TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida's oldest professional sports franchise -- the Miami Dolphins -- has been dealt a crushing blow by the Florida Legislature, which ended its session without passing any funding plan that would assist the team's quest to refurbish its stadium.
The refusal of the GOP-controlled Legislature to aid the team before adjourning Friday evening wasn't just a defeat for the Dolphins -- it could also sack South Florida's efforts to lure another Super Bowl to the region in the next few years.
The Dolphins and other professional sports teams were all backing a Florida Senate proposal that would have allowed each of them to compete for a share of state tax dollars. But the House -- led by Speaker Will Weatherford -- refused to bring up the legislation.