Dolphins need Marlins out

[DolFan619]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2009/02/dolphins-need-marlins-out.html

Dolphins need Marlins out

There's nothing better than getting your own home. Your own spot, one that allows you to put your special touch on the place, and possibly the community.

There's nothing worse than knowing you're an undesirable tenant, an inconvenient resident, and that's what the Marlins are at Dolphin Stadium.

Those are the two reasons I'm crossing my fingers the Florida Marlins get their new ballpark approved during today's critical votes, which will green-light the project.

If a baseball-only ballpark doesn't get approved during votes by the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County public official the Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes will continue sharing Dolphin Stadium with the Florida Marlins, which is something neither team wants to do.

 Neither football team wants to continue playing on the baseball infield, which hinders their footing, and can lead to injuries.

Worse, the Marlins could end up leaving South Florida because another stadium delay would make it clear baseball has an uphill battle for survival in this community, despite it's two World Series titles.

While I'm not a baseball fan, the Marlins will always have a special place in my heart because they provided me my first job.

My first day of work was the franchise's first ever game, and I witnessed Charlie Hough throw the first pitch. For three years I sold TCBY yogurt at Joe Robbie Stadium during Dolphins, and mostly Marlins games to sports fans like you. That job not only put money in my teenage pockets, the stadium also employed a lot of my friends and neighbors.

But most importantly, it encouraged my love of sports, and desire to become a sports writer. For that I will forever be grateful. I hope another young sports fan living in the Little Havana community will have a similar opportunity when, and if the new stadium is built on the old Orange Bowl site.

If the stadium, which will likely cost $515 million and features a retractable roof, survives today's vote it is expected to open in 2012. That's the earliest the Dolphins and Hurricanes will no longer have to share Dolphin Stadium with the Marlins.

If the votes are denied again it's likely that Marlins owners will have to approach Dolphins team and stadium owner Stephen Ross about extending their lease until they find the franchise a new home, in South Florida, or elsewhere.

While there are plenty of way to debate how half a billion dollars (most of which is money provided by tourism, not property or sales taxes) can be spent, or where the Stadium should be put, or how much of their own money the Marlins owners should be putting up, can South Florida really afford to lose one of it's sports franchises?

Deuces.

> Posted by Omar Kelly at 8:56:58 AM

[Frimp]

Put the Marlins downtown somewhere. Thats where they need to be.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Either way, they need to be out of Dolphin Stadium.  The days of sharing stadiums are long gone.  Playing on that "cat litter" can really hurt someone

[Sunstroke]

City tried to spring some new stuff in the negotiations today...specifically that they wanted the revenue from the stadium naming rights to be split between city and county governments, rather than going back to the Marlins.

[MaineDolFan]

Put the Marlins downtown somewhere. Thats where they need to be.

They only need a Little League field that seats 400.  That can't be too tough to find in the general Miami area.

[Thundergod]

Marlins want out too, goes both ways.

Regardless, the way things are shaping up, looks like they'll be leaving the state rather than just the stadium. Thanks for the memories Marlins!      Yeah I know, cynical...

They only need a Little League field that seats 400.  That can't be too tough to find in the general Miami area.

LOL

[Frimp]

Why does Miami not want the Marlins? I understand that the Dolphins and Canes are king there, but what do you guys have against them? 2 World Series championships for crying out loud. Do you think they wouldn't thrive if they got a stadium downtown? Most other baseball teams do, so why not the Marlins?

[Fau Teixeira]

the idea of playing in downtown miami is redonculus ..

they really should put the stadium in deerfield .. or coral springs .. or in ft. lauderdale ..

las olas riverfront would completely rule with a stadium there

[Brian Fein]

Fau, I was with you, but after hearing David Samson give his pro-new-stadium speech, I am encouraged.

He said they were doing the right thing by building highway exits specifically for the stadium (similar to the turnpike exit to Dolphins Stadium).  He said that the construction includes 4 parking garages, including assigned parking spaces for season ticket holders.

And, since that location is the only place that ponied up land for the stadium, there isn't much other options.

For what they want to build, its easy to say "terrible location, they should put it in x or y or z."  Problem is there's no land in x or y or z available for stadium building.  Where on Las Olas would you like them to build a Stadium?  Should they knock down skyscraping office buildings for it?  Or the Performing Arts Center?

Besides, the site isn't in downtown Miami anyway.  The AAA is in downtown Miami and plenty of people go there for Heat games.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Fau, I was with you, but after hearing David Samson give his pro-new-stadium speech, I am encouraged.

He said they were doing the right thing by building highway exits specifically for the stadium (similar to the turnpike exit to Dolphins Stadium).  He said that the construction includes 4 parking garages, including assigned parking spaces for season ticket holders.

And, since that location is the only place that ponied up land for the stadium, there isn't much other options.

For what they want to build, its easy to say "terrible location, they should put it in x or y or z."  Problem is there's no land in x or y or z available for stadium building.  Where on Las Olas would you like them to build a Stadium?  Should they knock down skyscraping office buildings for it?  Or the Performing Arts Center?

Besides, the site isn't in downtown Miami anyway.  The AAA is in downtown Miami and plenty of people go there for Heat games.

They also need to extend the Metrorail or have shuttle busses available from the Culmer and Civic Center stations to take fans to and from the Metrorail. 

[Fred Finstoned]

I still say they should have moved them to Vero (Dodger Town).At least they could sellout a few games!

[Brian Fein]

They also need to extend the Metrorail or have shuttle busses available from the Culmer and Civic Center stations to take fans to and from the Metrorail. 

Why are you so high on Metrorail?

They already have park-n-ride from Golden Glades for like $5 and its a great safe way to get down there.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Why are you so high on Metrorail?

They already have park-n-ride from Golden Glades for like $5 and its a great safe way to get down there.

The Metrorail is the main transportation hub for a lot of Miamians..... yeah, compared to NYC, Boston, or Chicago, it's pathetic, but it's still available and should be taken into consideration.  Especially considering it's going to be a bitch getting to the OB for weeknight games during rush hour traffic. 

[Brian Fein]

I don't think I'd ever take Metrorail if you bought me a ticket and gave me $100.  where does it even go?  It seems slow and ineffective and has only like 3 stops.  Plus I'm sure its no better than the NY subway with respect to crime and cleanliness.

At least that's the impression I get of it from afar.

[Phishfan]

Plus I'm sure its no better than the NY subway with respect to crime and cleanliness.

At least that's the impression I get of it from afar.

I think you may have a misunderstanding of the current state of the subway. The New York Subway is nothing like it was in the 70's and 80's. It is a very respectable way to travel the city from what I understand.