The Marlins were approved as a new franchise on July 5, 1991. They first started out in a stadium called Joe Robbie stadium, which then was renamed Pro Player stadium, and later renamed Sun Life Stadium in 2005. Along with the Marlins, it is also home to the Miami Dolphins. Located in Miami Gardens, the stadium currently has a capacity of 47,662 and was opened in 1987 for the Miami Dolphins. The Marlins have been playing in the stadium since 1993, when the NL expanded. The current stadium is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility and is home to the Discover Orange Bowl. In March of 2000, the Marlins announced their funding plan for a new baseball only stadium. This new stadium will be located in the Little Havana section of Miami, Florida, approximately 17 acres, with seating for 37,000 people. Miami-Dade County will be the owners of this baseball stadium. Its location is less than two miles away from downtown Miami, and not too far away from the main roads. The Marlins officially broke ground on July 18, 2011 for the new stadium. The stadium’s opening day is scheduled for April 4, 2012. Obviously, this stadium has benefits and problems associated with it like any other investment. The stadium has the benefits of its convenient location and one team ownership, but has the problems of costs associate with the new stadium and the problems that the new location might pose. One of the benefits of The Marlins’ new stadium is their great location. The site is in close proximity to residential life, downtown Miami, as well as being accessible from the north, south, east, and west of Florida. The stadium will be closer to the Miami fan base and therefore, pull a larger crowd at games and will ultimately increase their revenue. They will also see an increase in activities within the stadium such as eating at the various food locations. The new stadium is also located close to Miami’s downtown life. Located less than two miles away from downtown Miami, it allows their fans to take part in downtown life before or after the game and therefore enrich the local economy. By locating the stadium so close to the people, the stadium will increase the amount of jobs available by thousands and will generate tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue. It will also bring back the sports legacy back to Miami. Another benefit of the Marlins’ new stadium is the one-team occupancy. Before, they had to share the stadium with the Miami Dolphins, but now they can feel free to use it as they see fit and are able to make their own decisions in regards to booking events. The one-team occupancy will allow the Marlins to make the stadium’s customization their own. At the current stadium, they have to share the field with the Miami Dolphins, which causes them to use a temporary baseball diamond on the already football field. The new stadium will allow the team and the fans to have a full baseball experience for the first time. The design of the stadium, including the size, seating, sight lines, and proximity of the field, will be built with the game of baseball in mind. It even has a built in retractable roof to address the problems of rain and heat while playing the game. The other great thing about a one-team occupancy is the ability to book events when the stadium is not in use during the off-season and even when the team is away. The stadium could host a slew of events even when the baseball season is still going, including the Major League All-Star Game, the World Baseball Classic, and even the World Series home games. All of these events could bring a significant impact to the Miami economy. It is stated that Miami would receive an economic impact of at least 50 to 60 million dollars when hosting such a big event in baseball. The surrounding communities and small businesses in Miami would flourish under such media attention, not to mention add significant revenue to
