My take on Ms Sosa's response is that first, the FEC property is not up for sale, at their request. Second, even if it WAS to become available, we would STILL not have control of zoning and that is a deal breaker for me. And it doesn't even begin to address the expensive pollution and cleanup issues that are involved. The County's interests may very well NOT be in accordance with Miami Springs' interests, like the conflict that occurred in Doral. The County didn't make Lennar Homes clean up their construction debris when they finished building out there and the City of Doral was left to do the cleaning up at their own expense. Pollution cleanups are usually MUCH more costly.

We cannot afford to do the cleanups, just like we cant afford a new gym. For ANY city official to suggest, or even imply, that the Council has done DUE DILIGENCE (looked at ALL the options) in this matter is simply NOT TRUE. The Council requested Mr. Pistorino give his professional opinion and paid him $20,000 to do so. When his findings found a solid foundation and supported restoring the gym for 1.6-1.8 million dollars (which WASN'T what Mayor Bain wanted to hear), it was buried. RFPs were asked for and examined for a NEW gym but NONE were ever even REQUESTED for the Pistorino restoration option. Mayor Bain is on record saying he didn't want to spend any time on an option that he considered a "dead-end". He had already decided about his legacy project and didn't even bother to make the APPEARANCE that he was looking at all the options, OR doing DUE DILIGENCE. It is his responsibility and obligation to the people that elected him to look at ALL the options. It simply has NOT BEEN DONE. Why not ? What are they afraid of ? Has the Mayor's ego skewered whats left of his common sense? We are in a recession, unemployment and foreclosures are up, property values and tax revenues are down, gas is $ 4 a gallon and still rising - this is a time to take on significantly more debt???? I doubt there are many of our average residents taking this opportunity to charge up their credit cards (increasing their debt) and living beyond their means. Why is the City any different?