Dan T. Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I call dibs on the Pirate ship! Florida law would turn its publicly funded ballparks and stadiums into homeless shelters Yahoo Sports-Big League Stew Blog Could the new Marlins ballpark or the Tampa Bay Rays' Tropicana Field serve as a homeless shelter for the 270 or so nights a year that they're not used for baseball? If two Florida lawmakers have their way, they might. As reported by the Miami Herald, state legislators have unearthed an obscure law that has not been enforced since it was adopted in 1988. It states that any ballpark or stadium that receives taxpayer money shall serve as a homeless shelter on the dates that it is not in use. Now, a new bill would punish owners of teams who play in publicly funded stadiums if they don't provide a haven for the homeless. Affected ballparks would include the Miami Marlins' new ballpark in Miami's Little Havana, the Tampa Bay Rays' Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg and several spring training facilities. It also includes the homes of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Miami Heat, Jacksonville Jaguars and Florida Panthers. The newspaper estimates that owners might have to return $30 million in benefits that were already bestowed if the bill passes and they can't prove they were running homeless shelters... http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/florida-law-turn-ballparks-homeless-shelters-151458504.html Miami Herald article: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2012/01/lawmakers-advance-bill-to-fine-sports-teams-for-not-housing-the-homeless.html -- I kind of like the notion that these legislators are making team owners keep up their end of a bargain made years ago to get these stadiums built with public money. Practically speaking, though, actually using stadiums as homeless shelters sounds like bad news for the stadiums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeesburgSkinFan Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 As if the Jags needed another reason to move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FanboyOf91 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 That's one way to get people in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjfootballer Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 As if the Jags needed another reason to move. They need all the help with attendance that they can get. That's one way to get people in there. Maybe the blackouts will stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Colony Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 On a somewhat related note, remember the video from the Superdome during Katrina? Man, that was awful for the people in there. I'm sorry-I think it is called the Mercedes Benz Superdome now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 I wonder if any practical thought was given to that provision of the law when the stadiums were built. It doesn't sound like it. It sounds more like it was a feel-good, empty gesture that nobody took seriously, as a PR stunt to get public financing passed. So now some legislators are trying to get owners to pay up for ignoring the deal they struck. Good for them. ---------- Post added January-25th-2012 at 02:35 PM ---------- On a somewhat related note, remember the video from the Superdome during Katrina? Man, that was awful for the people in there.I'm sorry-I think it is called the Mercedes Benz Superdome now. Yeah that was a disaster of epic proportions, in the midst of a larger disaster of even more epic proportions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boss_Hogg Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 so where would they stay? In the locker rooms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 so where would they stay? In the locker rooms? Or the owner's suites. That'll teach them to ignore the law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botched Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I do! That's the best stadium ever, you don't even need to cross the goal line to get a 2pt conversion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLRedskins Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 At least the Marlins/Rays will have a decent crowds now They could have free Gillette razor night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HailGreen28 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 lol at the luxury boxes being used as dorm rooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosher Ham Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 That is a really stupid idea. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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