Nearly two months after the Marlins opened their new ballpark, “the thrill certainly isn’t gone, but it has faded a bit,” according to Adam Beasley of the MIAMI HERALD. Thursday marked the 20th home game and “turnout (announced generously as 24,099) was strong, but not spectacular.” It was the seventh consecutive time the Marlins drew under 30,000 after exceeding that figure in 10 of their first 13 games. A quarter of the way through the first season as the Miami Marlins, "a few trends are evident." Parking around the stadium is “actually a fairly easy proposition.” Beasley wrote South Florida “still isn’t New York, Philadelphia, or even San Diego, when it comes to baseball interest.” Of the nine MLB teams that have opened new ballparks in the past decade, just the Reds, with 25,708 in '03, had a smaller average at this point of their inaugural years. Marlins President David Sampson said, “Of course, we wish there were 36,000 people there every night, but I’m pleased with the response so far. … Overall, we couldn’t be happier.” Through Thursday, the Marlins "ranked 14th in total paid attendance after finishing 28th or worse the previous seven seasons.” The team's improved attendance is "despite fighting some brisk headwinds early in the year" such as a Heat playoff games coinciding with Marlins home games, including five times when both had games in Miami. The "great unknown, however, is next year and beyond” as MLB teams' new ballparks since '03 have “seen their crowd sizes drop by" an average of 7% in the second year (MIAMI HERALD, 5/26).
CALLED INTO QUESTION: In Miami, Charles Rabin noted Miami-Dade County is challenging $1.7M "in costs -- from pillow cases to drapes to brochures -- that the Miami Marlins believe should be credited toward their part of the construction bill for the new ballpark in Little Havana.” All of the claims being questioned by the county “relate to the ballclub’s small sales office that sat next to the stadium parking garages on Northwest Seventh Street.” The Marlins and the county are “negotiating over the items at issue, with an arbiter deciding final differences.” Any funds the Marlins waive “would go toward future capital improvements at the ballpark.” (MIAMI HERALD, 5/28).
GOING GREEN: MLB.com's Tom Green noted the team on Thursday announced that Marlins Park achieved LEED Gold Certification, making it “the first retractable roof facility in the world to earn the honor.” Owner Jeffrey Loria was “presented with a plaque Friday afternoon to signify the ballpark's achievement in sustainability” (MLB.com, 5/25).
