Florida Marlins Baseball Stadium: You can build it, but Miami won't come if it's in a cornfield

Today's Miami Herald reports the county is ratcheting up the pressure on the Florida Marlins and MLB to accept their offer to build a new stadium on the old Orange Bowl site. According to team president David Sampson, the next 10 days are "critical." If a deal can be brokered, he says, for the first time, that the team will play at the Orange Bowl site.

How disappointing to hear. That site sucks big time. In our continuing quest to push for the better site, we took it upon ourselves to email Irwin Raij, an MLB attorney the following:

• Dear Mr. Raij,
  
  Please pass on the Orange Bowl site. MLB can do better. It's a terrible location in a rundown part of town with no easy access to the Interstate which will hamper any ticket sales. Instead, push the county and the city for this location: Grand Central Station of the American Pastime. It envisions the stadium built over three forms of mass transit (two are already existing-- the third is a proposed BayLink from Miami to Miami Beach). It's called the "Grand Central Station of the American Pastime." It's here where the Marlins will find its fan base-- through the thousands of people moving into the new condos opening in the central business district (over 40,000 units planned or being built). It's also where fans from as far away as Palm Beach will come because it will be so easy. All they have to do is hop on an FEC train and ride it to the stadium. With the stadium attached to the existing Miami Arena, both should be able to benefit from the other. Don't settle for less because it's one thing to build it, but if you want them to come in Miami, cornfields won't cut it.
  Thank you,
  The Boys at MVB

It was the least we could do for this community we love so much. Hopefully you'll do the same.

UpDate (7/27/08): Glenn Straub, owner of the Miami Arena, announces he will tear it down to build a baseball stadium-- if he can strike a deal with the City of Miami and the Florida Marlins. Part of the deal he wants is to gain title to the Orange Bowl site (now torn down) to build affordable housing. Initial reaction from the Marlins and the city: not interested. Typical. And surprising since at one time the Marlins insisted on a downtown site.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays unveil new baseball stadium proposal

Yesterday the Tampa Bay Devil Rays unveiled their new waterfront baseball stadium proposal. Unlike Miami's, which looks like it is trying to shun its location, this design embraces everything we love about living here: sunshine and ocean breezes. We like it and hope it sees the light of day. The 34,000-seat stadium appears it will face the same hurdles of getting built as our stadium has. Devil Ray officials hope to see it open for the 2012 season. We wonder which one will get built first? Hopefully not the Miami one. It's ugly, doesn't challenge the spirit and the location (the old Orange Bowl site) sucks big time.

It's a sad day in Mudville when the Florida Marlins chose the Orange Bowl site for their new stadium

The Orange Bowl site for the proposed Florida Marlins baseball stadium is not "downtown"-- something the Marlins have been insisting upon from the get-go. But then, beggars can't be choosers.

A Miami-Dade County bond advisory panel approved using $50 million in bond money earmarked for renovating the Orange Bowl to build the new ballpark for the Marlins. Estimates to ease arterial traffic congestion should the stadium get built in the old Little Havana neighborhood will be more than $12 million. That's $62 million that could have been spent on a downtown stadium that sits at the nexus of a proposed transportation hub that encourages the "New Millennium pioneers" living downtown to take in a game and those living outside of downtown to leave their car behind to catch a train from Palm Beach, Metrorail from Dadeland, and a monorail from the beach.

Too bad for us. And still we beat our drum...

UpDate (10/26): The Marlins are having second thoughts about moving into the soon to be vacant Orange Bowl spot. By not being in their preferred downtown location, they believe they will ultimately lose money. Because of that, they want to renegotiate the lease and reduce their contribution to building the new baseball stadium. Frustrated City of Miami commissioners have given the team until December 13th to put up or shut up. If a stadium plan isn't set by that date, "we move on," according to Commission Vice Chairman Joe Sanchez. Too bad someone in the city doesn't have enough foresight-- vision-- to offer them the MVB downtown site as an alternative.

UpDate (7/27/08): Glenn Straub, owner of the Miami Arena, announces he will tear it down to build a baseball stadium-- if he can strike a deal with the City of Miami and the Florida Marlins. Part of the deal he wants is to gain title to the Orange Bowl site (now torn down) to build affordable housing. Initial reaction from the Marlins and the city: not interested. Typical. And surprising since at one time the Marlins insisted on a downtown site.

Scrap the Orange Bowl? Say it isn't so!

