Hope I am allowed to post this:

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...rtnerId=rss_fla

 

MIAMI -- A pool and a porch will be prominent features at the Marlins' new ballpark.

 

When the 37,000-seat, retractable-roof building opens in 2012, it will provide fans with numerous amenities and activities.

 

Borrowing pages from the D-backs and Mets, the Marlins will have a pool area in left field and a porch in right field.

 

The size of the pool will be about the same as the one at Chase Field in Arizona.

 

In meetings last week, the Marlins went over details with the their stadium designer, Populous -- formerly HOK Sports.

 

"We got into details of how big the pool would be, and how people would get there, and what their view would be from that pool area," Samson said.

 

At their current home, LandShark Stadium (formerly Dolphin Stadium), there is a hot tub area down the right-field side, near the Marlins bullpen.

 

"The pool is going to be much bigger than our current hot tub," Samson said. "We think it's going to be the size of a pretty nice pool. I'd say Arizona is a good comparison."

 

The porch in right field will not exactly be like the one at Citi Field, which is similar to the porch at old Tiger Stadium in Detroit. In New York, the porch actually extends over the field of play. That won't be the case at the Marlins' new home on the Orange Bowl grounds in the Little Havana section of Miami. It will be set back into the stands, but the concept is basically the same as New York.

 

"There is going to be in right field, not exactly like Citi Field, a home run porch," Samson said. "There are going to be some great seats, home run seats, if you will, in right field.

 

"It's such an intimate ballpark. It's so small that some of the best seats in the house will be in right field. It's going to be a great place to watch a game."

 

Exact details of the porch are still being ironed out, but it will seat roughly 1,000 fans.

 

A mandate from Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is to make as many sections of the new ballpark as cost-friendly as possible.

 

"All of the seats should be affordable, for starters," Samson said. "But we want people to come to a game and pay a very reasonable amount of money, and be able to enjoy something special in the ballpark."

 

The one drawback to sitting in the porch is those fans won't have a clear view of the main scoreboard, which will be to the right-field side of center field. But they can keep up with the statistics on an auxiliary scoreboard that will be located near the left-field foul pole.

 

"We are getting into details of where the scoreboard would be, and how the people sitting in these right field seats will see," Samson said. "We got into specifics about different seats. We looked at each seat, and what the sightlines will be, because we want to make sure there are no obstructed seats."

 

With an expected ground-breaking in early July, all parties are moving quickly to complete the design, to keep the project on budget.

 

"We really are getting into very specific things because all of these decisions have to be made prior to July 1, because once ground is broken and the building is actually being built, the way you avoid overruns is you make all these decisions now," Samson said.

 

The Marlins are responsible for cost overruns.

 

Other key developments of this past week included:

 

? Four hours devoted to advertising signage.

? Entrance points for players on the Marlins and visiting teams -- how they will enter the park, enter the clubhouses and gain access to the field.

? Entrance points for the umpires, their locker room and their field access.

? How fans can mingle about the stadium and watch the game from other parts of the park while away from their seats.

? On getaway days, where the team buses will be parked, and how to load equipment from the clubhouses onto the trucks.

 

"We went over the entire ballpark, literally floor by floor, getting ready to start construction documents," Samson said. "We were analyzing different things in the ballpark -- finalizing the layout of the clubhouses, finalizing the layout of the offices, finalizing where concession stands are going. It was just a very detailed week of planning."

SWEET!

What do they really mean by a "porch?" What qualities make a porch different from normal outfield seating?

What do they really mean by a "porch?" What qualities make a porch different from normal outfield seating?

 

I have no idea either. I'm having a hard time picturing it. And the pool concept. Really would like to see some kind of plans. And I think we will see some sort of computer generized walk through pretty soon.

here is the porch from Tigers Stadium

 

 

 

and here is the one from Citi

 

 

 

here is the pool area here in phoenix - i haven't toured the stadium since they've changed it, but it wasn't bad when I stood down there on the tour - sightlines looked decent with enough of an area to move around and sit ....... the marlins concept looks like they want more of a beach feel though

I think they mean by a porch that the upper deck will over hang the lower deck, or that is at least how I interpreted it!

I thought the pool in Arizona was slowly being phased out as it was impractical/not popular anymore? Anyways, I like it for us, just because it is not a feature found in many ballparks.

I think they mean by a porch that the upper deck will over hang the lower deck, or that is at least how I interpreted it!

