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Courtesy: Wolfson Archives
"USFL Looking to Expand in the Miami Area"
Business reporter Jack Rotholz was interviewing local business man/Broward County Property Appraiser William Markham who wanted to bring a USFL franchise to the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area.
After a successful USFL preseason game before an almost sold out crowd at Lockhart Stadium between the Washington Federals and the Tampa Bay Bandits on Saturday, February 4, 1984, Markham wanting to make it an annual event and bring Fort Lauderdale its first pro football team. Local Broward County City officials brought that idea to a halt due to the $9 million dollar price tag it came with for expanding the stadium seating from 20,000 to 50,000. Markham himself was ready to invest part of the $14 million needed to bring a team there.
Although the project was denied Markham pledged he would get a team to play at either the Orange Bowl or get a new stadium deal altogether.
It is ironic though and important to mention that Markham ended up bankrupt in 1991 owing millions and going out of business just like the USFL.
This is the first of many news stories of the USFL making bold statements about the league expanding into Miami without having any real backing from local investors.
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