http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle....&archived=False

 

Florida officials propose storm-ready stadium

Thu Sep 22, 2005 3:17 PM ET

 

By Michael Connor

 

MIAMI (Reuters) - Local officials are proposing that south Florida governments build a super-strong baseball stadium for the Florida Marlins that could double as a shelter during major hurricanes.

 

The stadium, as envisioned, would be able to withstand storms as strong as Hurricane Rita, now bearing down on Texas, and equipped to provide lodging and meals for tens of thousands of people for 10 days or longer.

 

Funded with private and tax money, the proposed domed stadium should be located centrally in south Florida and would draw broader political support than a tottering campaign to build a Marlins stadium in Miami, according to Mayor Eric Hersh and City Manager John Flint of Weston, Florida.

 

"The ability to evacuate is severely limited in south Florida," Flint said on Wednesday. "In other parts of the country, you can go east, north or south to get away from a hurricane. In south Florida, you can only go north."

 

Florida last year was hit by four big hurricanes and so far this year the 6.1 million residents of the peninsular state's southeastern end have had brushes with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

 

"Look at how the Superdome and the Astrodome were used. Neither was built for that use," said Flint. "There is a need for one like this."

 

In New Orleans, tens of thousands of people took refuge in the Superdome during and after Katrina hit on August 29. But portions of the domed arena, where the New Orleans Saints football team plays, were blown off and the facility's toilets and kitchens proved grossly inadequate.

 

Thousands of evacuees were also housed in Houston's Astrodome, which had been home to the Astros baseball team.

 

The two officials are contacting local, state and Marlins officials about the proposal, saying the stadium-shelter should be built on a regional basis and could be located near Dolphins Stadium at the border of Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.

 

Costs for the stadium have not yet been worked out, but the two proposed that the privately owned Marlins organization carry the expenses associated with baseball. Governments would pay for expanded restrooms, showers and food facilities needed to operate a shelter able to withstand a Category 5 storm.

 

"The public is concerned that New Orleans not occur here, and I think they would support tax dollars being utilized under these circumstances, whereas they don't seem to support it simply as a sports stadium," Hersh wrote to the Marlins.

 

The Marlins, who are battling for a play-off berth in the National League, for years have been seeking government help to build a domed stadium. They had won strong local backing for a facility near the Orange Bowl in downtown Miami.

 

But the campaign was blunted by state legislators, who declined to provide a key tax break for the project.

 

Last week, Miami-Dade officials estimated that the proposed Miami stadium would cost more than $500 million because of rising land prices and other costs, rather than initial estimates of about $420 million.

 

 

Basically, what differs in this article from the one from the Sun-Sentinel is that they quoted a portion of the letter from one of the officials to the Marlins.

It's nice to see this idea get further public exposure. Who knows? It might gather steam.

One I question I still have about this idea:

 

Does "storm-ready" mean the roof would have to be fixed (dome) rather than retractable?

 

I'm not violently opposed to a domed stadium like some, but I would much rather have a retractable if at all possible. Know what I mean?

Face it - the crackers in Tally could care less if we get blown off the face of the earth.

One I question I still have about this idea:

 

Does "storm-ready" mean the roof would have to be fixed (dome) rather than retractable?

 

I'm not violently opposed to a domed stadium like some, but I would much rather have a retractable if at all possible. Know what I mean?

 

 

They could probably make it retractable and still "storm-ready."

 

Face it - the crackers in Tally could care less if we get blown off the face of the earth.

 

 

That's a good point, unforunately. So So. Florida will have to do it on its own.

They should make provisions for the roof to handle Cat 5 winds regardless of the plan to use it as an evacutation shelter. The roof would have to be closed for the storm and they could "lock" it down to strengthen it.

The Super Dome damaged, Astro Dome in the line of Rita... we're running out of domes!

i think that we got a news organization like reuters to report is huge....the more pub the better.

Face it - the crackers in Tally could care less if we get blown off the face of the earth.

 

 

 

they care, only for our tax dollars we contribute

The Astrodome handled Cat. 3 Hurricane Alicia pretty well in 1983.

The Astrodome handled Cat. 3 Hurricane Alicia pretty well in 1983.

 

 

And that is with a glass roof. but after the first year they painted over the dome becuase of the glare when trying to catch pop flys made it very difficult. of course this also killed off the grass they had in the stadium.

It's hard for me to believe that, in the 40+ years since the Astrodome opened, that no one has developed the tech to grow grass in a closed dome.

 

If you can grow mary-jane in a closet, I'm sure you can grow grass in a dome.

The obvious site is the Ojus superfund site just off 95 (and Ives Dairy Rd) at the Broward line although the remediation costs might make it prohibitive.

 

It flies in the face of everything the Marlins say they need - an urban, high population density site, but if the State (and the Feds) were to make the site environmentally safe, it certainly is ideally situated to serve as a central location for a Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach county emergency shelter.

This was written by the mayor of Weston for an opinion piece in the Herald:

 

Despite all of the positives associated with a professional-sports franchise, government and the public generally are not inclined to pay for the construction of stadiums in today's environment of tight budgets and not wanting to raise taxes to meet the responsibilities of government.

 

There is a solution, however. With the severity of Hurricane Katrina and the events at New Orleans' Superdome, it is clear that South Florida does not have a facility that can be used as a regional shelter or staging area that can withstand a Category 5 storm.

