MIAMI – The Super Bowl might not return to South Florida for a long time.
Ten NFL title games have been played in Miami, but last week the Dolphins were denied public money for a stadium upgrade by the state Legislature. The vote removes South Florida from serious contention for the 50th Super Bowl and perhaps subsequent NFL and college title games as well.
The defeat in Tallahassee also raises questions about the future of the Dolphins under multibillionaire owner Stephen Ross. He contends $350 million in stadium improvements are badly needed, but he's unwilling to foot the entire bill himself, and ruled out a less expensive, scaled-down renovation.
The Dolphins say they're already heavily in debt, making upgrades impossible without taxpayer help.
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