The Kansas City Chiefs and Royals have agreed to joint lease extensions, and to place a measure on the ballot to seek funding for a Rolling Roof between the two Stadiums. The architect is HOK Sports, which just happens to be the same architectual firm that prepared the Marlins OB Renderings, and is currently working on the renovation of DS. I wanted to open the discusssion as to whether anyone here sees a similiar soluton working on the Dolphins Stadium mass acreage of parking lots? What a concept - Teams actually working together. There is plenty of land immediately to the east and west of Dolphins Stadium. The Marlins could use the current funds available to build an open air park with the 138 Mil from the county, and the team contribution of 212 Mil on this acreage of land. A joint funding measure to be paid over 30 years by the Marlins, Dolphins, and County by levying a User Fee of $3.00-$5.00 per ticket for the use of the facilities, plus a $2.00 Parking Surcharge could raise 10 million a year for the funding of the rolling roof. The roof would completely enclose the Marlins New Park for Air Conditioned Comfort, and could enclose Dolphins Stadium as well with some architectual enhancements to add to the Super Experience H. Wayne wants for that facility. Here is a link to the article about the KC Project. Seems like we could use some of this creative thinking and cooperation down here. Thoughts? :whistle

 

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/2006/01/24/ch...ts_april_vote2/

The bulk of the Marlins' contribution was in future rent payments. While standard practice in stadium negotiations between municipalities and professional franchises, the owner of Dolphins Stadium already receives a hefty amount of rent from the Marlins and has more than enough funds should he consider a domed stadium to be to his benefit. Such a plan would require the county get involved to buy the site from Huizenga, which I don't see him allowing with the promise of a great return on his investment.

That is one great piece of engineering. My hat's off to HOK.

 

Depending on where a Marlins stadium is situated on the site, and where the concourse ammenities being planned/constructed at PPS are situated, and how they might be shared (concession/merchandising issues arise there), it seems like a very doable idea.

 

Of course for it to be a doable idea you have to have all parties buy into the concept and I wouldn't hold out hope for WH's participation unless he gets more for less, a lot less.

Hmm...

 

Speaking in terms of the design -- it's a very interesting and novel concept, but I don't see how you can adequately (or economically) provide climate control to either stadium. Assuming it's even possible (the link is very vague on the details), it's a lot cheaper to air-condition a room with a lower ceiling than one with a very high dome. Especially in persistent 90 degree weather.

 

I also think that this design -- essentially a giant umbrella -- would not be safe in a hurricane-prone area like Florida. We all know how umbrellas do in high wind.

 

I believe it's a lot more practical -- and cheaper in the long run -- to build a stadium with it's own low-lying retracto-roof, than to build and operate (and repair) this enormous rolling dome; that aside from having to share the cost with somebody you don't trust (guess).