The Marlins new $515M ballpark is “an intentional landmark, one that looms large even at a distance,” according to Beth Dunlop of the MIAMI HERALD. The venue is “imposing in size, dazzling in its shiny bright whiteness and even a bit daunting in its proportions.” Marlins Park will “indeed be a great place to watch baseball,” and the seats have “excellent sightlines.” Team Owner Jeffrey Loria’s “architectural mandate was for both form and function -- for one that worked for everyone involved, players to fans to high-rolling sponsors.” But he “really wanted it all housed in a sculptural building that would stand out among its peers.” Loria said, “I thought it was time for baseball to be innovative” (MIAMI HERALD, 4/1). In N.Y., Bill Madden noted the retractable roof ballpark that was “30 years in the making shines like a brilliant tropical green and glass gem." On first blush, you’d have to say Marlins' ownership "got everything right” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/2). In Miami, Greg Cote wrote the “comfort, elimination of rain delays and curiosity factor will make the new ballpark good for great crowds all this maiden season” (MIAMI HERALD, 4/2). In N.Y., Tyler Kepner wrote this whole project is “one big dare.” The team’s home run scultpure is “heavy on kitsch, but it was no haphazard concoction.” For all the “glitz, though, the place still appeals to children” (N.Y. TIMES, 4/2). In Miami, Hannah Sampson noted the ballpark “seeks to pay homage to Miami’s sights, tastes, cultures and beauty.” Sampson noted she “scoped out the park to find 12 features that should make fans -- and even vaguely interested visitors -- take note.” Sampson: “Enjoy it, Miami. After all, you’re paying for it” (MIAMI HERALD, 4/1).
BREAKING THE MOLD: USA TODAY’s Mike Dodd writes the building “screams Miami.” If fans think “some of the newer parks were beginning to look alike, Marlins Park breaks the mold, just as Camden Yards did 20 years ago.” Dodd writes of the technology featured in the venue, “From ticket windows to directional signals to menu boards in the concession stands, it all is tied to the system to provide flexibility throughout the game and help generate revenue” (USA TODAY, 4/3). OCEAN DRIVE MAGAZINE’s Robert Andrew Powell writes the ballpark is “the most original stadium in baseball since Bill Veeck planted ivy along the outfield walls of Wrigley Field.” The “grandest sight … will be a half-acre retractable glass wall located in left-center field” (OCEAN DRIVE MAGAZINE, 4/’12 issue). In New Jersey, Marc Carig noted the Marlins “continued the push away from the retro fad that once dominated ballpark construction.” The exterior features “sweeping curves and a white facade with tinted glass. “Even the “massive support structures of the retractable roof … fit in with the building’s sleek style” (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/2).
MAKING MIAMI A DESTINATION: In N.Y., Kevin Kernan noted one MLB exec said, “This is going to be a destination place for players. There are so many players who live in Florida who would love to play near home” (N.Y. POST, 4/2). In West Palm Beach, Dave George wrote the ballpark has “brought a vicious new vibe to a South Florida market that couldn't really be bothered with baseball the last several seasons,” and the players “are feeling it, too.” Marlins P Steve Cishek said, "I drove by Sun Life (Stadium) yesterday. I was like, yuk" (PALM BEACH POST, 4/2). The PALM BEACH POST's Capozzi wrote, “Marlins Park will offer something rarely felt in 19 seasons at the club's first, cavernous home. Energy.” When the roof is “closed and all 37,000 seats are filled, the buzz could match that found anywhere in baseball” (PALM BEACH POST, 4/1). Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez said, "The bottom line is, without a building like this, you really can’t compete the way Major League Baseball is right now. The game is exploding. It’s done very well. You saw what the Dodgers just sold for. You need a venue like this to compete at the highest level” (AP, 4/1). Rodriguez added, “I never imagined as a child that such a beautiful stadium would be built in the middle of Miami” (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 4/2).
SPEED PITCH: The SUN-SENTINEL’s Davis noted Samson, Marlins 1B Gaby Sanchez and Ft. Lauderdale-based Living Color President Mat Roy, whose company designed and created the two 22-foot-long aquariums at Marlins Ballpark, “took turns pelting the tanks” as a test prior to the ballpark opening. Roy said, "It was a lot of fun. David and I both threw a ball at around 56 miles an hour. Gaby came out and threw consistently at 82." The “bookend 450-gallon aquariums, with outer panels rated to handle objects traveling 200 mph, are among the most unusual features of the Marlins' new ballpark, designed to give the park South Florida character” (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 4/1).
