Marlins to Get New Stadium

Ever since 1993 when the Florida Marlins were born into Major League Baseball existence, they've been trying to get a new stadium. Time and time again they failed to get it done. Even after winning two World Series titles in the first eleven years of the franchise history, efforts came up fruitless.

Until Monday when somehow, someway, Miami-Dade County approved of a $515 million to spend on a new ballpark, and another $94 million in parking lots at the former site of the Orange Bowl. That's $609 million to be spent so upwards of 10,000 people can watch baseball in the lap of luxury.

"You'd kind of hope that after eight, nine, 10 years, something does come out of it," Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said. "It got done tonight. Eventually, I thought it was going to happen. Miami is really a great place to live. You need a baseball team not to leave. It's now resolved."

The retractable-roof stadium will have a capacity of 37,000, so there will be a lot of leg room, and it will be opening for the 2012 season. Until then the Marlins will have to continue living in Dolphins Stadium, but there is one small problem to be worked out. The Marlins lease at Dolphins Stadium ends after 2010, so they need to negotiate another year with Dolphins ownership.

Oh, and there's one other small note. The new stadium will also signify the death of the Florida Marlins. When they move in they'll be reborn the Miami Marlins. Starring David Caruso as Horatio Caine.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

4-01-2009 @ 4:26PM

nickstoli said...

Looks like some politicians got PAID. This is a horrible idea. Miami just isn't a baseball city.

3-24-2009 @ 7:15PM

marcedelman said...

I know the marlins are excited about this new ballpark, but it does not exactly seem like a good deal for taxpayers or even the fans. Here is a far more in-depth analysis that I put together. I believe this will make some fans of this arrangement rethink their view.

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1308254

3-30-2009 @ 6:57PM

mgonzalezmktg said...

I'm glad that the Marlins got the new stadium,I think that in order to promote the stadium there should be a price reduction at least for the first year to six month in order to create a marlins fever and for season ticket holders and weekend holders, also I think that they should again have senior citizen rates like they used to have.LETS GO MARLINS

4-01-2009 @ 6:50PM

Ralph Garcia said...

wrong nickstoli, Miami has too many former New Yorkers who are either Yankees or Mets fans. In spring training last year 2008, both games with the Yankees was packed with Yankee fans. If it weren't for Mets, Phillies, Cubs, and Red Sox fans, the Marlins would set records for lack of attendance. Before 1980s, Miami was mainly senior citizens. Everyone here is from someplace else. There is mostly New Yorkers, mostly Yankee fans. Now we'll also have to pay for air conditioning in this corportate welfare of a stadium as Marlins fans won't attend. They don't show up when their team loses. They'll take credit when they win.

4-01-2009 @ 6:53PM

I forgot to mention that on the radio today it was announced that parking at Dolphins Stadium went up from $20 to $40. Makes me long for the old days at Yankee Stadium. By the way, bleacher seats at the new Yankee Stadium are $12. Then subway tokens don't cost that much. At Tropicana Field, some Yankee fans travel there. The upper deck in left is the party deck and cost $18 per ticket. Parking is free. Looks like the Marlins will be shooting themselves in the foot. They'll want us to foot the bill for their new stadium also along with expensive air conditioning bills.