Top Story

Dolphins bring in quarterback

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:53:29 GMT

The Miami Dolphins made a roster move on Wednesday. The Fins signed Quarterback Aaron Corp.

Corp was signed as an undrafted free agent by Buffalo last season and briefly visited with the Cowboys.

Corp went to college at Richmond.

To make room on the roster, the fins waived long snapped Patrick Scales.

Sun Life Stadium referendum results

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:01:27 GMT

More than 60,000 ballots were cast in Miami-Dade County to see whether taxpayer money via a hotel bed tax would be used to renovate Sun Life Stadium. Those numbers covered absentee ballots and 41 precincts of early voters.

Here's a breakdown of the results: 57 percent voted against the proposal and 43 percent cast their ballots in favor of renovating Sun Life Stadium.

Of the 60,678 residents who voted, 34,780 voted "no" and 25,898 voted "yes" in the special election.

Florida lawmakers in Tallahassee killed the bill, forcing the vote to be called off.

The Dolphins camp was so certain they would win the vote, owner Stephen Ross paid $5 million for the special election. Ross even invested another $1 million for ads campaigning for a "yes" vote.

Details of final Super Bowl bid package to be released

Thu, 09 May 2013 23:05:38 GMT

The Miami Dolphins will not get public funding to renovate Sun Life Stadium, but a committee is still hoping to be chosen to host Super Bowl 50 or 51.

On Thursday morning, the South Florida Super Bowl Bid Committee will announce details of the final package that it will submit to the NFL.

A release from the committee ahead of the announcement said that the package "gives Miami-Dade its best shot at winning one of the Super Bowls." It added that being selected to host the game would "generate hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity for the County and South Florida."

Super Bowls 50 and 51 are scheduled to be played in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The locations of the next two Super Bowls have already been decided. The 2014 game will be played in the New York area, followed by the Phoenix area.

The Florida legislature's decision not to approve a resolutionthat would have provided public funding to the team could hurt South Florida's chances. The Dolphins were hoping to complete $400 million dollars worth of renovations to try to sway the NFL to choose the Miami Gardens stadium for one of the games.

The league warned the team that major improvements were needed after it hosted the 2010 game.

Sun Life Stadium referendum votes will be counted

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:47:05 GMT

State legislators shot down the Miami Dolphins' plans to use public money to renovate Sun Life Stadium, but Miami-Dade County will soon find out how its taxpayers really felt about the issue.

Though the special election that was scheduled for May 14 has been cancelled, the county will vote nearly 60,000 ballots that were already submitted.

In the five days of early voting, more than 7,000 people cast ballots. Another 52,000 submitted absentee ballots.

"The election attorney has told us that anything that was cast up til Friday will be made public because it's public record," Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez explained Tuesday.

The tally will be the first and only public record of whether county voters supported or opposed raising the bed tax to subsidize the renovation of Sun Life Stadium.

The Dolphins are optimistic that the results will show that voters were in favor of the renovations.

"We definitely saw the momentum in our direction," Dolphins CEO Mike Dee told Local 10's Glenna Milberg. "The referendum was definitely winnable and our polls showed us ahead."

The team's internal voting defied other polls that indicated three of four voters opposed the public subsidy.

Dolphins owner Steve Ross invested $5 million dollars to pay for the election and an additional $1 million for an online marketing campaign to sway voter opinion.

The results of that tally are expected to be released by May 15.

Tyson Clabo signs with Dolphins

Sun, 05 May 2013 20:08:21 GMT

The Miami Dolphins have signed a veteran offensive lineman.

The Fins will be adding right tackle Tyson Clabo.

Clabo will sign a one-year deal.

Clabo, 31, was released by the Atlanta Falcons earlier this offseason in a salary cap move.

Clabo started all 101 games he played for the Falcons.

The 6-6, 329 pound Clabo was a Pro Bowl selection in 2010.

Sun Life Stadium bill dies in Florida legislature

Sun, 05 May 2013 01:09:32 GMT

A bill that would help the Miami Dolphins with funds to renovate Sun Life Stadium has died in the Florida House.

The Florida Legislature is ending its annual session on Friday without passing anything that would assist the Dolphins or any other professional sports teams.

The Florida Senate passed legislation that would have created a process where pro teams would compete for $13 million a year in state incentives. Other professional sports organizations seeking money included Daytona International Speedway and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The bill would also would have let the Dolphins tap into local taxes to help pay for renovations to Sun Life Stadium. Miami-Dade voters are scheduled to vote May 14 on a referendum to help the team.

But the referendum will be cancelled with the defeat of the bill.

Miami-Dade Special Election, early voting cancelled

The Miami-Dade County Special Election that was scheduled for May 14 has been cancelled. As of Saturday, May 4, county officials said early voting is no longer available and there will be no Election Day voting for this election.

Voters in the cities of North Miami and Sweetwater are reminded that they may continue to visit the following early voting sites to vote in their municipal elections, which will continue as planned:

North Miami Public Library at 835 NE 132 StreetElections Department Main Office at 2700 NW 87 Avenue

These voters may also vote at their assigned precinct on Election Day, May 14, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"The Elections Department is taking all possible measures to minimize the inconvenience to Miami-Dade voters, including placing signage at Early Voting sites and placing notices in local newspapers," said Penelope Townsley, Supervisor of Elections. "As we conclude this election, the department will continue to focus on the successful conduct of our municipal elections."