Today 70-years of history and fond memories of championship seasons rests in the hands of the 17-member executive committee of University of Miami Board of Trustees. They will gather on campus to decide the fate of the venerable Orange Bowl stadium. According to the Miami Herald the school will save $1.5 million a year by moving their football games to Dolphin Stadium. In the words of Greg Cote, one of the Herald's esteemed sports writers, that's "loose change under the sofa to major college football." But that's where they're looking instead of at the bigger picture. Maybe if the old stadium was in another city instead of one of the poorest in the nation, things would be different. Maybe if UM's newest president Donna Shalala had been around long enough to appreciate the stadium's history, the question of moving would never have came up. Officially, UM doubts the City of Miami can fulfill its promise to renovate the stadium. Like the Miami Marine Stadium, for years the city has allowed the Orange Bowl to rot away, ignoring it in the finest white trash tradition. Both stadiums are rusting, scavenged car wrecks up on blocks missing wheels in Miami's front yard. Although many of us take umbrage at being labeled third world, we are surely the white trash city of America. We never have enough money to fix that car on the lawn but, by God, we're going to keep it up on blocks and some day, when we get enough money, we're going to fix it.

Maybe UM should give the city more time to come up with the money. Of course, if they do, then that makes them white trash too. Or at least white trash enablers.

If the executive committee gives the Orange Bowl the heave ho, the saddest part will be the lack of vision displayed by both parties. As we have said earlier, keeping the Orange Bowl is keeping the opportunity to host an affordable Olympics. We'll know by the end of the day if history and the future can co-exist.

UpDate (5 minutes later): Vision- 0, Souless-Pandering-to-the-Bottom-Line: 1. UM will move to Dolphin Stadium commencing 2008. How sad. Now, the City should strike a deal with FIU. Fuck the 'Canes! Go the Golden Something-or-Others! Let today be the first day in the beginning of a new forward-thinking tradition where someday, the Golden Something-or-Others will become a collegiate football juggernaut that OWNS the Orange Bowl, whose style of play erases all memory of the team that once played there! Ye-Haw! Go Golden Something-or-others!

UpDate on the UpDate (30-mins later): Will someone please have a talk with City of Miami Manager Pete Hernandez. He keeps talking about tearing down the Orange Bowl to build a baseball stadium with a retractable roof. Hasn't he heard of the Miami Megaplex? Doesnt' he read Miami Vision Blogarama? As much as we want to preserve the Orange Bowl, we would be remiss not to point out its obvious shortcoming: no mass transit connection. Our downtown Miami Megaplex proposal includes one form of existing mass transit (MetroRail) and two forms of proposed mass transit: FEC commuter train from Palm Beach directly to the stadium (the tracks are already there) and a BayLink monorail connecting Miami Beach to the stadium. Keep the Orange Bowl for FIU and the Olympics. Build a new downtown baseball stadium next to the Miami Arena. It's much more cost effective and makes a helluva lot more sense.

UpDate (7/27/08): Glenn Straub, owner of the Miami Arena, announces he will tear it down to build a baseball stadium-- if he can strike a deal with the City of Miami and the Florida Marlins. Part of the deal he wants is to gain title to the Orange Bowl site (now torn down) to build affordable housing. Initial reaction from the Marlins and the city: not interested. Typical. And surprising since at one time the Marlins insisted on a downtown site.

MVB's Grand Central Station of the American Pastime Meets Cirque du Soleil

Maybe we should cut back on the mojitos, but we're beginning to think MVB may be having some influence on shaping Miami's future. From the beginning we saw MVB as a digital gadfly/cockroach of ideas and criticism of the local scene. In that regard, we made sure our ideas were made known to those involved with the topic. Now, for the first time, we learn in Miami Today that Glenn Straub, owner of the Miami Arena, is interested in speaking to Cirque du Soleil about making his arena a permanent home for Cirque. Although he admits Cirque has not contacted him, we made sure he and Cirque knew about our vision for the Miami Arena through numerous emails with links to our posts. The same goes for MLB and the Florida Marlins. We are excited about the Marlins insisting on a downtown site. Although their first choice is very close to our site which we lobbied for since 2003, perhaps this is the time for the city and the county to step in and bring all the parties together to choose a central, unified site that connects the Miami Arena and a downtown baseball stadium with existing commuter rail (FEC tracks, MetroRail) and a future BayLink (monorail). We call it the "Grand Central Station of the American Pastime." We think it is the best idea of any of them that have been thrown out there because it is built over existing mass transit. This fact alone will supply the downtown baseball stadium and Cirque with a lifeline of fans who will be more than happy to give up their cars to get downtown to see a game or the latest Cirque show. Fans from as far away as Palm Beach will be able to hop a commuter train and travel to a game without ever fighting traffic or searching for parking. Best yet, they'll never have to pay an exorbitant parking fee again. If it's raining, they'll never know it because they'll get on and off the train inside the enclosed atrium connecting the stadium to the arena. BayLink will offer the same hassle free trip to the ballpark for the thousands of fans living on Miami Beach. All it will take is a little vision on behalf of everybody. Perhaps Miami's Mayor Manny Diaz or County Mayor Carlos Alverez would like to step up to the plate and make this happen. Oh, yeah, you can rest assured that we have forwarded this posting to them.

