Huizenga Finalizing Plans For Dolphin Stadium Renovation

Dolphins Budgeting $250M For Stadium Renovations

Dolphins Owner Wayne Huizenga will unveil “in the coming weeks the details of a refurbishment project for [Dolphin Stadium] that he says is budgeted at $250[M] — more than two times the original $115[M] construction price,” according to Armando Salguero of the MIAMI HERALD. Huizenga: “We’re looking at $250[M] right now, but we’re sitting in meetings as we speak and coming up with 100 more ideas that we’re talking about adding. We’ll keep tweaking.” Salguero noted the project “won’t be complete until next season, and Huizenga’s quoted price does not include” the $25M spent on two HD scoreboards and ribbon boards. Huizenga is adding about 360,000 square feet that will house proposed atriums, restaurants, a Dolphins Hall of Champions and other ideas yet to be disclosed (MIAMI HERALD, 8/27). Huizenga: “We’re going to have a lot more things on each concourse for fans to do. ... We’re still trying to decide how we fill each level out with restaurants and cigar bars. We’ve got hundreds of ideas” (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 8/26).

FAN FOCUS: The HERALD’s Salguero noted Dolphins Enterprises CEO Joe Bailey has “overseen an initiative to improve customer service.” The team hired about 40 ambassadors to greet and help fans on game day, and police, security and other staff carry cards reminding them to “greet visitors warmly, smile, act promptly when asked for service and wish guests well upon entering and exiting the stadium.” Huizenga: “We’re trying to improve the fan experience” (MIAMI HERALD, 8/27).