loanDepot Park Updates Observations & Critique

[rmc523]

So believe it or not, this is the first time I've been to the park since 2019 sometime.  Since then they've made changes at the park that I wanted to highlight and critique.  I'll go in order of when I noticed them.  I unfortunately didn't take any pictures for y'all.

 

-Parking - seems like they're allowing pay on site parking again - at least at the northeast garage - for a while they were doing prepaid only there (and I think at the other garages too).  I also saw something mid-game on the jumbotron that you can pay for your parking on one of the parking apps now?  I assumed you paid when you went in like before, but I guess not?  Also, parking today was $15 - previously it was $20 - if I had to guess, they probably had enough people complain about it that they lowered it - I'm not paying $20, when I can park a block away in the plaza for $10.....though today I noticed the plaza I park in was now $15 too......though much easier to get out of vs. the garage, price wise they're the same now.  I'll have to look more into that parking thing for the garages/paying by app.

-HR sculpture - as determined by the deal to remove it from the interior of the stadium, they re-installed the home run sculpture outside in the northeast /LF corner.  It looks ok there, though it's behind the massive security fence they installed a few years ago.  I don't know if it goes off at 3:05 like rumored, nor do I know if it goes off after a win - when we walked by after the game, it was still sitting there with lights on one of the flower pedals on and otherwise completely off, not lit up, not operating etc......why not have it going after a win?

-Entrance procedures - I know it was the Dodgers (more fans than usual), and that it was raining so maybe they changed things to help keep people under cover, but the entrance/security setup today was absolutely horrible - normally you wait in a short line and get right in because they have 7 or 8 security lines/gates that then funnel into the escalators - today they had 2 at each entrance, which created massive lines extending/weaving throughout the entire west plaza.   Making it worse, the game had started already, and instead of playing the video feed of the actual game, they had the west plaza video board duplicating the photo/video portion of the interior jumbotron, meaning you weren't seeing the actual game - you'd see a player start to walk up to the plate, and then it cuts out to the player's display screen (i.e. Starling Marte #6, Center Field, walk up song: ______ with the Marlins logo/blue background), so you're standing there stuck in a giant line even though you know the game has started and you can't even watch the game in the meantime.

-Shipping Containers - on the west plaza,  the white shipping containers that had the city connect stuff in it have now been stacked and covered in artwork - kinda neat.

-The 50/50 Raffle is now done weekly instead of per game - I think they started this last year without fans, which I get as not as many would participate online - but not sure why they continued it this year - now I have to go back and check online next Monday to see if I won, instead of just knowing the night of.  Weird.

-As we know - there's no more Clevelander, no more fish tanks, and the bobblehead museum was moved to the outfield near the kids zone thing.  They continue to remove both anything Loria, and seemingly any unique aspect/personality of the park - my cousin from Tennessee that I went to the game with commented how boring/uninteresting the park was now, because he knew/heard about the crazy outfield stuff the Marlins had, and how now it's just a park - and I agree - while many didn't like the home run thing, it was certainly unique.  To be fair, he did say the same of Truist Park - that it wasn't overly unique either.  The Clevelander area now sits empty/unused, and they seemingly removed the glass partition between the Marlins bullpen and that area.  It'll be interesting to see if they end up doing anything with this area.

-There's a new team store in the left field corner where the pizza stand used to be - they reconfigured it and added a store - and also further blocked off the former Taste of Miami area..........they seem to be pushing the city connect stuff too - it was in the front displays of all the team stores.

-The former Taste of Miami area is still empty - blocked off by a black curtain on the one end - looks like they just plan on not doing anything with this area?

-The Brewery area behind home plate looked neat - didn't ever venture all the way back there to check it out, but looked good from a distance - that area sat unused for years even in the Loria era because it wasn't busy enough, so nice to see something there.

-I did notice that the upper deck has still not been updated and still saw one of the original "Fan Feast" signs and color pattern.  Obviously they rarely open the upper deck, but I'd have to assume they'll update it at some point to match the rest of the park?

