As the Florida Marlins gear up for opening day on April 1, construction continues on the Miami site of their new home. This will be the last opening day for the Marlins at the Sun Life Stadium (also the home of the Miami Dolphins). Their new, unnamed, stadium should be completed by this time next year.
When Florida Marlins’ owner Jeffrey Loria and Team President David Samson asked the city to build the new baseball stadium, the city of Miami agreed to fund a large portion of the project. Then, in the summer of 2010, information was leaked that revealed the Marlins’ profit of nearly $50 million in 2008 and 2009. Although many rightfully decried the construction of the almost $500 million ballpark at the expense of the Miami-Dade County taxpayers, the park might give Marlins fans exactly what they desire: another winning season.
The money spent on our local Major League Baseball team might, ultimately, improve the team’s unfortunate record of the past years. After all, the Marlins’ first few years under original owner, H. Wayne Huizenga, CEO, were miserable failures. It wasn’t until 1997 when Huizenga started spending money to improve the team that their playing record increased. That same year, the Marlins won the World Series becoming the youngest franchise and first Wild Card team in Major League Baseball history to do so.
Seemingly stuck in another rut of poor baseball playing, the Marlins have been last in National League attendance for five years in a row. Perhaps the increase in spending and the completion of the new stadium will lead to a similar rise in playing level.
