Dolphin Stadium Renovations 

Here on MUD we have seen articles on ballparks and failing franchises and how the two relate.  The one failing franchise that is in desperate need of a park is the Flordia Marlins.  Dolphin Stadium will be getting a face lift, reports South Flordia newspapers, but it is going to be to the detrement of the Marlins.

Immediately after Miami hosts the Super Bowl in 2007 a $250million renovation will begin on the Marlins and Dolphins home park.  This will include widening and upgrading the concourses and club level suites.  This reno will probably take the entire off season (off season meaning baseball season in Miami). 

This reno will not benefit the Marlins at all it seems, who have been struggling and searching for a baseball-only stadium since their inception into the National League in 1993.  The Marlins have recently been in contact with other municipalities looking to possibly relocate.  The Marlins have been unwanted/nuisance guests of the Dolphins in their made for football stadium.  For the 2007 season Marlin fans will have to avoid the construction going on while they are trying to enjoy a game. 

The Dolphins, always popular draw almost as many people to Dolphin Stadium in 8 games as the Marlins will in 81.  This is coupled with a dominance in Miamian’s hearts.  The entire upper deck of the stadium is usually closed due to low Marlin turnouts. 

To me, this seems like a slap in the face for the Marlins.  This team has had a hard go of it.  They have never really drawn well.  They have never had their own park and even when they were winning World Series they were playing second fiddle to a Dolphins team that has been outright bad.  I feel bad for teams, expansion teams especailly, that never get a chance (see KC Athletics, Vancouver Grizzlies, Seattle Pilots).  The Marlins have had questionable ownership that would consistently shake the team of all established players after World Series victories.  There has been no player continuity and the Marlins, on one occasion, follwed a World Championship with a 108 loss campaign.  There was a chance to make the Marlins a headliner in South Florida and not an afterthought.  With Jeff Loria this situation does not look any better.  The people of Miami and Florida should be very cautious if they are going to give one dollar to this rat of a man to build a new ballpark for a team he is going to purge at every chance he gets.   

Quick Facts on Dolphin Stadium

Built for $115 million in private funds and opened as Joe Robbie Stadium in 1987.

Flordia Marlins enter NL and renovate Joe Robbie at the cost of $10 million in 1993.

Amenities upgrading for 2007 NFL season will cost $250million.

In the future upgrades on the stadium will grow an estimated $250 million again.  There are thoughts of adding a dome to the stadium.

The Marlins cannot go on being pushed around by the landlord Dolphins.  They need stability or they need to move out of Miami.  The cost of upgrading an existing stadium that will be used 8 times a year when the Marlins move to San Antonio could go to build a state-of-the-art park that the Marlins need to survive in Miami.  The Dolphins will get 75,000 out to their games without widening the concourses.