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Are Florida MarlinsÂ’ plans to be in a new stadium by 2011 in danger?

 

NEW YORK - As top Marlins officials spent Tuesday in a Miami courtroom, baseball Commissioner Bud Selig chose to bite his tongue at the All-Star Game.

 

"I'd like to make a sarcastic reference to Norman Braman, but I can't," Selig said during his annual State of the Game address to the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "I think we're moving ahead. Norman Braman has field a suit. I think people seem to be reasonably optimistic that this can all be settled, and if it is I think we're ready to proceed there."

 

Bob DuPuy, President of Major League Baseball, called the Braman lawsuit "a bump in the road" and termed it nothing more than "an unfortunate delay." However, the delay may already be significant enough to endanger the Marlins' plans to be in a new stadium on the former Orange Bowl site by 2011.

 

"Because of the lawsuit, that's getting tight," DuPuy said

 

The Washington Nationals recently built their new park in 23 months, and that was in an area subject to winter weather. However, as DuPuy noted, the roof adds 10 months to construction projections.

 

Less than 33 months stand between the Marlins and Opening Day 2011. It's possible a new stadium could open during the season, as happened most recently in Seattle in 1999; however, the Marlins' lease at Dolphin Stadium expires at the conclusion of 2010.

 

While Selig failed to address a question regarding Braman's claim that he had documentation the Marlins were $150 million in debt as recently as 2003, DuPuy dismissed it outright.

 

"That statement was flat inaccurate," he said.

 

DuPuy said no one from Central Baseball has spoken to Braman in an effort to discuss his complaint or appease him in any way, even though the Miami auto dealer has thrown a serious wrench into the Marlins' plans.

 

"He didn't reach out to us," DuPuy said. "Nothing I read suggested he had any interest in being dissuaded. And it's obviously a broader attack than just the stadium. It's on the entire global plan. That's local politics."

 

Meanwhile, the Marlins, despite a surprising playoff bid and record attendance in many other markets, remain at the bottom of the attendance charts. DuPuy suggested that issue would be remedied in a new facility.

 

"The television ratings are very good, which means people are watching the games," DuPuy said. "There are fans down there, They're just not attending the games. We think a roofed facility would induce them to come to the games."

 

The Marlins are "unique" among current teams in this regard, DePuy said, before drawing a parallel to the Cleveland Indians of the late '80s and early '90s. That market, however, has been in the majors for more than a century.

 

"Cleveland was a good baseball market, had great TV ratings, captured northern Ohio, but they didn't draw flies," DuPuy said, "and when the new ballpark came they sold out for four years."

 

Should that day come for the Marlins, Selig said it "would be a great story Â… given where we were. We've made some major comebacks in areas like Minnesota, but Florida may stand as the ultimate triumph here before it's done."

 

Mike Berardino can be reached at mberardino@sun-sentinel.com.

 

Why can't we get a stadium? it's been so easy for everyone else, but for us it has to be a struggle. Why does the world hate us? If they don't want us in Florida tell us so we don't have to go through this day in and day out!

MLB does want us in Florida. They could have contracted us or moved us a long time ago. It's not their fault.

If the Marlins stadium deal is destroyed, blame Judge Cohen.

its really odd, because teams with less success and equal amount of fans have gotten new stadiums.

If the Marlins stadium deal is destroyed, blame Judge Cohen.

It won't be her decision that does it, it will not end with her. She is an excellent Judge and even if she goes against what I would like, it won't change my opinion of her, nor would I be upset with her.

It all depends on how much staying power Loria has. Eventually, the deal will be done; but I just can't seem to summon the confidence in current ownership to stay the course and not cave in. Marlins' adversaries just need to die, frankly.

Less than 33 months stand between the Marlins and Opening Day 2011. It's possible a new stadium could open during the season, as happened most recently in Seattle in 1999; however, the Marlins' lease at Dolphin Stadium expires at the conclusion of 2010.

 

Maybe the Marlins can play at Ft.Lauderdale Stadium in 2011 until the stadium is built mid-way trough the season.

Less than 33 months stand between the Marlins and Opening Day 2011. It's possible a new stadium could open during the season, as happened most recently in Seattle in 1999; however, the Marlins' lease at Dolphin Stadium expires at the conclusion of 2010.

 

Maybe the Marlins can play at Ft.Lauderdale Stadium in 2011 until the stadium is built mid-way trough the season.

I reckon they would have to add more seats in left field.That would make the capacity about 10,000.

Less than 33 months stand between the Marlins and Opening Day 2011. It's possible a new stadium could open during the season, as happened most recently in Seattle in 1999; however, the Marlins' lease at Dolphin Stadium expires at the conclusion of 2010.

 

Maybe the Marlins can play at Ft.Lauderdale Stadium in 2011 until the stadium is built mid-way trough the season.

I reckon they would have to add more seats in left field.That would make the capacity about 10,000.

 

That should be fine. It would only be for a couple months anyway.

Let's just think about how sweet it will be when we do get that stadium and that Piece of Garbage Braman drops dead

Hasn't Ft Lauderdale bulldozed that stadium for parking ? Since Baltimore fled, I thought it was gone.

It all depends on how much staying power Loria has. Eventually, the deal will be done; but I just can't seem to summon the confidence in current ownership to stay the course and not cave in. Marlins' adversaries just need to die, frankly.

 

The reason Jeffrey loria owns the Marlins is because he was in the right place at the right time. Baseball is being sabotaged because Loria wants a new stadium. He does not want to spend the revenue he gets on retaining players like Josh Beckett. All he does is cry poverty. A new stadium will not solve this.

Hasn't Ft Lauderdale bulldozed that stadium for parking ? Since Baltimore fled, I thought it was gone.

Actually, no move is official yet.

 

The latest, released Sunday, is that Dodgertown is offering to make $15 million in renovations to Holman Stadium, and the Orioles would enjoy the same $1/year lease the Dodgers paid.

 

Fort Lauderdale is offering $38 million in renovations to Fort Lauderdale Stadium. But the FAA, which owns the land it and Lockhart Stadium is built on, is increasing its land use fee levied on the Orioles to $1.3 million per year. They pay $120,000 per year now.

Hasn't Ft Lauderdale bulldozed that stadium for parking ? Since Baltimore fled, I thought it was gone.

Actually, no move is official yet.

 

The latest, released Sunday, is that Dodgertown is offering to make $15 million in renovations to Holman Stadium, and the Orioles would enjoy the same $1/year lease the Dodgers paid.

 

Fort Lauderdale is offering $38 million in renovations to Fort Lauderdale Stadium. But the FAA, which owns the land it and Lockhart Stadium is built on, is increasing its land use fee levied on the Orioles to $1.3 million per year. They pay $120,000 per year now.

 

if they dont have a stadium by 2011 most likly theyll play in puerto rico for half the year. they have some nice stadiums and folks there love going to the games. remember the expos played there for a couple series