Responses to outcome of Miami Dolphins bill

Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross issued the issued the following statement regarding the outcome of the Dolphins bill:

"Tonight, Speaker Weatherford did far more than just deny the people of Miami Dade the right to vote on an issue critical to the future of our local economy. The Speaker single-handedly put the future of Super Bowls and other big events at risk for Miami Dade and for all of Florida. He put politics before the people and the 4,000 jobs this project would have created for Miami-Dade and that is just wrong. I am deeply disappointed by the Speaker's decision. He gave me and many others his word that this legislation would go to the floor of the House for a vote, where I know, and he knows, we had the votes to win by a margin as large as we did in the Senate. It’s hard to understand why he would stop an election already in process and disenfranchise the 40,000 people who have already voted. I can only assume he felt it was in his political interest to do so. Time will tell if that is the case, but I am certain this decision will follow Speaker Weatherford for many years to come. I want to thank Mayor Gimenez for his leadership. He was a tough negotiator whose persistence led to an agreement that offered taxpayers the strongest protections of any agreement of this kind in the country. I also want to thank our bill sponsors and supporters in Tallahassee, especially Senator Oscar Braynon, Representative Erik Fresen and Representative Eddy Gonzalez; our County Commission sponsors, Commissioners Jordan, Diaz and Barreiro, as well as all of our supporters on the County Commission; HT Smith and Jorge Arrizurietta, the Co-Chairs of the Miami First Campaign; The University of Miami; The Orange Bowl Committee; The Greater Miami Hotel Association; the many volunteers who lent their support to our campaign, and the members of the Dolphins organization and our campaign team who worked so hard in the last several weeks. I believe without a doubt that the voters would have supported this project if given a chance to vote. In the weeks ahead, I will do all I can to convince my fellow owners to bring the Super Bowl back to Miami Dade. The Bid Committee has done a tremendous job to give us a great shot, and my only hope is that it is enough to overcome the terrible message Speaker Weatherford has sent to the NFL tonight. In addition, I will continue to do all I can to build a winning team for the people of Miami Dade. In the future, I will look to play an important role in fixing the dysfunction in Tallahassee and will continue to work to create good jobs in Miami Dade and throughout South Florida."

Mike Dee, CEO of Miami Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium, tweeted out to his followers on Friday:

"Thanks to all who worked so hard to keep #miamifirst. Our efforts were cut short before voters could decide but the politics in Tally do not take away from the experience of meeting so many great members of our community who care deeply about the future of Miami."

Rodney Barreto, Chairman of the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee, issued the following statement:

"Although the Florida House has let the people of Miami down by not allowing a public vote on the stadium referendum, I know that Steve Ross and the Miami Dolphins will put their best foot forward to support the Super Bowl Host Committee in bringing the 50th Anniversary game back to Miami.

I know the plan we have put forth thus far is extraordinary in its creativity and was well received by the NFL in our recent meetings. Unfortunately, there are many factors that weigh into the Super Bowl award decision, not the least of which is the quality of the stadium.

By failing to allow the stadium referendum in Miami Dade to go forward, the House Leadership has made our efforts to bring the Super Bowl back to Miami and South Florida much more difficult.

As Commissioner Goodell said recently, not allowing the people of Miami Dade to decide their own fate on this matter sends the wrong message to the NFL owners at the worst possible moment.

San Diego turned its back on the Super Bowl and hasn't hosted one since. I only hope the events in the Florida House today have not sentenced Florida to a similar fate."

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Giménez has announced the end of the special election and issued the following statement:

"The State Legislature did not take action on the bill to provide an additional 1% mainland tourist tax for the Dolphins’ stadium renovations. As a result, and in accordance with the resolution calling the special election, I have instructed our Elections Department to cancel the special election effective immediately.

The two scheduled municipal elections will proceed according to plan. It is important to point out that the special election did not cost tax payers any money, as the Dolphins paid the County $4.7 million to cover election expenses – in fact, we estimate that there will be over $1 million left over that can be used to meet other County needs.

I would like to thank those voters who took advantage of early voting to express their opinion on the stadium issue. My priority from the beginning of this process has been to give our voters the final say."

Miami First Co-Chairs H.T. Smith and Jorge Arrizurieta released the following statement in response to the stadium bill:

"By leaving Tallahassee without letting the people of Miami-Dade vote on the modernization of Sun Life Stadium, the Florida House clearly showed our community that they would rather play politics than do the right thing.

While the Tallahassee politicians found time to raise the contribution limits for their fundraising, they said they couldn’t find time to let the people of Miami-Dade make their voices heard.

While they pushed their political agenda, the House leaders refused to support the effort that would create over 4,000 jobs and provide a much-needed boost to our local economy.

The House put at risk the future of Super Bowls and other major events in Miami, which are so critical to our tourism economy. It’s a sad day when Tallahassee gives San Francisco and Houston a victory at the expense of our community.