Become an MVB FACILITATOR! For those who also think this is the best solution for the survival of a downtown stadium and an arena based attraction, feel free to let our government officials know by emailing your thoughts to them through our handy-dandy email contact list found on the right side of our home page.

UpDate (4/27/07): The Miami Herald reports that the plan to help build a downtown Miami baseball stadium which was passed in the House won't be heard in the Senate, basically killing any chance to see a $60 million tax subsidy spread over 30 years. Instead the Senate is considering a watered down allocation to be split between three professional teams netting the Marlins a one time payment of $32.6 million.

The MVB Miami Megaplex Manifesto: Build It Here and They Will Come

The Miami Megaplex is seen as a practical, cost saving solution to building a baseball stadium in downtown Miami. By engaging the Miami Arena and bringing in a hotel, it spreads the enormous cost of building such a structure. Instead of giving away valuable public land which is in short supply, this plan needs only street closures. Success is ensured because of the symbiotic relationship between the five major players (including government and the FEC railroad): the stadium and the Arena can be used for everything from baseball games to tractor pulls and concerts. The hotel can book rooms and conventions based on the unique location and ability to tap as much convention space as needed by using the Arena and the stadium. Since it is built over a major transportation nexus, attendance will rise and rooms will be booked because everything is easy to get to-- no more fighting traffic-- and inexpensive-- no exorbitant parking fees . Finally, the Miami Megaplex will someday help us land the Summer Olympics, where access to gymnastics, basketball, baseball, surfing, and boating events off of Bicentennial and Bayfront Parks are all within walking distance. Can’t you just see a parade of nations marching along Biscayne Boulevard into the Miami Megaplex for the opening and closing ceremonies? The boys at MVB sure can.

If you are as fired up as we are with our idea, please let your elected representatives know. We like to think of the Miami Megaplex as "the Grand Central Station of the American Pastime." Right now, it sure beats out the county commission's latest idea which is building the stadium at the Orange Bowl. Besides being in a dreary, boring part of town, the location has no access to mass transit.

For a more detailed examination of our proposal-- which includes Disney's involvement and some really cool roofed stadium renderings-- click here.

Please note, regarding the "commuter train." It's not here yet. The tracks are and negotiations are underway to lease them from the FEC railway. As for BayLink, it's a pipe dream being held hostage by obstinate nimbys and visionless elected Miami Beach officials. We believe BayLink will save Carnival Center if a station is built across the street from the opera house. We also believe it will save the planned art and science museums in Bicentennial Park. And, it will even save Miami Beach from itself-- traffic gridlock and a poorer quality of life by getting cars off the street (we advocate building the north-south run on the sands of Miami Beach). It will really save everyone if it's the people-friendly, proven Disney-style monorail most people can't wait to ride. Disney has licensed that design to Bombardier. They built one in Las Vegas to connect the major casino/hotels. With a little vision, they could build one here too.

First MVB posting re this idea (8/24/06), MLB's first choice for a downtown stadium looks a lot like ours (9/15/06).

MVB Downtown Miami Baseball Stadium Plan Endorsed by SotP!

It's nice to be endorsed. MVB at times feels like a "voice in the wilderness." We rarely get feedback. Although our downtown Miami baseball stadium proposal has been characterized by some as something conceived by a "design student on 3 tabs of acid"* it's good to know that we are achieving our goal regarding the future of Miami and the Beaches: reaching out through the blogosphere to present a different point of view that will lead to discussion and hopefully incorporation of our ideas.