-"SRO" section in right field now had some bar stools in it - guess they figured not enough people wanted to stand.

 

---

Otherwise, the park seemed mostly the same food wise, at least on the main concourse.  Getting out of the park was easy as usual.  The field itself looked great, and honestly I forgot it was turf until like the 7th inning when I was looking at the outfield wall thinking about all the fake plants they used there and then remembered the field was fake too.

Edited July 6, 2021 by rmc523

[Erick]

They shouldn’t have gotten rid of The Clevelander.

[SilverBullet]

Thread title is incorrectly written... loanDepot must be written with a lowercase L.

Please correct this immediately. 

[rmc523]

9 minutes ago, SilverBullet said:

Thread title is incorrectly written... loanDepot must be written with a lowercase L.

Please correct this immediately. 

Instructions unclear, updated to lOANDEPOT.

Edited July 6, 2021 by rmc523

[SilverBullet]

Yea good observations, something is missing about the park. I don't think I miss the Loria stuff (except for the tanks behind home plate) but it needs something to give it a spark especially with the team currently being shit again.

The Clevelander area needs something, too nice of a space to leave empty but I don't think they should rent it out to any businesses because it won't work long term. Whatever goes there needs to be run by the team/ballpark.

I was there 2 weeks ago and I noticed what you said about the upper deck, it's still Loria color coded while the lower level has been stripped of that. 

The new brewery area is absolutely beautiful, more of that please!

The new store in the left field corner looks so cool and eye catching as opposed to the store on the first base side which is perfectly fine but it's nothing like this new one.

I'm so curious what will go in the Taste of Miami corner in the future. 

To clarify the parking for you, you can pay ahead through an app, I think its ParkWhiz or something like that, and it just goes by your license plate number, though heads up you gotta make sure you take the right car. That sounds like nothing but in the past when you pre paid you printed out a parking ticket and take it with you so it doesn't matter the car you use but I've gone twice this year and when paying ahead I had to make sure I took the right car or else my pre pay isnt valid because you don't get a ticket, your license plate number is your ticket.

So anyways that's the free flow parking and it's fantastic because there's no stopping of cars at the entrance you just go right in.

I didn't realize one of the garages still allows you to pay at the entrance though, if that's what you said. I thought if you paid on site you still do the free flow and pay at the kiosk thing on the first floor but I could be wrong.

As for the $15 price that might be a weekday thing, it might still be 20 on the weekends though I'm not sure but usually they give a discount for pre paying too. Though it's pretty stupid to be able to charge more for a parking spot depending on the day of the week. 

In general I think the parking setup is fine for what it is but the issue with the Marlins is what a bitch parking becomes when they actually have big crowds. Right now the only good thing about having this shit team is entry and exit for parking is a breeze. 

One thing I found weird going this year, walking through the ballpark I remembered several things that were being implemented in 2019 and 2020 that were being pushed as big ballpark improvements and suddenly because we lost an entire season of attending nobody even mentions those things. I hope they have implemented everything they said they were gonna do because I remember liking a lot of it and they should all still happen. It's like "hey in 2020 Marlins Park is gonna be so much better because of ..." well shouldn't those things still be at least mentioned now so that people remember to come and enjoy them? 

[pollythewog]

BRING BACK HOMEY THE HR SCULPTURE 

[SongInTheAir]

So the Taste of Miami thing is gone? Is that pando based or purge Loria based? I thought that was a pretty cool section when I went to a Mets home game there a few years ago. 

[SilverBullet]

8 minutes ago, SongInTheAir said:

So the Taste of Miami thing is gone? Is that pando based or purge Loria based? I thought that was a pretty cool section when I went to a Mets home game there a few years ago. 

The concept of Taste of Miami was that all the unique food was hidden in that one corner, now all that food is spread out throughout the ballpark, which is a positive. Not all the food items are the same as they were back there but I do like the idea of having quality food items more easily accessible throughout the ballpark. New regime has definitely nailed it as far as food upgrades. 

