Dolphins Unveil Plans For New Land Shark Stadium Club, Artwork

Limited Number Of Memberships Available  For New VIP Lounge For '09 Season

The Dolphins Friday announced that Ocean Drive Magazine for the upcoming season will open a VIP club inside Land Shark Stadium as part of a new long-term partnership with the team. Ocean Drive Club will be a private members-only club and will operate exclusively during Dolphins games and offer a private VIP orange carpet entrance, access to the Dolphins sidelines, alumni and cheerleader visits, celebrity appearances, large-screen TVs and fine dining. A limited number of memberships will be offered by invitation only for the '09 season. The team also announced that artist Romero Britto's artwork will be displayed on the stadium's helixes and gate entrances beginning this season (Dolphins). Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross said, "We bring the Miami Dolphins to South Beach and I know we're going to bring back a lot of South Beach to Land Shark Stadium this year." Britto said that his project "will be done in three phases and take three years to complete." But in Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay noted Ross "promised some of the work will be in place for the Dolphins home opener" against the Colts on September 21. Meanwhile, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said that Ocean Drive Club "will be housed in the Gate G sub-concourse in 4,500 square feet where the Marlins batting cages are, but will eventually expand to 20,000- to 25,000-square feet." Ross "promised his priority is creating a winning football team," but he also "reminded that he wants to create 'a greater fan experience' at the stadium." Ross: "I can tell you we have some additional celebrity limited partners and we'll have an announcement like that in the next two weeks" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 8/8).

MUSIC MAKERS: In Miami, Jeff Darlington reported rapper T-Pain has "taken the Dolphins' old-school fight song and revamped it to have a catchier beat, while also modernizing it." Darlington also noted musician Jimmy Buffett earlier this year "wrote his own new fight song for the Dolphins." Land Shark Stadium spokesperson Elliott Stares said that both songs "will be featured during home games" (MIAMIHERALD.com, 8/7).