A Tough Sell

The party had wound down by the time the excited, smiling man returned to the champagne-drenched room.

But that didn’t stop Wayne Huizenga.

The Florida Marlin owner worked the clubhouse as if the night were still young, slapping backs and hugging everyone in sight. The visiting Marlins had just defeated the Atlanta Braves for the National League championship series at Turner Field, making Huizenga a happy man.

As the history-making Marlins celebrated, their owner didn’t appear to be someone about to leave the baseball business. Though chances are, he will.

In June, Huizenga said he would unload the money-losing Marlins. He put the team on the market, saying he wanted to focus on “running businesses that make money.” But that was before Marlin mania overwhelmed South Florida.

Now, Huizenga isn’t so sure he wants to become a former owner. Issues must be resolved and deals cultivated, but Huizenga said he may hold on to his Marlins after all. Or, he may not.

“We’re going to concentrate on winning the World Series, and when that’s all over, we’re going to sit down and start talking about the business side of things,” Huizenga said. “Next week or the week after, we’re going to decide what’s the best thing for this organization. I’ve fallen in love with this team, which has made all of this very difficult.”

And interesting.

During the off-season, Huizenga committed $89 million to sign free agents such as Moises Alou, Bobby Bonilla and Alex Fernandez. He also guaranteed $60 million to Gary Sheffield and Robb Nen. With contract extensions to other players, Huizenga wound up spending $175 million to improve his product.

Then, surprisingly, he threw in the towel. He claimed projected losses of about $30 million this season and more than $200 million since acquiring the rights to the expansion franchise in 1991.

The billionaire entrepreneur and sports mogul--he also owns the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and NHL’s Florida Panthers--said he regretted spending so much on the Marlins.

“That was a tough time for all of us,” Marlin President Don Smiley said. “This is unlike any business Wayne has ever had and he let his emotions take over. But it’s my responsibility to explain to Wayne what the numbers say and what we’re facing.”

The outlook hadn’t always been bleak. The Marlins made a profit in 1993, when attendance reached 3.1 million. They were projecting attendance of 2.7 million in ’94 before the strike hit. Last season, attendance dropped to 1,746,767 for an average of 21,565.

“Our honeymoon period was cut short by the strike,” Marlin General Manager Dave Dombrowski said. “In many ways, that contributed to our situation. We’re only beginning to recover from that now.”

Since Huizenga’s announcement, the Marlins have had a dream season. The fifth-year team finished second to the Braves in the National League East, earning the wild-card playoff berth, then reached the World Series faster than any other expansion franchise.

Attendance increased by more than 35% during the regular season. The Marlins drew 2,364,387 fans for an average of 29,555--fifth highest in the league.

Through it all, the Marlins have stayed focused.

“No one wants to see Mr. Huizenga sell the team because he’s a great owner,” Manager Jim Leyland said. “But from the time of the announcement, we knew there was nothing we could do about it. All we could do is go out and play as well as we could and try to reach the playoffs.”

Yet even with the added playoff revenue, the Marlins say they expect to lose money, although not as much as initially projected.

The problem? Pro Player Stadium, according to the Marlins.

Built as Joe Robbie Stadium for the Dolphins, nine years ago, the stadium causes its owner headaches. Revenue from the facility’s club seats and luxury boxes doesn’t go to Huizenga.

Instead, that money goes toward paying the debt incurred by the late Joe Robbie, who financed the stadium privately. Huizenga said it’s hard to keep pace with his competitors without that revenue.

“Certainly there are exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking you need that revenue to stay competitive,” Huizenga said. “It’s very hard to put a winning team on the field without it.”

The stadium presents a bigger problem because of the region’s weather. In South Florida, there is seemingly a 90% chance of rain daily.

Pro Player Stadium doesn’t have a retractable roof, and the Marlins had 30 rain delays this season. Huizenga said this hurts attendance, which in turn hurts his bottom line.

“This stadium is not the best place for us to play,” Huizenga said. “That’s just a fact.”

Huizenga said that a new, retractable-roof stadium would solve his problems. South Floridians have heard this story before.

Dissatisfied with the Panthers’ arena, Huizenga put the team on the market in 1995. But the Panthers also had a dream season, reaching the Stanley Cup finals. Huizenga decided to keep the team when local politicians agreed to build him a new arena in Sunrise, Fla.

It seemed unlikely that Huizenga would receive community support for another publicly financed stadium. Enter Smiley, Huizenga’s longtime associate.

Smiley is positioning himself to buy the team if Huizenga sells, forming an ownership group to raise the $150 million Huizenga is expected to seek. But Smiley probably won’t proceed unless South Florida’s movers and shakers, whom Smiley knows well, agree to help finance a new baseball-only stadium.

And there is speculation that Huizenga would stay on board in some capacity if Smiley could negotiate a stadium deal.

“We believe this community would be very supportive of baseball if we had the right building,” Smiley said. “But good business sense has to take over now. This just can’t go on like this anymore.”

Of course, Huizenga knew what he had jumped into when he bought the stadium and went after an expansion baseball franchise in 1991. However, he had hoped the community would rally around the Marlins and want to build them a new home.

Huizenga, 59, built financial empires from waste management and Blockbuster video. He is working on his third bonanza, a chain of used-car superstores.

His net worth has been estimated at $1.5 billion, and many in South Florida wonder why they should have to build him anything?

“When you’re in a position like Mr. Huizenga’s, you can’t please everyone,” Leyland said. “There are going to be people who take shots at him. But with the Dolphins and the Panthers, and of course us, he’s committed a lot to try to bring South Florida a winner.

“He’s very nice to his players, and I’m talking about in many, many more ways than financial ways. I don’t think there is anyone around here who would deny what he has done for this community.”

Huizenga and his family are involved in South Florida charities and have received many awards from civic groups for their efforts.

Foremost on his list, Huizenga said, is to keep the team in South Florida. But what happens if Huizenga still decides to get out and Smiley can’t get the backing he wants to take over?

“I don’t have a crystal ball,” Smiley said. “I don’t know what Wayne is going to do, But I do know this much--we’re talking about the future of baseball in South Florida. And Wayne can’t wait forever.”

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FOR SALE

WHO: Florida Marlins

WHAT: Major League Baseball Team

PRICE: $150 million or best offer

ASSETS: Gary Sheffield, Moises Alou, Bobby Bonilla, Robb Nen

INDCIDENTALS: Only five years old. Built to last.