Hurricane Irma could be the "first real test for Marlins Park," and the club is "taking every precaution with their home ballpark," according to Tim Healey of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. The ballpark, which opened in '12, was "built to withstand a Category 4 storm" with winds up to 156 mph. Irma was at Category 5 yesterday, and while it is "expected to weaken," Irma is "expected to be a still-formidable Category 4 storm, with winds of 145 mph or more, upon its likely landfall." Marlins Park Exec VP/Operations & Events Claude Delorme said that the Marlins’ business and ballpark operations staff "started having daily preparedness meetings Tuesday, setting into motion a plan that will conclude" tomorrow with the closing of the retractable roof. However, the roof "will be ajar in several spots -- a 16-foot gap on the east side, a 10-foot gap in the center and a 10-foot gap on the west side." Delorme: "It allows the air and the pressure to come inside the ballpark and eventually leave the ballpark. It avoids putting a lot of uplift on the roof. It was designed that way so we wouldn’t get any major damage to our roof." Healey notes the 9,300-pound roof "will be tied down with 56 large steel anchors." Crews yesterday also began "installing at the ballpark’s many entrances 29 flood gates." For the large aquarium behind home plate, crews will "reduce the water levels" and protect it with wood panels. The venue's bobblehead museum on the concourse will get "bubblewrap," and crews will also "disconnect and cover the ATMs" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 9/7).
LOCK DOWN MODE: In Ft. Lauderdale, Chris Perkins notes the Dolphins ahead of Irma have "taken the precautionary step of deflating their indoor practice bubble," which is something the team "didn’t do last year in the face of the threat of Hurricane Matthew." The Dolphins also have "removed the tarp that kept fans shaded at practices during training camp." The team also offered Hard Rock Stadium as a "staging area, if necessary, for Miami-Dade County for distribution of relief supplies." As part of the hurricane focus, Hard Rock Stadium "will be closed to the public and won’t accept drop-off donations for Hurricane Harvey" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 9/7).
