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Developer Ross Agrees To Buy Half Of Dolphins

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A Tribune staff, wire report

Published: February 23, 2008

MIAMI - Wayne Huizenga's passion for the Dolphins remains, but after more than a decade as their sole owner, he says it's time for someone else to become the boss.

Huizenga announced Friday that New York real estate developer Stephen Ross would acquire 50 percent of the franchise, Dolphin Stadium and surrounding developable land.

"We don't need some old guy limping around here trying to run this franchise," Huizenga said. "I've been in this business 18 years now. Pretty soon it'll be 24, 25. It's time for someone else to take over."

The NFL must approve the sale, which Huizenga said would be worth $1.1 billion.

Ross has an opportunity to become managing general partner in the future. Huizenga turned 70 in December, and he said his age and estate planning motivated him to make the deal.

"I will certainly be a part of this team, a partner in this team, until I die," Huizenga said at a news conference. "And after I die, my family will have the opportunity to continue owning a piece. We will be a partner for a long time."

Huizenga, the sole owner since 1994, will remain managing general partner for an indefinite period. His team is coming off a 1-15 season, the worst in franchise history.

"My heart does not want me to do this, but my head tells me it's the right thing to do," he said.

Ross is chairman of Related Companies, an international real estate development company, and he grew up in South Florida as a Dolphins fans. He said he considered buying other NFL teams in the past, but the Dolphins were his preference.

Ross, who has a home in Palm Beach, has been involved with sports before. He was a minority partner with the NHL's New York Islanders, and in 1990 he was part of a group interested in bringing baseball to Miami.

EX-BUC COLEMAN ARRESTED: A Tampa circuit court judge ordered a former offensive guard for the Buccaneers' winning Super Bowl team to stay away from the mother of his children after she said he struck her with a box of candy.

Cosey Coleman, 29, was held on $500 bail at Orient Road Jail after Tampa police charged him Thursday with misdemeanor domestic battery. He faces up to a year in jail if convicted.

Judge Walter Heinrich ordered Coleman to be held until 6 p.m. Friday, when he would be served with a restraining order stating he is to have no contact with the woman, Rernitral Johnson, 33.

DRAFT COIN TOSS: The Atlanta Falcons won a coin toss for draft position Friday, meaning they will pick third in the April 26 draft with Oakland fourth and Kansas City fifth. All three teams finished at 4-12 and their opponents had an identical record, the first tiebreaker.

PACMAN'S SUSPENSION CONTINUES: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell warned three weeks ago that he could give suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones more time to understand what was expected of him.

Now the league says Jones is prohibited from working out at the Tennessee Titans' facility and may not be reinstated until at least the opening of training camps in July.

EAGLES: Defensive tackle Mike Patterson has been charged with marijuana possession after a police officer found a small amount of the drug in his car after a minor accident. Patterson and his brother, Tyrone, were arrested Feb. 16 in Evesham, N.J.

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