From: sikorski@oj.miami.edu (Richard Sikorski)
Subject: RUMOR mia Heat - Miami Arena News
Followup-To: rec.sport.basketball.pro
Organization: University of Miami, RSMAS
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 05:19:27 GMT

> Bonus Miami Arena RUMOR: ...Huizenga said he wants to build a state-
> of-the-art arena for the team, probably next to the Miami Dolphins'
> Joe Robbie Stadium north of the city.
>    The Heat's 10yr lease at the north-of-downtown Miami Arena expires
> in 1997, and the team has made no secret that it wants a larger facility
> with better parking... The new hockey team would start out leasing the
> Miami Arena, but the NHL considers the Arena too small.

Miami Arena/Hockey RUMOR (some rehash, some new material):
   The Heat learned December 10th that local Blockbuster Video/
Marlins-Baseball/Miami-Dolphins/Joe-Robbie-Stadium magnate
H. Wayne Huizenga ("Hi-ZEEN- ga") plans to build a new arena for
the new hocky franchise he was just awarded. Heat executive-VP
Pauline Winick "can't talk about [the franchise's] plans at this
time" as far as moving to a new arena. But in the past, the Heat
front office has fought bitterly with the company that manages the
Miami Arena for the city, over rent, control of sky-box and advertising
sales, parking, security, etc. The Heat and Huizenga have reportedly
discussed the possibility before, and the proposed location
near Joe Robbie Stadium north of Miami on the Dade-Broward
county line is expressway-accessible to a broader region of
south-Florida fans. And the Heat have consistentyl sold out
games in the last season and a half.
   Bill Perry, executive director of the Miami Sports and
Exhibition Authority that manages the Arena, says Huizenga is
willing to initially lease the Arena for his new team, but he
didn't say for how long. City Commissioner Miller Dawkins,
chairman of M.S.E.A., will probably lead the political game
trying to keep the Heat and Huizenga in the Miami Arena. Also
expect to hear from City Commissioner Victor DeYurre ("dee-
YUR-ray"), past chair of M.S.E.A. and current chair of the
Downtown Development Authority. Hockey could begin as early as
next October through April (plus playoffs). Is any other NBA
team out there playing on a court over ice? Or competing for
arena time with another sport?
   In an important new development, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald
reports that the City of Hollywood and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
launched a joint campaign to draw the new hockey team to their city.
"They're calling [the campaign] Operation Pucker Up," Spencer reports.
(Just think it over until you get the terrible pun, then blame The Herald,
not me ;-)

New Miami-Arena/Arena-Football RUMOR:
   On December 12th, Greg Cote of the Miami Herald reported
that an un-named group of investors is negotiating with the
Arena Football league for a new Miami franchise! "There's a 75
per cent chance we will be announcing a team for Miami for
1993," said AFL Commissioner Joe O'Hara on 11Dec. "And if not
for '93, then certainly for '94. We are very close to a deal."
And he laughingly added, "It does _not_ involve Wayne
Huizenga."
   Bill Perry, director of the M.S.E.A., called the potential
owners "well-established business individuals, very serious."
The M.S.E.A. is negotiating with the same group for the indoor
league to play on 50yd by 28.5yd artificial-turf surface in
the Miami Arena during the AFL's 12-game plus 8-playoff May
August season, which does not conflict with hockey or
basketball.

--
Richard Sikorski     sikorski@oj.miami.edu
                   r.sikorski@rsmas.miami.edu