Not a lot of new stuff but some of it is interesting.
Sarah Talalay fills us in.
Samson said also that Loria has a surprise planned that will make the new stadium unique just as ballparks across the country have some signature element, from Fenway Park’s Green Monster to home runs being hit into the bay in San Francisco.
For some reason this scares me to death given Loria's taste in architecture. I mean, really, what are the Marlins going to do -- count the number of broken windows in Little Havana from home runs?
Renderings aren't expected to be unveiled until Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jeri Beth Cohen issues her final ruling in auto dealer Norman Braman's case targeting the ballpark financing.
In other words, when the new Florida Supreme Court finally gets around to finalizing the Strand case, Cohen will follow suit. But there isn't any time table, that I am aware of for this to happen.
Samson said it will be determined shortly if the optimistic 2011 opening date can be met. Meanwhile, negotiations with Miami-Dade County and City of Miami officials on the definitive agreements spelling out the ballpark’s construction, financing and other details continue. Officials hope to have agreements to put before both commissions next month or in January at the latest. Those votes certainly won’t come easily particularly in this difficult economy, but also will once again come as the Marlins are trading their players...
First off, this is probably no stinking way the new stadium will open in 2011, unless serious corners are cut. Which is another to say to that it will be built on the cheap and the fan experience attending the games will be compromised.
It has happened in other "new" stadiums where the rows of seats were expanded, thus cutting down the number of aisles. The number of concession stands and bathrooms are reduced, making it a long hike to find either.
Now, hopefully, none of that will take place, but it could.
I have no doubt that the votes won't come easy since there will probably be a very vocal opposition to continuing with the plan of building a park for a baseball team. With any luck at all, the commissioners took Macroeconomics 101 and paid attention in class and understood the part about when the nation is in a liquidity trap governments must spend on projects to increase aggregate demand.