Going to bat for stadium

The lawsuit seeking to block public funding for a new baseball stadium for the Florida Marlins continues, and recent witnesses have testified that a new park would be good for business and development. Frank Nero, president of the Beacon Council, testified Monday that new business is drawn to baseball, but conceded that no analysis of the Marlins’ economic impact has been performed since 1991. Tony Villamil, chief executive officer of Coral Gables-based Washington Economic Group, testified for the county that a new baseball stadium such as the one planned by the Marlins serves the public purpose of economic development. Auto dealer Norman Braman sued the city and county over alleged illegal funding schemes to build the proposed $525 million stadium on the site of the former Orange Bowl.