[Michael]

(Coughcoughandtheticketcoughofficecoughabsolutelysuckscoughcoughcantevenapologizecoughfortheirmistakescoughterribleexperiencecoughcoughgladigotmymoneybackcoughwheezecough)

 

Dang, someone release a ton of pollen in this thread?

[SilverBullet]

1 hour ago, Michael said:

(Coughcoughandtheticketcoughofficecoughabsolutelysuckscoughcoughcantevenapologizecoughfortheirmistakescoughterribleexperiencecoughcoughgladigotmymoneybackcoughwheezecough)

[rmc523]

9 hours ago, SilverBullet said:

Yea good observations, something is missing about the park. I don't think I miss the Loria stuff (except for the tanks behind home plate) but it needs something to give it a spark especially with the team currently being shit again.

The Clevelander area needs something, too nice of a space to leave empty but I don't think they should rent it out to any businesses because it won't work long term. Whatever goes there needs to be run by the team/ballpark.

I was there 2 weeks ago and I noticed what you said about the upper deck, it's still Loria color coded while the lower level has been stripped of that. 

The new brewery area is absolutely beautiful, more of that please!

The new store in the left field corner looks so cool and eye catching as opposed to the store on the first base side which is perfectly fine but it's nothing like this new one.

I'm so curious what will go in the Taste of Miami corner in the future. 

To clarify the parking for you, you can pay ahead through an app, I think its ParkWhiz or something like that, and it just goes by your license plate number, though heads up you gotta make sure you take the right car. That sounds like nothing but in the past when you pre paid you printed out a parking ticket and take it with you so it doesn't matter the car you use but I've gone twice this year and when paying ahead I had to make sure I took the right car or else my pre pay isnt valid because you don't get a ticket, your license plate number is your ticket.

So anyways that's the free flow parking and it's fantastic because there's no stopping of cars at the entrance you just go right in.

I didn't realize one of the garages still allows you to pay at the entrance though, if that's what you said. I thought if you paid on site you still do the free flow and pay at the kiosk thing on the first floor but I could be wrong.

As for the $15 price that might be a weekday thing, it might still be 20 on the weekends though I'm not sure but usually they give a discount for pre paying too. Though it's pretty stupid to be able to charge more for a parking spot depending on the day of the week. 

In general I think the parking setup is fine for what it is but the issue with the Marlins is what a bitch parking becomes when they actually have big crowds. Right now the only good thing about having this shit team is entry and exit for parking is a breeze. 

One thing I found weird going this year, walking through the ballpark I remembered several things that were being implemented in 2019 and 2020 that were being pushed as big ballpark improvements and suddenly because we lost an entire season of attending nobody even mentions those things. I hope they have implemented everything they said they were gonna do because I remember liking a lot of it and they should all still happen. It's like "hey in 2020 Marlins Park is gonna be so much better because of ..." well shouldn't those things still be at least mentioned now so that people remember to come and enjoy them? 

I agree about not necessarily missing the Loria stuff (fish tanks should've stayed).....but while it looks nice, it's too sterile and corporate now.

I'd imagine they'll do something with that Clevelander area eventually - I don't know why they couldn't just operate it as a regular seating area/option now without the branding.

Totally agree with your thoughts on that new Team store - it's completely open to the concourse but is also its own area, whereas the main store behind home plate is completely enclosed by glass and more claustrophobic/less inviting.

With how the structure is built, I don't think they can really open up the taste of miami area much more - and they closed off the left entrance near that team store with a roll down garage door - probably using it for storage for that store.  I'm just not sure what you'd really put back in there with it secluded like it is.

I didn't purchase the tickets, so I wasn't sure how parking actually worked and couldn't figure out how to go buy just a parking pass when I briefly looked on the way down - I just know walking by I saw a sign out front that said "$15" but it very well could've been through the app and they were just telling you how much it is.  Certainly does seem more efficient - as you said, getting trapped in the garages when it's busy sucks.  If I wind up going back this season, I may just try the garage to see.