Please note MVB staffers have never met the talented guys behind the award-winning and respected Stuck on the Palmetto.

*Also please note the strongest stuff we imbibe today is a morning and afternoon rocket-fueled cafecito and, of course, intermittent mojitos throughout the day, the drink of choice at MVB.

Downtown Miami Baseball Stadium Redux

Okay, so now the county commission is having second thoughts about the latest proposed site for the downtown Miami baseball stadium next to I-95 and Government Center. They think there isn't enough room and worry about fallout from taking land promised for a Children's Courthouse and a magnet high school teaching police science. The commission now wants to move the stadium out to the Orange Bowl. MVB believes if they kept the Orange Bowl and the stadiums were already connected to MetroRail, it would be a no-brainer. Unfortunately, MetroRail doesn't connect to the Orange Bowl (or to anything else that would justify its expense and existence). To make this plan feasible, it needs a mass transit feed that will encourage fans to attend games from all parts of Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

Which brings us back to MVB's Miami Megaplex proposal and its 5 part solution to the problem:

1. It splits the enormous cost of building the stadium further by bringing in at least another private party,
2. Attaches to an existing MetroRail station,
3. Saves the Miami Arena,
4. Reclaims public streets to build the baseball stadium without sacrificing limited downtown public land
5. Gives immediate access to the stadium for people living in Broward and Palm Beach via the FEC tracks.

The hotel component fronting the outfield and supporting the enclosed roof is connected to the Miami Arena. It would lease space as needed from the Miami Arena for conventions and from the city/county for added space or for special events ranging from tractor pulls to concerts. During these kinds of events, rooms with balconies fronting the stadium would command top dollar. Since Disney announced a few weeks ago that it is branching out into free-standing hotels and looking for smaller venues to build micro-tourist attractions, this might be a good place to start. (This also fits in nicely with another MVB proposal that links Miami to Miami Beach with a Disney monorail. That proposal gives Disney land on both sides of the bay to build whatever they want to in exchange for sharing the costs of constructing and running the monorail, i.e., Disney hotels anchoring each end with one of the hotels on Watson Island connected to its own dock for its cruise ships.)

Our proposal sits on top of an existing MetroRail station. There is no need to waste time and millions of dollars to retrofit the Orange Bowl with an elevated rail system.

Our proposal revitalizes the Miami Arena by giving it more options to earn revenue through the symbiotic relationship between it, MLB and the hotel.

Our proposal offers street closures instead of major public land swaps.

Our proposal helps insure success for all parties because it offers a location that is within a short walk from the FEC railroad tracks making a trip down from Palm Beach and Broward counties another no-brainer.

Finally, the bigger vision of this proposal is landing the Summer Olympic Games. With the American Airlines Arena a couple of blocks away from the Miami Megaplex, its conceivable that one could catch various indoor events in the arenas such as gymnastics and basketball and outdoor events such as baseball in the stadium just by walking around downtown. Opening and closing ceremonies could take place in the enclosed stadium with a parade beginning on Biscayne Boulevard. If another one of our ideas becomes reality, thousands of people could watch the surfing events at Miami's downtown outdoor surf pool. Who knows, maybe by then MetroRail will finally connect to Joe Robbie stadium and you'll be able to catch an Olympic soccer game without ever getting into your car.

Photos are of Seoul Stadium designed by Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners. They can be found on the Sports Venue Technology site.
"Grand Central Station of the American Pastime:" MVB proposed site post shows link to mass transit.

UpDate (7/27/08): Glenn Straub, owner of the Miami Arena, announces he will tear it down to build a baseball stadium-- if he can strike a deal with the City of Miami and the Florida Marlins. Part of the deal he wants is to gain title to the Orange Bowl site (now torn down) to build affordable housing. Initial reaction from the Marlins and the city: not interested. Typical. And surprising since at one time the Marlins insisted on a downtown site.

Proposed Downtown Miami Baseball Stadium

As much as we like our own proposed stadium site which doesn't sacrifice public land allocated for a future Children's Courthouse and a College of Policing and law enforcement themed specialized high school--MVB's stadium sits on an existing elevated transit station and connects to the Miami Arena and a hotel/convention center in a combined public/private venture to save both money-- MVB is here to encourage any venture that will bring a baseball stadium to downtown Miami-- as long as funding doesn't rob from the poor which this new proposal can't be accused of doing.

