Auto tycoon Norman Braman's Quixotic struggle to stop local leaders from investing hundreds of millions of public dollars in a stadium for the Florida Marlins might have gasped its last breath on Wednesday.

With a single-word opinion -- ``affirmed'' -- the Third District Court of Appeal upheld a lower-court judge's decision last year that shot down all seven claims in Braman's suit.

``Today's ruling ensures that we will continue to move forward in a positive direction, creating opportunities for businesses, residents, and visitors,'' Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, the stadium's chief political backer, said after the ruling.

Among other things, Braman wanted to force a referendum on the proposal to finance the $515 million stadium with $360 million of public funds.

Polls showed voters were overwhelmingly opposed to the deal, which won approval from both the city and county commissions.

Braman also wanted to force Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria to disclose the team's finances to prove he needed the public money, and to demonstrate that the team would be able to pony up its $155 million portion of the construction bill.

During the protracted political debate, which ended with a dramatic vote by the county commission in March, Alvarez pitched the stadium as a kind of stimulus project.

On Wednesday, the mayor cheered, ``Incredible progress is being made at the site of the new Miami Marlins ballpark. Jobs are being created and the Little Havana neighborhood is alive with new activity.''

Alvarez's enthusiasm is mixed with a palpable sense of relief over Wednesday's ruling.

Although it seemed unlikely that the decision would go against the county, any further delay would have put the Marlins' hope of opening the new stadium in time for the 2012 season in jeopardy.

With the move, the team will change its name to the Miami Marlins.

The team broke ground in July, and large towers now loom over the site of the demolished Orange Bowl.

``Obviously, we're very disappointed,'' Braman's attorney, Roberto Martinez, said Wednesday. ``We're researching our options.''

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