Article

 

FIU Engineering Students to Offer Marlins

Affordable Stadium Option

 

MIAMI, Fla. (May 3, 2004) ? Despite intense negotiations, a World Series ring and a team returning to the baseball diamond almost intact, the Florida Marlins are still looking for a stadium to call their own.

 

One obstacle keeps getting in their way: the price tag.

 

A group of Florida International University engineering students say they have a cost effective alternative that gives the Marlins the stadium with the features they need. The students, part of the civil engineering senior design class, say a retractable roof, sky boxes and increased parking capacity can be added to the Orange Bowl for $143 million.

 

?The students? proposal has taken into account both the technical aspects and the economic considerations,? said Luis Prieto-Portar, who teaches the senior design class.

 

The class requires students to develop technically sound and economically viable projects. Prieto-Portar, who was part of the team that designed New York?s World Trade Center, said past classes have done work for the Port of Miami and recently the storm drainage system for the Village of Biscayne Park in northeast Miami-Dade.

 

At $143 million, this stadium proposal is a bargain compared to the $325 plan most recently on the table.

 

Marlon Font, one of the students in charge of the project, said they even have the answers to financing questions. The cost can be partly funded by making the stadium part of the mass transit initiative underway in Miami-Dade County.

Font explains that the Orange Bowl sits near the proposed path of a new Metro-Rail line that would connect the county?s western suburbs with Downtown Miami and the beaches. Part of the stadium?s redesign includes four parking garages with an additional 4,000 parking spots. This parking space could be made available to commuters heading east and taking advantage of park and ride plans, providing additional funds.

 

?Our proposal would contribute to the community by keeping the team here and helping the neighborhood around the Orange Bowl, which is desperately in need of economic development,? said Font. ?In addition, it?s not wildly expensive and the stadium can accommodate the upgrades the Marlins need.?

 

Prieto-Portar said the students have approached the City of Miami with their proposal, but have not met with anyone in the administration. But if a meeting takes place, he believes the project will impress.

 

?The amount of work these students put into this project shows,? said Prieto-Portar. ?They carefully researched every detail and did what is most important in engineering and economics: that numbers add up.?

 

Media Contact:

Maydel Santana-Bravo

305-348-1555

santanam@FIU.edu

a retractable roof, sky boxes and increased parking capacity can be added to the Orange Bowl for $143 million.

 

Isn't this what we rejected early on? I mean, I don't think the Marlins are going to go for the joined proposal again...

Well the OB was already hoping to get a big renovation next year anyway, this would probably kill two birds with one stone. Unfortunately I don't know if it solves any of the Marlins issues about receiving revenue, though it would certainly cost a ton less.

 

The OB needs a lot of structural work for starters. Deteriorating supports, ramps, it's a long list.

 

I also know that city of miami officials wanted to take revenue from the Convention Development Tax that was earmarked for Miami Arena and use that for Orange Bowl Stadium renovations if the arena was sold. So now I'm wondering whether the Orange Bowl's getting the shaft if the Marlins get a stadium next door.

 

Look, the OB's a dinosaur in relative terms. Even with a bunch of renovations, I just don't see people flocking to go to a new Marlins stadium that's in fact old as dirt. Part of the draw for these new stadiums is the just the sheer novelty of a shiny new state of the art park.

No way is this going to happen. The Marlins will never accept such a situation. They already rejected this before. This is nothing new. I think they would rather move to some other city rather than move to some renovated OB.

Part of the draw for these new stadiums is the just the sheer novelty of a shiny new state of the art park.

 

Correct !!!

 

but now how is FIU planning on building this thing for $143 million ... that would be a cheap weak stadium if you ask me ... thing would collapse in 3 days.

 

Again im not a big fan of remodeling the OB ... but if Loria is involved in the remodelation, and him being an Art collector than I would hope that the outcome is something rather nice.... because as Hotcorner stated, the OB is nothing more than a dinosaur

I say get them working on a cost effective new stadium, not a cost effective addition to a stadium.

Part of the draw for these new stadiums is the just the sheer novelty of a shiny new state of the art park.

 

Correct !!!

 

but now how is FIU planning on building this thing for $143 million ... that would be a cheap weak stadium if you ask me ... thing would collapse in 3 days.

 

Again im not a big fan of remodeling the OB ... but if Loria is involved in the remodelation, and him being an Art collector than I would hope that the outcome is something rather nice.... because as Hotcorner stated, the OB is nothing more than a dinosaur Thats because they didn't include all the illegal graft the politicians, FO, etc would be taking. :shifty

It is 143 mil because they were using the Orange Bowl, not a whole new stadium.

It is 143 mil because they were using the Orange Bowl, not a whole new stadium.

guess I should have said "jokez."

Many sorries

Speaking of FIU, isnt there still alot of land at the FIU/MIami-Dade Fairgrounds. Why havent they discussed building it there?

Speaking of FIU, isnt there still alot of land at the FIU/MIami-Dade Fairgrounds. Why havent they discussed building it there?

Outside the city in unincorporated Dade County.

I'm picturing these kids acting like that zit faced teenager on the Simpsons whose voice cracks on every other word.

Speaking of FIU, isnt there still alot of land at the FIU/MIami-Dade Fairgrounds. Why havent they discussed building it there?

That's where the Youth Fair takes place, plus FIU has been doing a lot of construction lately.

 

Even though I am sure MaXx wouldn't mind having the Marlins play right by his neighborhood. :lol

They aren't anything like that Quickgold...I actually know one of the guys who participated in this....

 

Um....youth fair, meh....let's see...fair or stadium... Stadium >>>>> Fair

Yea, I'd prefer a stadium than the Fair but what can you do? The Fair has been a huge success for the county and I highly doubt they're going to get rid of it anytime soon.

FIU might need the space soon...so I wouldn't be surprised if some of the Fair land would be sold to FIU....

 

Yes, the Fair has brought the county revenue, but it's only there for what, 15 days?? The rest of the year it practically goes unused except for the car shows and hispanic heritage parties...

True, but I still don't see it going anywhere.

Maybe not in the next 10 years...but plans do call for FIU expansion, which benefits all of us that go to FIU or plan to...

That's good. I am glad.

 

The stadium is going to be by the OB, not FIU anyway.

It's known it's going to be by the OB.....

 

just giving you info...regarding FIU not the stadium

I know. Just trying to get back on topic.

I hate it when the fair comes to town...I used to live on campus and getting in and out of housing was a nightmare!

I don't like the new stadium being next to the Orange Bowl. I've never seen 2juxtapositioned stadiums. It will be like a mansion next to slums. **cringes**

i think most of us agree that there is no way loria would agree to this plan