By JIM TURNER
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
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THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, March 30, 2017……… Sports franchises wouldn’t be able to build or renovate stadiums on publicly owned land under a measure that won House approval Thursday.
But while the House voted 82-33 to support the bill (HB 77), the Senate hasn’t been in the same ballpark on the issue.
“It’s fine here, but the Senate … a lot of things are not moving over there, so we’ll see how everything shakes out,” said House bill sponsor Bryan Avila, R-Hialeah.
The bill is part of an effort by House leaders to limit public assistance to private companies, reflecting a broader philosophical gulf from the Senate on business incentives, tourism marketing and government funding of professional sports facilities.
A similar Senate proposal (SB 122) not been heard in committees, nor has another bill (SB 236) that would seek to repeal a 2014 law that potentially made available $13 million a year for stadium work.