According to the Miami Herald today, the retractable roof stadium will cost $450 million with $45 million coming up front from the Florida Marlins and another $162 million coming from bonds issued by the county to be repaid through gate receipts. Miami-Dade County will cough up $145 million from tourist taxes and the City of Miami will throw in $108 million from another tax on tourists. That still leaves a funding shortfall of $30 million which all parties hope to get from the state in the form of a $2 million annual tax break. Although our new governor Charlie Crist is for helping fund the project, the Florida legislature could nix it.

Perhaps the state and notable critics like Carl Hiaasen might be more inclined to back this project if the $70 million Children's Courthouse and College of Policing (cost unknown) could be combined with the stadium. With a little ingenuity (aka vision) the 24 to 28 courtrooms and unknown number of classrooms could be built under the rising stadium seating. This solution would save millions in construction costs and works because games would be scheduled after normal working hours which improves entrance and egress from the stadium for two different groups of people with entirely different agendas.

Photos are of Seoul Stadium designed by Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners. They can be found on the Sports Venue Technology site. Who knows, maybe the firm would cut us a deal to save us even more money by allowing us to photocopy the plans to reproduce the stadium in Miami. A few million here, a few million there, it all adds up.

"Grand Central Station of the American Pastime:" MVB's proposed site links to mass transportation.

Hey, Mickey! Miami has a deal for you!

Disney announced yesterday that it is considering creating smaller theme parks and stand-alone hotels, retail, dining and entertainment centers. Well, does MVB have a deal for you! In exchange for sharing the cost of building, running, and maintaining a Disney-style monorail connecting Miami with Miami Beach, the county will be happy to lease you public land in both cities to build two hotels, one at both ends of the run.

Plus, the Miami site will allow you exclusive rights to dock your cruise ships. With Miami becoming a port of call, you will be able to offer your passengers a day on trendy SoBe and a night at the opera, the ballet, or a symphony at our new half-billion-dollar performing arts center-- with an ease of transit between everything just like it is at Disney World.

Your proven monorail system will run at grade along MacArthur Causeway saving millions of dollars in construction costs. Rising on both ends, it will run along 5th Street and head north along the beach. On the Miami side, it will loop around the new Carnival Center for the Performing Arts and connect to MetroRail and the MetroMover.

Who knows, by then we may even have a downtown baseball stadium where Disney guests from the hotels or the cruise ship can opt to take in a baseball game-- as well as catch a Miami Heat game or a concert at the American Airlines Arena. Miami is the only city serving cruise ship passengers that can offer these many choices.

So, little mouse dude, is this a great idea or what?

Monocle Man On: The Baseball Stadium, Umoja Village...

WARNING: First off, anyone wearing a monocle today should be viewed with suspicion. This gentleman, who wishes to remain anonymous as is a bloggers wont, is not the kind of guy you'd invite to a party. If his 1,000 yard stare doesn't quickly put your shindig into an irreversible slide toward downersville, his jaded, dyspeptic personality soon will. So, dear reader, read his words with caution and a mojito, MVB's drink of choice, in hand.

*****

• MLB wants a downtown Miami stadium. So do I. But at what price? Part of the financing may include using millions of dollars designated by law to improve blighted neighborhoods. These funds would come from the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Right now, the proposed site is outside the boundaries of the CRA. But there is talk about expanding the boundaries to include the proposed site to tap the funds for the new stadium near I95 and the Government Center. To me, it looks like this plan will rob from the poor to give to the rich. I think MVB's proposed site is much better-- and it doesn't need to get built at the expense of building affordable housing for the poor to make it a reality-- plus, it's built over a MetroRail station making it unnecessary to walk through the heat, humidity, and the rain to get to the stadium. Miami mayor Manny Diaz supports using CRA funds to help build the stadium. Unfortunately for the poor, Michelle Spence-Jones is the Chairwoman for the CRA, the same one who, as a commissioner, proposed re-writing the ordinance to legally shut down Umoja Village, Miami's upstart shantytown.
• Regarding Umoja Village, today's Herald notes that the new ordinance Ms. Spence-Jones wants to introduce, has been pulled from this week's commission agenda. Maybe she realized how much it made her look like a first rate schmuck. Naw, they're probably just making sure all the legalese is drum tight and protects them from looking like heartless bastards.
• Meanwhile, Max Rameau, founder of Umoja Village, is organizing protests for Super Bowl week. Stay tuned.
• Elita Loresca

Coincidence? We Think Not

Our MiamiMegaplex idea has been bouncing around since 2003 and we are happy to see that by putting it freely up in the ether something might actually come of it. Today the Miami Herald ran a story about the proposed Marlins stadium (Glenn Straub, owner of the Arena is being sued by a developer who claims Straub is trying to back out of a contract to sell the Arena to him) that includes a graphic that looks suspiciously like our proposal.