What things they were implementing are you referring to?  Or just a general "hey we're doing improvements, come see" kind of thing?

 

1 hour ago, SongInTheAir said:

So the Taste of Miami thing is gone? Is that pando based or purge Loria based? I thought that was a pretty cool section when I went to a Mets home game there a few years ago. 

Yes, that area closed when Jeter & Co took over a few years ago - BUT, as @SilverBullet said, that idea is now throughout the entire concourse, not just in one corner, which I do agree is better.  I believe there are now only 2 "regular" food (burgers/hot dogs and pizza) stands plus an ice cream one, whereas before it was the same 2 shops duplicated 3 times around the park - Now there are no duplicated main food stands.  That setup was perhaps more convenient so you don't have to walk across the park for pizza, but the new setup gives you more options.

[SongInTheAir]

Ooh okay, that's cool that it all got spread out, I was worried they had just gotten rid of all of it. It was kind of weird how it was separated and away from the game. Not really sure what that area can ultimately be used for, since (if I remember correctly) there was no viewline to the game from there. Maybe some kind of day care area or some bullshit like that?

[SilverBullet]

3 hours ago, rmc523 said:

What things they were implementing are you referring to?  Or just a general "hey we're doing improvements, come see" kind of thing?

I'd have to go back and look because I don't remember the specifics but it wasn't just general stuff, 2020 was to have a lot of upgrades to the ballpark.

[SilverBullet]

3 minutes ago, SilverBullet said:

I'd have to go back and look because I don't remember the specifics but it wasn't just general stuff, 2020 was to have a lot of upgrades to the ballpark.

Ehh, did a quick search and I think it was just the brewery as the big 2020 upgrade. But besides that it was just the new turf, the new dimensions, and the reactivation of the home run sculpture outside. The brewery was definitely a big deal but maybe I'm remembering this with the 2019 updates as well. 

[rmc523]

7 hours ago, SongInTheAir said:

Ooh okay, that's cool that it all got spread out, I was worried they had just gotten rid of all of it. It was kind of weird how it was separated and away from the game. Not really sure what that area can ultimately be used for, since (if I remember correctly) there was no viewline to the game from there. Maybe some kind of day care area or some bullshit like that?

Correct - no view of the game back where ToM used to be.  And I'm sure that wall is structural so they likely couldn't really open it up either.  I think that's a big reason they haven't done anything with it.

3 hours ago, SilverBullet said:

Ehh, did a quick search and I think it was just the brewery as the big 2020 upgrade. But besides that it was just the new turf, the new dimensions, and the reactivation of the home run sculpture outside. The brewery was definitely a big deal but maybe I'm remembering this with the 2019 updates as well. 

Yeah, I think the turf and brewery were the big changes for 2020.  I think we might've been speculating other things they could've done.

[SilverBullet]

When I did a quick search about the 2020 renovations I did find a quote saying that they have ideas for the Taste of Miami corner but that they would wait to see what would be best there over time.

It sounded like they were saying that since it's a hidden corner they are able to keep it empty while they evaluate what should go there and that what should go there could change as the ballpark evolves and as they see what fans need there over time. So number 1 there's no rush and number 2, what they will need there might not be apparent yet so it's best to wait. I really like that thought. 

[Italian Marlins Fan]

18 hours ago, Erick said:

They shouldn’t have gotten rid of The Clevelander.

They NEED something there. Shit what about a casino if Florida legalizes sports betting? Restaurant? Maybe make it like a special all you can eat section or something? I’m sorry but that area needs to be utilized. It’s literally wasting space and 💰. I do love that the food is more spread out in terms of local type cuisine. Definitely love the Brewery. HATE the new parking procedure and entrance walkthrough at gate. But I agree the ballpark is missing that spark. 

