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Marlins Players Excited About New Ballpark

City of Miami

Ownership has long blamed the frequent threat of rain at the Dolphins' stadium for poor ticket sales, and the franchise expects that to change with a retractable roof.

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The Associated Press

Published: March 24, 2009

JUPITER - The buzz in the Florida Marlins' clubhouse Tuesday was about opening day in 2012.

That's when the team's new ballpark with a retractable roof is scheduled to open following approval of the project Monday night by the Miami-Dade County Commission.

"I'm so happy for the Marlins," All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez said. "They've been after it for a long time, and finally they got it. The ballpark will bring a lot of fans, and that's what we need."

Ramirez is the only Florida player under contract through 2012. Teammates hope the new ballpark will prompt management to offer more multiyear deals.

"Everybody hopes to get a deal like that so they know exactly what's in store for the future," pitcher Josh Johnson said. "They can stay here and buy a house down here. It's definitely a good feeling."

Johnson said he's happy the team can play without any more talk of the franchise moving.

"A lot of us are excited because now that we're getting a new stadium, we know which direction we're going," he said. "We know where we're going to be playing. We know we're not going to be moving. We've heard all sorts of things the past three years. It's exciting to hear that. Hopefully all of us can stay here. We'll see."

The franchise's quest for a new ballpark dates back more than a decade. It has been such a roller-coaster that even the former player nicknamed "Mr. Marlin" was skeptical that a plan would be approved.

"Honestly, I didn't think so," said Jeff Conine, who helped the team win the World Series in 1997 and 2003 and is now a special assistant. "I had my doubts because it has been so close for so long, and it gets delayed or it gets voted down, or lawsuits or whatever happen."

Since the Marlins' first game in 1993, they've played in the Miami Dolphins' stadium.

"To finally know that it's a reality and it's going to be coming to fruition is exciting everybody — for me as a player who had to play in that place for a long time, and the fans who've had to sit in that place for a long time," Conine said. "It's kind of a drab place to play."

The Marlins perennially rank at or near the bottom of the majors in attendance and payroll. Ownership has long blamed the frequent threat of rain at the Dolphins' stadium for poor ticket sales, and the franchise expects that to change with a retractable roof.

"People will look forward to coming down here, not just for South Beach," Johnson said. "They can come down here even if it rains. They've been coming down here not knowing if it's going to rain each day. It's tough. You never know if you're going to play."

Manager Fredi Gonzalez said he was happy for owner Jeffrey Loria and team president David Samson, who led lobbying for a new ballpark. It is expected to cost at least $515 million and will be located near downtown Miami at the former site of the Orange Bowl.

"All the hard work they put in has paid off," Gonzalez said. "We're going to have baseball for a long time. Not only will games be on time, they're going to be played because of the roof. It's going to be a fun place to visit."

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