Published by: MiamiHerald.com
Written by: MICHAEL VASQUEZ AND BARRY JACKSON
Posted: November 26, 2008

The Florida Marlins said their dream 37,000–seat retractable roof stadium won't be ready until Opening Day 2012, a year later than planned, as team officials blamed a legal challenge for pushing back the deadline. Marlins president David Samson said the stadium's designers thought the "risk of cost overruns had become too high" for a 2011 opening.

"It's realizing we had run out of time," Samson said in an interview Tuesday. "They were not comfortable building a stadium with a retractable roof that quickly." Samson said the Marlins were "disappointed" with the delay, which he attributed largely to auto magnate Norman Braman's legal challenge to the stadium financing plan. That suit has since been dismissed, with the last count tossed last week, but Samson said the legal wrangling prompted the team to recalibrate the targeted opening.

Stadium construction must begin by May 2009 for a 2012 opening, Samson said, and team officials must secure other approvals before then. Among them: extending the lease at Dolphin Stadium for another year. Miami–Dade County Manager George Burgess, meanwhile, said he believes the new opening date won't add to the stadium's $515 million projected cost.

Burgess said the housing market slowdown should lower the bid prices submitted by construction contractors, and the longer timeline may allow the stadium to avoid accelerated–construction fees that were necessary to achieve the 2011 opening. "Everything is indicating that that number is standing solid," Burgess said. The Marlins' lease with Dolphin Stadium expires after 2010, but Samson said he and owner Jeffrey Loria have spoken with stadium co–owner Stephen Ross and expect the lease will be extended through 2011. Ross is expected to assume managing control of the Dolphins and Dolphin Stadium from Wayne Huizenga after this Dolphins' season. But the Marlins may also need the University of Miami's blessing for another year at the stadium that the UM football program now calls home.

When UM announced it was moving from the Orange Bowl to Dolphin Stadium, the university's lease required that the Marlins' infield dirt be gone by 2011. "It's not ideal to play on dirt," said UM athletic director Kirby Hocutt, who plans to discuss the issue with Dolphin Stadium officials.

Samson, who attended the University of Wisconsin, called UM president Donna Shalala, who once held the same position at Wisconsin. 'I said, "Give a [Wisconsin] Badger a break," " Samson said he told Shalala. "We'll be a year late." Assuming the Marlins receive a one–year lease extension at Dolphin Stadium, other hurdles must still be cleared before a May groundbreaking can occur.

Among them: City and county governments, while having already signed off on the general framework of a stadium deal, must also approve more–specific agreements governing the stadium's parking, construction and operations. Those votes are expected in December or January. There's also Braman's lawsuit, which, if successful on appeal, could once again complicate the stadium plans.

"There's a zillion other obstacles," Braman said Tuesday. "They don't even have their infrastructure costs defined. They don't even know what they are." The cost of government–financed improvements to the stadium site –– the grounds of the former Orange Bowl in Little Havana –– is indeed a question mark. But building a baseball stadium where another sports facility formerly stood should minimize costs, said County Manager Burgess.

"We don't have to rearrange roads. We don't have to relocate power lines and things like that," Burgess said. These costs may be released in the next few weeks. "To suggest that public infrastructure is a hidden cost is ridiculous," Burgess said. "It'll all be laid out." Miami Herald staff writer Larry Lebowitz contributed to this report.

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