Marlins Wanted Ballpark Janitorial Company To Purchase Suite As Part Of Contract

When the Marlins "invited companies to bid on the multi-million-dollar task of cleaning the new Little Havana ballpark, the contract came with a catch: The winner had to lease a $150,000-a-year suite at the new stadium," according to Charles Rabin of the MIAMI HERALD. Dream Clean South Beach Owner Rodney McGilvery, whose janitorial company was invited to bid, noted, "They said they were only hiring companies with experience cleaning ballparks -- which knocked out 98 percent of the people." Of the 40 or so companies that showed up for the early April meet-and-greet with Marlins execs to learn of the bid requirements, McGilvery said that "maybe four were qualified to do the job." The roughly $6M "contract -- an in-the-ballpark figure given by the Marlins -- was for five years, with two renewable years at the end." The Marlins eventually "went with more experienced Pritchard Sports & Entertainment Group out of Maryland, the same company that cleans" BankAtlantic Center and AmericanAirlines Arena. Pritchard also "cleans Pimlico Race Track in Maryland, and has contracts" with the Rockets and Devils. The Marlins' "final deal with Pritchard let the company off the hook for the entire $150,000 MVP suite package, which includes 16 seats, parking and some food deals." Instead, the cleaning company "took a half suite and will make up the difference purchasing advertising" (MIAMI HERALD, 1/14).

NOW BATTING: In Ft. Lauderdale, Juan Rodriguez reported Miami's Christopher Columbus and Belen Jesuit high school baseball teams "will meet in the first ever game at the new Little Havana ballpark on March 5." On March 6 and 7, the Marlins "will take the field for the first time" against the Univ. of Miami and Florida Int'l Univ., respectively. Attendance for the high school game "will be capped at 5,000." There will be 10,000 tickets "made available for the Marlins-UM game and as many as 15,000 fans will be allowed in for the last exhibition" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 1/14).