Marlins Dog and Pony Show Arrives in San Antonio

Just as Hialeah, Fla., and Dade County officials are trying to decide whether to use industrial park property taxes to pay for a new ballpark for the Marlins, along comes an entourage of team executives to San Antonio. The executives supposedly are checking out proposed ballpark sites in South Texas, but this is nothing more than a shameless dog and pony show to pressure the Miami-Dade County Commission and the Hialeah City Council to build a park in South Florida. Even though county officials in San Antonio have proposed the expenditure of $200 million toward a $310 million ballpark there, it is highly unlikely that Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria would trade Miami and its 17th largest television market for San Antonio and the 37th largest. San Antonio has given Loria a May 15 deadline to accept the offer. Expect Loria, who has not visited San Antonio personally, to let the deadline pass without a commitment.