[Erick]

1 minute ago, Italian Marlins Fan said:

They NEED something there. Shit what about a casino if Florida legalizes sports betting? Restaurant? Maybe make it like a special all you can eat section or something? I’m sorry but that area needs to be utilized. It’s literally wasting space and 💰. I do love that the food is more spread out in terms of local type cuisine. Definitely love the Brewery. HATE the new parking procedure and entrance walkthrough at gate. But I agree the ballpark is missing that spark. 

A casino would be amazing. 

[SilverBullet]

5 minutes ago, Italian Marlins Fan said:

HATE the new parking procedure

Very curious why you hate this? You'd rather take longer to get to a parking space? 

[Italian Marlins Fan]

35 minutes ago, SilverBullet said:

Very curious why you hate this? You'd rather take longer to get to a parking space? 

Not the free flow part my bad I think it’s the assigning of a parking pass to a specific license plate # that’s what I was referring to specifically. Should have been more clear my fault haha

[rmc523]

56 minutes ago, SilverBullet said:

When I did a quick search about the 2020 renovations I did find a quote saying that they have ideas for the Taste of Miami corner but that they would wait to see what would be best there over time.

It sounded like they were saying that since it's a hidden corner they are able to keep it empty while they evaluate what should go there and that what should go there could change as the ballpark evolves and as they see what fans need there over time. So number 1 there's no rush and number 2, what they will need there might not be apparent yet so it's best to wait. I really like that thought. 

Yeah, I have no problem with them waiting for something "right" to be there, especially since they spread the unique food around the park.  It just looks odd to someone that notices things like that - honestly most people probably don't even notice/know there's a room out there.

 

46 minutes ago, Italian Marlins Fan said:

They NEED something there. Shit what about a casino if Florida legalizes sports betting? Restaurant? Maybe make it like a special all you can eat section or something? I’m sorry but that area needs to be utilized. It’s literally wasting space and 💰. I do love that the food is more spread out in terms of local type cuisine. Definitely love the Brewery. HATE the new parking procedure and entrance walkthrough at gate. But I agree the ballpark is missing that spark. 

Definitely should have something there - and I like the field level stuff..

 

Did you experience the same issue of gate walkthrough that I did?  I was trying to figure out if that's the permanent procedure or not.

[SilverBullet]

2 hours ago, Italian Marlins Fan said:

Not the free flow part my bad I think it’s the assigning of a parking pass to a specific license plate # that’s what I was referring to specifically. Should have been more clear my fault haha

Oh ok yeah that's a weird quirk about it but I'm not sure there's a better system for paying through an app right now. I wanna say all parking apps go by license plate numbers.

[rmc523]

1 hour ago, SilverBullet said:

Oh ok yeah that's a weird quirk about it but I'm not sure there's a better system for paying through an app right now. I wanna say all parking apps go by license plate numbers.

Yeah, I think they all do nowadays - a lot of the early ones used actual space numbers, but many have since switched to plates.  The only issue there is if you prepay (didn't know that was an option), to make sure you take that car.  Otherwise, it's really not a big deal to enter the plate of the car you brought (I have them all saved in the various apps already anyway, so it's a matter of clicking which car I took).

[AeroFishOne]

The only time I’ve been down was in 2012. Would like to come down again soon. I do hate that they got rid of a lot of what made the park unique. I never hated the home run structure but it just doesn’t vibe with the current team look. Don’t understand getting rid of the clevelander, like at all especially with no immediate plan on how to fill that space. 
 

I’ve never understood why we don’t incorporate more water elements. As an outsider, I feel Miami is a beach city. I think vibrant, water like aesthetics. I like the blue walls but it feels kinda sterile from the TV side

[SilverBullet]

Do we know if maybe the Clevelander left on their own? Cuz with these things when they rent them out to businesses it's usually a great idea at first then years later the business realizes it was a mistake and pulls out. The Marlins being a shit show definitely lends itself to the Clevelander wanting to bail.