Broward Fair, Marlins group eye Fort Lauderdale Stadium as permanent home

 

By Sarah Talalay

Staff Writer

Posted January 2 2004

 

Long searching for a permanent home, the Broward County Fair has made a pitch to move into the aging Fort Lauderdale Stadium, where it could stage its 11-day event and also play host to everything from Major and Minor League baseball teams to festivals, concerts, cultural events and youth programs.

 

In a proposal that aims to provide revenue for cash-strapped Fort Lauderdale, the fair said it can upgrade the stadium and wants to continue working with the Baltimore Orioles, whose spring training lease there ends in April.

 

At the same time, a newly formed group called Friends of the Marlins wants the fair to consider expanding and retrofitting the stadium in hopes it could become a permanent home for the Florida Marlins.

 

"The fair has been patiently awaiting a permanent site for 20 years now," said fair spokesman Chuck Malkus, who provided some of the details of the fair's proposal and the Friends of the Marlins' idea.

 

The city of Fort Lauderdale is seeking a private operator for the 43-year-old, 8,340-seat stadium because officials said they no longer can afford to maintain it. The 28-year-old fair met the Dec. 29 deadline to submit its bid to the city.

 

The Orioles, who want to continue spring training in Fort Lauderdale, and SMG, a building management company, also submitted letters to the city. The city has not released their contents.

 

A committee is reviewing the bids, and a recommendation is expected to be brought to the City Commission in February, said Vince Gizzi, the city's superintendent of special facilities.

 

The first two county fairs, in 1976 and 1977, were at Broward Community College's Davie campus. In 1978, the fair moved to Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach and began its search for a permanent home.

 

In 1997, it moved to its current home at Pompano Park Harness Track. A proposal to move to Southwest Ranches was nixed earlier this year over objections from residents.

 

Malkus said the fair will provide the city with a "six-figure guarantee each year in addition to a percentage of all gate revenue."

 

The fair has proposed seeking a corporate partner to supply revenue in exchange for its name being attached to the fair and the stadium. Malkus said the fair is pursuing interested teams and events for the stadium.

 

Major League Cricket President and CEO Bernard Cameron said his organization is supporting the fair's bid and hopes it can include cricket matches and a cricket academy.

 

"We would gladly be their first tenant, whether it be operating with a lease or sublease," Cameron said.

 

Malkus said the fair also wants to work with a baseball team, the Orioles or the Marlins.

 

Malkus and Christopher Pollock, who takes over as president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce this month, are co-chairmen of Friends of Marlins, a group modeled after Pollock's pro-airport expansion group called Friends of the Airport.

 

The group, which Pollock said includes business representatives and others, is interested in bringing the Marlins to Fort Lauderdale. They will have a public meeting to discuss that possibility at 2 p.m. Monday on the second floor at Beach Place on State Road A1A in Fort Lauderdale but have not released any details about how the project would be financed.

 

Pollock said the stadium is close to Interstate 95, Florida's Turnpike and Tri-Rail and is accessible to fans from Palm Beach to Miami-Dade counties. He said expanding the stadium could provide a less expensive alternative than trying to build a new one.

 

Any agreement with the Marlins would require negotiating with Fort Lauderdale. Mayor Jim Naugle said the city might consider providing the land to the Marlins but does not have money to help finance a stadium.

 

P.J. Loyello, Marlins vice president of communications and broadcasting, said the team evaluates every stadium proposal it receives. The team has been working with Miami-Dade officials to secure funding and a site for a stadium.

 

Those plans suffered a setback last month when the city of Miami said it could not provide land, other than the prospect of a reconfigured Orange Bowl Stadium for the Marlins and University of Miami football team.

 

Sarah Talalay can be reached at [email protected] or 954-356-4173.?

 

hopefully we'll hear more about it after this meeting happens on Monday.

Thats preatty old news but thanks, there was no article before...

I don't think we knew the Broward County Fair was involved though, anything will help. The article was in the paper this morning.

 

and can we join this "Friends of the Marlins" group? :thumbup

and can we join this "Friends of the Marlins" group? :thumbup

Probably bandwagon fans...

 

 

 

I wonder if we asked them who we beat to get Miguel Cabrera they would only know it by guessing the usurper of players, the Yankees.... :lol

Any little bit helps :thumbup

Any little bit helps :thumbup

Now if they could just donate money to the Marlins to get them a retractable roof...

 

 

That be great it be called "Friends of the Marlins Park at the Orange Bowl" :lol

lol that ladys name is Pollock lol

No, this is new news. We knew that the site was proposed, but I didn't think the Marlins would actually persue it.

 

At least they are weighing all options.

Nice to hear that Ft. Lauderdale may be willing to donate the land. The location certainly has better access than the OB site....plus its's closer to Palm Beach :thumbup

At this point, whatever keeps the Marlins in S. Fl. is good enough for me. A retractable roof can be added on later - as long as the 'new' structure could support it. I would love to see the Marlins get a new stadium with an upgradable option for a roof in 5-10 years.

I wonder if we asked them who we beat to get Miguel Cabrera they would only know it by guessing the usurper of players, the Yankees.... :lol

CABS RULES!!!!!!!!

 

 

As long as the Marlins get a stadium somewhere in the state of Florida, I'll be happy...then again, living outside of Philly, I'd really love to see the Marlins trade cities with the Phillies (and get their new stadium too...)..no offense

 

hehehehe

 

:mischief2

I also could care less if the Marlins stay in Fla or not...but for all of your sakes I hope they do. Ill be a fan regardless.

