Dolphins seek tax dollars for $225M stadium renovation

The Miami Dolphins are seeking a change in state law that would let Broward County spend hotel taxes across county lines, on a $225 million renovation of the team’s stadium in Miami-Dade, according to the Miami Herald. Mike Dee, Dolphins CEO revealed the proposal in a speech before a business group in Miami today, describing a funding package that would also use Miami-Dade hotel taxes to fix the 1987 stadium and pay for a major renovation of the Miami Beach Convention Center. While the Dolphins have sought Miami-Dade hotel taxes for at least a year, the public bid for taxes in Broward marks an escalation in the team’s effort to persuade taxpayers that the stadium is a major economic boost for the region. The Dolphins believe that the stadium benefits both counties, since it’s a short drive from the Broward line. Dee said top hotels support the plan, while William Talbert III, head of the Greater Miami tourism bureau, does not. Commissioners in Miami Beach are also opposed to using public funding for the football stadium. Dee claims that renovations — including a partial roof and an extra 3,000 premium seats near the field — would generate $2.5 billion in economic revenue over the next 30 years, largely due to six Super Bowls Dee predicted would be held there. [Miami Herald]