And that's okay. Everyone from elected officials to Straub, the Miami Herald and Miami Today, MLB, and sports journalists from all media were apprised of this idea. Sometimes to get something, you have to give it away. Although it is not exactly like ours, it is so close to it that it is scary. Our plan of course saves the Arena by attaching it to the stadium and adding a hotel in the outfield. In this configuration, it splits the cost of building such a "megaplex" between the partners that may include MLB, Straub (if he retains ownership of the Arena), and a hotel chain. In so doing, it ensures year-round use of the stadium (tractor pulls, concerts, etc) plus it allows booking of bigger conventions which can spill out from the Arena into the enclosed stadium field. One of the unique parts of our plan is to attach the "megaplex" to the existing MetroRail line by building the stadium over the rail line to get the most out of a tight space. You can read more about our MiamiMegaplex concept at an earlier entry ("New Downtown Miami Baseball Stadium") or go to our blog's official website http://www.miamivisionblogarama.com/ Once there, click the "MiamiMegaplex" button.

UpDate (7/27/08): Glenn Straub, owner of the Miami Arena, announces he will tear it down to build a baseball stadium-- if he can strike a deal with the City of Miami and the Florida Marlins. Part of the deal he wants is to gain title to the Orange Bowl site (now torn down) to build affordable housing. Initial reaction from the Marlins and the city: not interested. Typical. And surprising since at one time the Marlins insisted on a downtown site.

New Downtown Miami Baseball Stadium

Click Image to Enlarge.

Now that the front office of MLB has finally stepped up to the plate to help the Florida Marlins find a home in downtown Miami, maybe there's a chance that dream will finally come true. Up until that announcement, the only pitch left to swing at by the team was a landfill site out in godforsaken Hialeah. Although the proposed site is in downtown, it still could be better. Since 2003, I have been pushing for a location that ties in with the "old" Miami Arena. As you can see from the picture above, it is built over the North-South MetroRail line. Center field's wall is hundreds of hotel balconies and the entire stadium is enclosed (not shown: center field stadium seating fronting the hotel parking garage-- the hotel rooms and balconies extend over the stands).

Hey, it's only an idea and, until it becomes reality, it's pretty cheap. As a private/public project, splitting the costs 4 ways between the team, the hotel, the arena, and the county, should make it affordably real. Right now, business models are only split between the team and the county. Of course, a more semi-practical approach, would cover the field with a stretched fabric-- but I would not make any predictions how long that would last during a hurricane. Anyway, I like the enclosed field atrium. That means air-control (not necessarily "air-conditioning") which should make for a far more comfortable experience during the "mean season."

Other reasons the concept is worthy:

• It affords multiple use from rock concerts to tractor pulls with weather never becoming a factor,
  
• It can be used for conventions tied-in with the Miami Arena with extra exhibition space spilling out onto the field,
• It ties in with mass transit and,
  
• It prepares Miami for being accepted as a future host of the summer Olympics.
  

Think about it: Miami could schedule simultaneous Olympic events with gymnastics in the Miami Arena, basketball at the American Airlines Arena, baseball at the new downtown stadium, with soccer and track-and-field at the Orange Bowl. Plus, if my other idea became a reality, spectators could walk or take a MetroMover to Bicentennial Park to watch the surfing competition in the 24-hour wave pool off of Biscayne Boulevard (see the earlier blog entry "Miami: Surfing USA?"). Aside from the Orange Bowl, the two arenas, the new baseball stadium and the wave pool are all within walking distance. With a MetroRail line extended a short hop west from downtown to the Orange Bowl, no one would need a car to get anywhere-- and that alone makes this proposal worthy.

UpDate (7/27/08): Glenn Straub, owner of the Miami Arena, announces he will tear it down to build a baseball stadium-- if he can strike a deal with the City of Miami and the Florida Marlins. Part of the deal he wants is to gain title to the Orange Bowl site (now torn down) to build affordable housing. Initial reaction from the Marlins and the city: not interested. Typical. And surprising since at one time the Marlins insisted on a downtown site.