Miami Mayor Tomas Regaldo accused the Miami Marlins baseball franchise of stealing money from the taxpayers in order to fund their state-of-the-art stadium, which has numerous luxuries, such as aquariums behind the home plate and a retractable roof.
According to the financing agreement, the team will pay for $160 million of the $634 million park, but the county could be doling out $1.1 billion by the year 2048 on compound interest and balloon payments on one $91 million loan.
How could one of the nation’s poorest cities and counties afford such a luxury? The mayor, who opposed the deal in the first place, blamed the franchise ownership and the various taxes that will fund the stadium.
“[Owners] insulted the taxpayers, and then they insulted the fans. It was: We did it to you—and screw you,” said Regaldo, according to the Miami New Times. “Miami has a history of bad deals, but I would rank this No. 1. The residents of Miami were raped. Completely.”
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