I wonder if we asked them who we beat to get Miguel Cabrera they would only know it by guessing the usurper of players, the Yankees.... :lol

CABS RULES!!!!!!!!

 

 

As long as the Marlins get a stadium somewhere in the state of Florida, I'll be happy...then again, living outside of Philly, I'd really love to see the Marlins trade cities with the Phillies (and get their new stadium too...)..no offense

 

hehehehe

 

:mischief2 If the Marlins move north of Broward I will be pissed but happy that they got a stadium. This team is really for South Florida. Heavily Latin, many homeboys, I mean if they moved to Palm Beach county, what latino is up there and besides, who would go to the games other than the fairweather rich people...

I wonder if we asked them who we beat to get Miguel Cabrera they would only know it by guessing the usurper of players, the Yankees.... :lol

CABS RULES!!!!!!!!

 

 

As long as the Marlins get a stadium somewhere in the state of Florida, I'll be happy...then again, living outside of Philly, I'd really love to see the Marlins trade cities with the Phillies (and get their new stadium too...)..no offense

 

hehehehe

 

:mischief2 If the Marlins move north of Broward I will be pissed but happy that they got a stadium. This team is really for South Florida. Heavily Latin, many homeboys, I mean if they moved to Palm Beach county, what latino is up there and besides, who would go to the games other than the fairweather rich people... There's a much stronger Latin population in Palm Beach than you realize. And besides, the majority of the season ticket holders are from Broward and Palm Beach. Broward would be an ideal location.

I wonder if we asked them who we beat to get Miguel Cabrera they would only know it by guessing the usurper of players, the Yankees.... :lol

CABS RULES!!!!!!!!

 

 

As long as the Marlins get a stadium somewhere in the state of Florida, I'll be happy...then again, living outside of Philly, I'd really love to see the Marlins trade cities with the Phillies (and get their new stadium too...)..no offense

 

hehehehe

 

:mischief2 If the Marlins move north of Broward I will be pissed but happy that they got a stadium. This team is really for South Florida. Heavily Latin, many homeboys, I mean if they moved to Palm Beach county, what latino is up there and besides, who would go to the games other than the fairweather rich people... There's a much stronger Latin population in Palm Beach than you realize. And besides, the majority of the season ticket holders are from Broward and Palm Beach. Broward would be an ideal location. You are just saying that aren't you...

 

 

As far as I was concerned I thought Palm Beach was only for "rich" people and the majority of season ticket holders I can tell you aren't from Palm Beach county. If you get statistics I will believe you...

 

 

And the drive is shorter for you to Pro Player from Broward or even Palm Beach since we have to drive up the Palmetto and if you watch Channel 10 you will know what type of traffic goes North on the way to Marlins game...

Exactly. Obviously Broward and PBC have more ticket holders, because the stadium is in fact closer to Broward and PBS than it is to Dade.

JUST STAY IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE COUNTRY!

 

Personally, if they moved to Charlotte, I'd be in heaven (2 hrs from Greenville, SC). But, it would be tough to draw people away from the Braves...although, there are quite a lot of people who rebel against the Braves, because everyone in the South is a Braves fan.

 

Jacksonville would be a cool spot for the team...I think they have a sufficient amount of "homeboys". (???)

 

Just get a stadium, stay in the Southeast. I dont wanna share the Marlins with some Oregon folk or somethin.

Exactly. Obviously Broward and PBC have more ticket holders, because the stadium is in fact closer to Broward and PBS than it is to Dade.

I'm not convinced that moving to the OB site is going to result in a net increase in season ticket sales.

 

That being said, I would support any site in So. Florida if that's what it takes to keep the team down here. I just believe Broward sites will be more successful and result in higher ticket sales.

 

There are plenty of Latinos throughout South Florida. Little Havana doesn't have a lock on the Latin population.

Exactly. Obviously Broward and PBC have more ticket holders, because the stadium is in fact closer to Broward and PBS than it is to Dade.

I'm not convinced that moving to the OB site is going to result in a net increase in season ticket sales.

 

That being said, I would support any site in So. Florida if that's what it takes to keep the team down here. I just believe Broward sites will be more successful and result in higher ticket sales.

 

There are plenty of Latinos throughout South Florida. Little Havana doesn't have a lock on the Latin population. If you move the stadium out to Weston, instead of being some Broward and some Dade, it will just be some Broward.

How about "some nowhere."

facts are i will neva get my dream ball park.....

 

aka Pac Bell,, Camdan and Jacobs......

 

I give up.....

 

I just wanna a place to play even if it is UGLY, long as the $$$$$ go's to the marlins and not some short stingey snobby redneck faggot owner aka Wayne H....

 

and ill be happy

Amen!

Amen!

I don't want to sound selfish, but if this team moved to North Broward and made money, I wouldn't be happy.

The money is important but location wise, a place like Broward fair would suck.

 

But at least Wayne wouldn't be getting money.

if this team move out of my reach (out of date) then i won't be a fan anymore. i'm more of a fan of the sport than a marlins fan. i root for them because they are the local team, they move out, then they won't be the local team anymore and i won't be able to attend any games, so i hope they stay in dade.

I'll always be a Marlin fan. . . but if they desert me to go to Broward I'd die. The Browardites have already had their chance at a stadium. Not its Dade's turn.