 

If the Marlins would consider locating a new domed stadium near the Dolphins' stadium so it could serve all of South Florida, the state and Miami-Dade and Broward counties could justify spending tax dollars to build such a regional facility. It would be available for use during natural and manmade disasters.

 

The facility could be built primarily to accommodate professional baseball with the Marlins responsible for that portion of the expense. The additional costs for constructing the facility to withstand a Category 5 hurricane, expanded restroom, shower and food-service facilities and lost revenues to the Marlins when the facility is used as a shelter would be borne by government. Government's share could come in the form of direct appropriation, tax credits or tax rebates.

 

This is an opportunity to think regionally, learn from recent events, demonstrate innovative leadership from both government and the private sector and to garner support for the Marlins and the region's disaster preparedness.

 

ERIC M. HERSH, mayor, Weston

 

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/...on/12728625.htm

Do they want a "domed" stadium or retractible roof?

Do they want a "domed" stadium or retractible roof?

 

 

A retractable roof is required.

It will not happen near Dolphins stadium. Wayne owns that land. He is not going to give it away for a Marlins stadium charity cause. No matter how it is spinned as a hurricane shelter.

It will not happen near Dolphins stadium. Wayne owns that land. He is not going to give it away for a Marlins stadium charity cause. No matter how it is spinned as a hurricane shelter.

 

 

Believe me if the town fathers decided that a multi-use sports stadium/evacuation center were a good idea Wayne would be outfront touting PPS at the logical site. Can't you just hear him saying "just put a roof on Dolphins Stadium for me...".

PPS's structure is not good enough to build a dome. Now try to build one to survive Cat. 5.

PPS's structure is not good enough to build a dome. Now try to build one to survive Cat. 5.

 

 

I'm sure a new roof on Dolphin Stadium would require it's own structure. It could be designed to handle Cat 5 winds but could be a very big structure since it wouldn't be well integrated to the original stadium.

What I was suggesting was...in much the same way he derailed the Marlins chances in Tallahassee by telling the Senate president "oh, of course the Fish can stay as long as they want", if the Marlins were to make headway on theplan outlined in this thread and a previous one, you have to know Huizenga would try to use the location and accessibility of PPS to once against stymie the Marlins chances.

Dolphins Stadium is entering its 18th year in service. Most buildings have an economic life of 30 years. You do the math, adding anything major to that structure without significantly rebuilding it would be unwise.

South Florida is not in need of more shelters, especially not just one monster shelter. Every school that is constructed nowadays is built to be a shelter. Also, it is preferable to have shelters spread out over a large area rather than having just 1 main shelter, that makes it easier to get to the shelters because you don't have everyone trying to get to one place which causes major traffic problems. I think this idea is completely useless. You're going to have people using the tragedy of a hurricane and of an incapable local government in NO to suggest ideas like this for no other reason than to fatten their own wallets.

South Florida is not in need of more shelters, especially not just one monster shelter. Every school that is constructed nowadays is built to be a shelter. Also, it is preferable to have shelters spread out over a large area rather than having just 1 main shelter, that makes it easier to get to the shelters because you don't have everyone trying to get to one place which causes major traffic problems. I think this idea is completely useless. You're going to have people using the tragedy of a hurricane and of an incapable local government in NO to suggest ideas like this for no other reason than to fatten their own wallets.

 

sorry but thats a moronic response...just who is fattening their wallet? mr. loria? he's still forking out 192mil+. the state? tehy're giving up l and and paying the rest. major traffic problems?? well no sh*t, at least its located directly off the turnpike and a couple miles between the 826 and 95.

 

so whats the problem here? what happends if there is a storm surge up to 25 feet and biscane bay floods and the miami river, or port everglades? then what. what happends if water comes up onto the banks where they store all the fuel, we have no gas. where the f*** are people going to drive? orlando? jacksonville? atlanta? not without gas their not, so instead, they could be in a gigantic domed stadium with adaquate food, shelter, facilities...

 

this idea is a gold mine, lets just hope theey pick it up and run with it and the state isn't as ignorant as you.

South Florida is not in need of more shelters, especially not just one monster shelter. Every school that is constructed nowadays is built to be a shelter. Also, it is preferable to have shelters spread out over a large area rather than having just 1 main shelter, that makes it easier to get to the shelters because you don't have everyone trying to get to one place which causes major traffic problems. I think this idea is completely useless. You're going to have people using the tragedy of a hurricane and of an incapable local government in NO to suggest ideas like this for no other reason than to fatten their own wallets.

 

sorry but thats a moronic response...just who is fattening their wallet? mr. loria? he's still forking out 192mil+. the state? tehy're giving up l and and paying the rest. major traffic problems?? well no sh*t, at least its located directly off the turnpike and a couple miles between the 826 and 95.

 

so whats the problem here? what happends if there is a storm surge up to 25 feet and biscane bay floods and the miami river, or port everglades? then what. what happends if water comes up onto the banks where they store all the fuel, we have no gas. where the f*** are people going to drive? orlando? jacksonville? atlanta? not without gas their not, so instead, they could be in a gigantic domed stadium with adaquate food, shelter, facilities...

 

this idea is a gold mine, lets just hope theey pick it up and run with it and the state isn't as ignorant as you.

 

Aperez, you're an ignorant slut. :mischief