; thereby, giving the Marlins no place to play in South Florida after that time," Samson wrote in a Jan. 12 letter to Bense. Bense told the Post on Wednesday that he has not studied the request, which comes a month after a much-publicized presentation by the team to Las Vegas regarding a possible move there. "I want to look at it," Bense told the Post. The Marlins, though, may have a bigger hurdle on the other side of the Capitol, where Senate President Tom Lee appeared less receptive. "I thought that we already appropriated money to help them move to Vegas," he said. "I was very disappointed that they publicly announced the negotiations and discussions with Las Vegas, and I don't negotiate with terrorists." The Post reported Samson wants $2 million a year for 30 years. He said that money would allow the team to borrow $30 million today and "close the current funding gap" toward a $360 million stadium. The city of Miami, Miami-Dade County and the Marlins also are picking up part of the tab, the Post reported. "This entire transaction, and in fact the future of baseball in South Florida, hinges on securing a sales tax rebate from the state," Samson wrote. Although Samson's letter describes the money as a "rebate," under the law, the money is actually a subsidy, not dependent on how much sales-tax revenue the new stadium generates. In fact, Wayne Huizenga's Dolphins Stadium will continue to receive the $2 million a year it has been getting for the Marlins since 1993 for another 18 years -- whether the Marlins move to downtown Miami, Las Vegas or even, as was rumored two years ago, are eliminated as a franchise. Current law prohibits a team from getting more than one subsidy. The new language Samson wants gets around that by reassigning the existing subsidy to the football Dolphins and letting the Marlins get the new subsidy. Huizenga -- the original Marlins owner and the current owner of the Dolphins -- tried to get $2 million a year for the Dolphins in 1997, but the plan was defeated in the House on a floor vote. At a recent news conference, Huizenga described the Marlins' possible departure as something the team brought up first, when it was owned by John Henry. Huizenga recently said the team's departure would allow him to stage other events and improve the stadium. "They have informed us that they are leaving," Huizenga said. "We understand that they might stay until 2010, but that is not what I am hearing. I am hearing that they will be out before that." Gov. Jeb Bush in 2000 rejected an attempt by the Marlins under Henry to build a new park using a tax on cruise ship passengers. Then, in 2001, a $240 million tax break for a new park died on the final day of the legislative session. An attempt last year by the Marlins to get the $60 million subsidy also failed
No you can't. You also cannot bet on NBA games at Caesar's Palace. The same holding company that owns Caesar's Palace owns the New York Knicks.
Dunno about the Kings. I do believe the Maloofs own a chunk of one of the casinos. I just don't know which one. Prolly can't bet on Kings games at that casino.
They own the Palm's. I don't know for sure if you can bet on NBA there or not. Also, I think it is only UNLV home games you can't bet on.
I'm kind of surprised that Vegas doesn't already have any pro teams. They are the fastest growing city in the US...tons of tourism and cash to spend...and have something like 2 million full time residents in the greater Las Vegas area.
You would still be able to bet on games if there was a baseball team there. As for the Caesars/NBA thing, thats news to me....are you sure about that? The only games you cant bet on in Vegas are ones involving UNLV as far as I know.
One thing has nothing to do with the other. If they have a sportsbook (which i dont know if they do), then you can bet on anything except UNLV
I know when Steinbrenner bought the Yankees, he still owned some of the Bulls and was a partner in one of the casinos....and you could still bet either sport.
Who the heck bets on baseball, anyway? (Besides Pete Rose) Football and basketball odds make sense to me, the baseball ones are just weird.
Both the NFL and NBA have stated several times that they have ZERO interest in Vegas because of the betting issues. MLB is crazy, so who knows.
funny thing is that baseball teams would have to worry the most about their players getting in trouble in vegas since they would be in town for 3 days at a clip
They actually have changed the rules...you can bet UNLV games in Vegas, this changed a couple of seasons ago....
What we've ignored here is this: Why the hell does a private company (the Marlins) want taxpayers in Pensacola, Live Oak, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Panama City, etc, etc, etc to foot the bill for a new stadium. Why not pay for yourself? Hopefully Jeb votes this down. Speaking of baseball, I bought Devil Rays season tickets today. Great seats, but the price was a bit high considered the D-Rays suck balls. But it'll be fun watching the Yankees, Red Sox and other top talent in the AL play here. And play indoors, which is a heresy of epic and biblical proportions. Glad I don't cover them. Their hitting coach lives in my neighborhood. Nice guy, knows his baseball, but jeez, he has nothing to work with at all.