http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/09/3133792_p2/san-franciscos-field-of-dreams.html "Sun Life Stadium, in its present form, cannot do this kind of thing. But the Dolphins are hoping to upgrade their facility through a public-private funding plan that would at least get the 25-year-old place in the game against buildings like Santa Clara. The Dolphins’ proposal will be revealed in about a month. The last time the Dolphins tried such a measure it failed. This one will be different. It will have a different approach to the canopy roof idea. It will close the 25-yard distance between the stands and the field. It will raise capacity closer to the field and lower it in the upper level. It will improve the lighting." Canopy for protection...bring fans closer to the field and players...well, if your dumb enough to put another 250 million into a soccer stadium/ neutral field, it might as well go toward the two most important issues. Just wanna add that niner stadium seems to be more concerned about technology and fluff then being the first ground breakers to build a stadium specifically for the 12 th man and real home field advantage.. I wonder what our new plan will be..a 50/50 split.. Private/public venture?
Lol, I don't know if happy is the word Nole, I think the stadium is a cancer for this franchise, but I'll take it if true..I still don't think they can do anything from a structural standpoint except add some rows ..
Me neither, it would take a lot more than 250 million to gut that lower bowl..I don't see anything but adding some rows.. Lower the field? That's kinda interesting, that would allow the new rows to naturally descend?
If the market won't justify the rich owner to build a stadium himself why would it make sense for the public to help finance it? And I ask that as a big sports fan who argued for public support for the Grizzlies to come here to Memphis, hoping it would spur growth in the downtown area. It hasn't. Has it in any other city?
So what are they talking about then? Are they just gonna build some rows flat in front of what we already have, I can't see how the extra ones would descend?
I'd cite the renovations to Solider Field as about as drastic a change as could be done from an existing structure.
A slow slope with the seating like this' ^. ^. ^. ^. ^. ^. ^ filling spaces here to make it work.........^. ^. ^. ^ .^. ^. ^
49ers field is below sea level... the grass tends to turn to a mushy soupy puddle by the end of the 1st quarter.
It's way too soon to even think that the public will go for it. It has to be done with a tourist tax that only a county commission has a vote.
Well, depending on how much fill they built the stadium on to begin with, it is only about 4-5 feet down to reach South Florida's water table. That would be a ton of concrete and would require huge pumps for drainage. They might as well go for another couple hundred thousand and rebuild the entire lower bowl.
Agreed, love what they did there, but I think it was over 250 mill... I don't see how they could do that here for that.
I know you have been in favor of upgrading the stadium for some time. I have no problem with the upgrading of the stadium, I just don't see the politicians in South Florida being willing to use any public funds at this time. The Marlins stadium and how the owner of the Marlins is now viewed has soured the citizens and the politicians when it comes to spending public money to build or upgrade stadiums used by billionaire businessmen. I would rather have seen the public money spent on the Dolphins stadium and not for a new Marlins stadium, but it is too late for that. I think if Ross wants to upgrade his privately owned stadium, he is going to have to do it with ALL his own money. So I don't see a 50/50 split as you envision. I see a 100/0 split, with all the money coming from Ross, if the upgrades do happen.
I think it's a very hard pitch in this market.. To me it comes down to some numbers, if you lose x amount on the Super Bowl because your stadium is outdated, then it should be quite simple to figure out, from both perspectives, owner, and city, no?
Well, its going to have to be a much slower slope so any view could be obstructed I guess. But this is one way that MIGHT work. Having no seat directly in front of you but the following row will. Depending on the slope, it could work
Add slope to this and you'll get the best chance to see with no to very slow slope.... Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Personally I don't mind using my tax dollars to build or upgrade a stadium for the Dolphins. Of course I am someone who has attended hundreds of games at this stadium and the old Orange Bowl since 1966. I just think that the average citizen doesn't have any interest in seeing any more tax dollars spent on sports stadiums. The fact is that the Marlins and their ownership have left a very sour taste in the mouths of the public and the politicians and, I would be extremely surprised if the Dolphins are able to get any politicians to agree to spend public money on their stadium. As far as the Super Bowl goes. If the NFL would agree that South Florida would receive a SB every 3 or 4 years if these upgrades are made. This might convince many in the public and the politicians that it would make economic sense to support spending public money on the stadium. Unfortunately with all the new stadiums around the league and the bidding process cities have to go through in an effort to land a SB in the first place. I have to wonder if possibly getting one SB every 8 to 10 years would be enough to convince the public to support giving tax payers dollars to the Dolphins. I just don't think so, but you never know.
The NFL would be wise to step in and offer a low interest loan. They have a program for new stadiums but I highly doubt Goodell/Kraft would allow it.
