Dolphins begin stadium upgrades media blitz

Norman Braman says Ross should pay for upgrades

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins began a media campaign Tuesday to win over taxpayers as the team seeks millions of dollars to modernize Sun Life Stadium.

The Dolphins ran several full-page advertisements in Tuesday's Miami Herald to support the stadium improvements, and one attacked automotive dealer Norman Braman.

READ: Miami Dolphins' ad

He called the ad a distraction.

"You know, when you can't argue the issues and the issues of welfare for a billionaire and duplication of what happened with the Marlins and Jeffrey Loria, and so forth, you resort to personal attacks," said Braman.

Braman fought against giving Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria millions of public dollars for his baseball stadium, a deal that may have soured the public on using bed tax money for Sun Life Stadium.

When Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced the modernization, he said he would pay half of the $400 million needed.

Some of the money would come from raising the bed taxes in Miami-Dade County from 6 to 7 percent and a $3 million sales tax rebate from the state.

"I think if it needs to be updated, the individual who owns the stadium, who derives a substantial amount of revenue from that stadium, an individual who's worth $4.4 billion should write the check to improve an asset that he has. He's going to make money off of these improvements," said Braman.

The Miami-Dade County Commission will consider a resolution backing upgrades to Sun Life Stadium during a meeting Wednesday.

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