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MIAMI, April 11 (UPI) -- Miami voters will decide whether to subsidize millions of dollars of renovations to the stadium where the Miami Dolphins play, county officials say. The referendum on whether taxpayers should contribute $289 million to update Sun Life Stadium has been scheduled May 14, The Miami Herald reported Wednesday.
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The county elections chief says that's the fastest a vote has ever been scheduled in Dade County. Commissioners set the date for only days before the NFL announces its selection for host city for Super Bowl 50, hoping the referendum will influence the decision.
In negotiations before the vote, County Manager Carlos Gimenez had linked the use of tax money for the stadium to the league awarding the city Super Bowl 50, or 51st at the latest.
Dolphins owner Mike Dee told commissioners Wednesday the league was opposed to such linkage, saying NFL owners felt the selection process had been "contaminated."
The commission agreed to change the ballot language, striking mention of a specific game to say the tax hike would be awarded as long as Miami was given any Super Bowl in the May announcement.
Still, Gimenez and at least one commissioner said they would be unhappy if Miami was selected for any later Super Bowls.
"I don't want 52," Gimenez said.