This inaction by the Florida House of Representatives is frankly irresponsible and regretful. The most basic responsibility and right a citizen has is the ability to vote. All we asked for was the opportunity to vote to not be denied. Unfortunately, the House chose to deny Miami-Dade residents the right to have the final say on this effort.

From the small business owners who depend on major events to grow their companies, to the unemployed construction workers who came to our Opportunity Fairs, as well as the members of clergy who wanted to do what is right for their community, and all of our supporters across Miami-Dade, we would like to thank them for their support."

Sun Life Stadium bill may die in Florida legislature

Fri, 03 May 2013 21:07:17 GMT

The Miami Dolphins are going to probably fall short of the goal line in their bid to get help for stadium renovations.

Sen. Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens, called the outlook for any bill that helps the Dolphins "bleak" shortly after meeting with House Speaker Will Weatherford.

The Florida Senate has passed two bills that would help the Dolphins and other professional sports franchises and sent them to the House.

The bills would create a process where pro teams would compete for $13 million a year in state incentives. But they would also let the Dolphins tap into local taxes to help pay for renovations to Sun Life Stadium. Miami-Dade voters are scheduled to vote May 14 on a referendum to help the team.

Miami Dolphins CEO Mike Dee has said owner Stephen Ross wouldn't pay for the stadium improvements if the legislature or voters denied him.

The session ends at midnight on Friday.

The Dolphins say Sun Life Stadium needs at least $350 million in improvements to remain competitive with newer stadiums around the NFL for Super Bowls and high-profile events.

The team wants $289 million from a 1 percent increase in the hotel bed tax in mainland Miami-Dade County and $90 million from the sales tax rebate.

The Dolphins have offered to pay the county and the state back the money it receives from the sales tax rebate.

Early voting on whether to provide the tax subsidy to the team began Monday. Click here to see the early voting schedule and locations.

If state lawmakers approve the bill, the local referendum will be held May 14. However, ads scheduled to air next week to promote the vote on raising the bed tax have been cancelled.

The team held a job fair Thursday for the project-related positions that one carpenter called a waste of time. Dolphins officials said the project would create at least 4,000 jobs over a 22-month period.

The Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers, who will move into a new stadium next year, are vying for Super Bowl L in 2016. The loser will compete against the Houston Texans to host Super Bowl LI in 2017.

NFL team owners will announce the locations of Super Bowls L and LI on May 22.

PHOTOS: Dolphins Rookie Camp opening day

Fri, 03 May 2013 20:22:29 GMT

The Dolphins Rookie Camp opening day got underway Friday at the Training Center in Davie. Local 10 cameras were flashing. Check out the pictures.

Miami Dolphins hold job fair for Sun Life Stadium modernization

Thu, 02 May 2013 22:47:03 GMT

A carpenter called a job fair hosted by the Miami Dolphins for the Sun Life Stadium modernization project a waste of time.

"I'm looking for work that's going to pay me a good salary," Kenneth Bostick said Thursday.

Bostick said while at the job fair, he signed up for a job-force website, something he could've done at home.

"I feel bad. They haven't started, so it's just coming up here is a waste of my time," he said.

Bostick, a carpenter, then met with officials who run departments like housekeeping and catering for regular events.

Dolphins officials said at least 4,000 construction jobs will be available for a 22-month period. The team wants 10 percent of the workers to hail from Miami Gardens and 70 percent to be from Miami-Dade County.

The Dolphins say Sun Life Stadium needs at least $350 million in improvements to remain competitive with newer stadiums around the NFL for Super Bowls and high-profile events.

The team wants $289 million from a 1 percent increase in the hotel bed tax in mainland Miami-Dade County and $90 million from a sales tax rebate.

The Dolphins have offered to pay the county and the state back the money it receives from the sales tax rebate, which the Florida Legislature must still approve by the end of the session on Friday.

Early voting on whether to provide the tax subsidy to the team began Monday. Click here to see the early voting schedule and locations.

If state lawmakers approve the bill, the local referendum will be held May 14.

The Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers, who will move into a new stadium next year, are vying for Super Bowl L in 2016. The loser will compete against the Houston Texans to host Super Bowl LI in 2017.

NFL team owners will announce the locations of Super Bowls L and LI on May 22 in Boston.

Would the Miami Dolphins sign Tim Tebow?

Thu, 02 May 2013 18:47:18 GMT

Could Tim Tebow be the next high profile athlete to take his talents to South Beach?

According to agent Drew Rosenhaus, the Miami Dolphins may be a landing spot for the walking media circus.

Released by the Jets after a miserable season with minimal playing time, Tebow has cleared waivers and is now free to sign with any NFL team. However, since his release, interest in Tebow has been hard to come by, even though the last time he started at quarterback he led the Denver Broncos to the playoffs.

Rosenhaus told 560 WQAM on Wednesday that he "wouldn't be shocked" if Tebow was signed by the Dolphins.

Tebow, a favorite among South Florida's UF alumni base, has reportedly lost 15 pounds since the end of last season and has worked with a quarterbacks coach to refine his throwing motion and delivery.