 

 

I think you're right, at least that's what it looks like. But why would you need an overhang with a retractable roof? It'll be closed during day games, and we don't need shade for night games. In any case, all I want to know how these two things affects my "equivalent" seating in the new pond. But I'm being selfish.

I think they mean by a porch that the upper deck will over hang the lower deck, or that is at least how I interpreted it!

 

 

I think you're right, at least that's what it looks like. But why would you need an overhang with a retractable roof? It'll be closed during day games, and we don't need shade for night games. In any case, all I want to know how these two things affects my "equivalent" seating in the new pond. But I'm being selfish.

You're a shellfish.

I thought the pool in Arizona was slowly being phased out as it was impractical/not popular anymore? Anyways, I like it for us, just because it is not a feature found in many ballparks.

 

 

they did a remodel to it ..... the novelty was definitely fading and demand was way down

 

the remodel has sparked more life into it with there being more focus on the hot tub element

 

hopefully the marlins stadium does a better job of bringing the outside in than arizona ....... it's a nice ballpark and all, but it has a ton of seats and it's sealed up so tight with our heat and sun that it's like playing in an airplane hangar

here is the porch from Tigers Stadium

 

 

 

and here is the one from Citi

 

 

 

here is the pool area here in phoenix - i haven't toured the stadium since they've changed it, but it wasn't bad when I stood down there on the tour - sightlines looked decent with enough of an area to move around and sit ....... the marlins concept looks like they want more of a beach feel though

 

 

 

I don't think that second porch picture is from Citi Field. Isn't that the porch from the Rangers ballpark?

good eye

 

haven't seen much of citi so I didn't catch it at all

 

the Dr. Pepper signage and the rangers logo should of been a giveaway..............................

 

here is citi field

I thought the pool in Arizona was slowly being phased out as it was impractical/not popular anymore? Anyways, I like it for us, just because it is not a feature found in many ballparks.

 

 

they did a remodel to it ..... the novelty was definitely fading and demand was way down

 

the remodel has sparked more life into it with there being more focus on the hot tub element

 

hopefully the marlins stadium does a better job of bringing the outside in than arizona ....... it's a nice ballpark and all, but it has a ton of seats and it's sealed up so tight with our heat and sun that it's like playing in an airplane hangar

 

I wouldn't describe it as sealed up tight. It has doors that open in the outfield that let air in when the roof is closed. I have been to 5games there and it is an absolute great place to watch a game. It is even cool with the roof open because they close the roof 3hrs prior to first pitch some days, and then drop the temp and even with the roof open it stays cool for the whole game. I wonder if the Marlins will do this for some early season night games.

 

Oh and the remodeled pool is very, very nice in person, at least from above lol!

when the AC is on it's definitely sealed up tight - the panels in the outfield are closed during those games

 

there are games where they'll do a mix though

 

it's just too big, too much of a cavern

 

it's very nice and sleek - but just gives off a dim feeling - places like safeco are so much nicer with or without the roof

 

just my opinion though as someone who also has been there many times under all conditions

It is a bit big, and im sure the smaller, more intimate Marlins park will have a nicer, closer to the field type of feeling!

i waiting for 3D look at ballpark i bet that comeout by july

i waiting for 3D look at ballpark i bet that comeout by july

 

Yes!!! Be able to "walk through" the new pond and find my seats!!!

 

Actually, I'm kinda wondering how they will do that. I would imagine the longer you have been season ticket holders, the higher the priority for equivalent seating. At least I hope so. I really wouldn't mind putting some kind of deposit on my seats while construction is still under way.

i waiting for 3D look at ballpark i bet that comeout by july

 

Yes!!! Be able to "walk through" the new pond and find my seats!!!

 

Actually, I'm kinda wondering how they will do that. I would imagine the longer you have been season ticket holders, the higher the priority for equivalent seating. At least I hope so. I really wouldn't mind putting some kind of deposit on my seats while construction is still under way.

 

Hopefully they won't take into account that I had an "off year" in regards to season tickets!

i waiting for 3D look at ballpark i bet that comeout by july

 

Yes!!! Be able to "walk through" the new pond and find my seats!!!

 

Actually, I'm kinda wondering how they will do that. I would imagine the longer you have been season ticket holders, the higher the priority for equivalent seating. At least I hope so. I really wouldn't mind putting some kind of deposit on my seats while construction is still under way.

 

Hopefully they won't take into account that I had an "off year" in regards to season tickets!

 

This year?