Florida Marlins Getting New Stadium

The Miami City Commission approved yesterday the Florida Marlin's request to fund and build a new stadium at the old University of Miami Orange Bowl site in Little Havana. The stadium will feature a retactable roof, 37,000 seats, and parking. The City of Miami was criticized by many for agreeing to fund a large bulk of the expected $634,000,000 stadium with tax payer's money. Many feared the Marlins, which is privately owned, would use the city's money to fund the stadium, and then sell the stadium for a profit.

Are Miamians being duped? The stadium will create new jobs and bring the ball club closer to downtown Miami. This should reinvigorate interest in the club, which despite winning 2 world series, has struggled to fill seats and make money.

In My Opinion -
I don't trust preliminary construction estimates. I would bet that the stadium, will probably cost a lot more than the reported $634MM. How many construction projects actually stay within their budget? I just hope that the tax payers don't get fleeced at the expense of some greedy, slick ball club owners.

Also, where will UM now build a football stadium? The Orange Bowl is now gone forever, and so may be the reputation of UM for being sports oriented. UM is now better nown for it's hospital - The University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital than it is for it's athletics. Most of it's funding is coming from the hospital, and local rumor is that President Donna Shalala is shifting the school's focus towards the Medical School, and away from athletics.

Gone may soon be the days when we see the likes of Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, and Ed Reeds being drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. Will New York Giants safety Kenny Phillips be the last UM football player to be drafted in the first round?

Only time will tell.