MIAMI -- Thousands of fans filtered through Dolphin Stadium on Saturday afternoon, waiting on long lines for autographs and to participate in interactive games.

A week before Spring Training opens, the Marlins held their annual Jiffy Lube FanFest, which marked the first day to purchase individual game tickets for the 2009 season. Tickets are now on sale for all of Florida's games on www.marlins.com.

More than 40,000 individual-game tickets were sold during FanFest, marking the largest single-day ticket sales in Marlins history.

A live band was on hand Saturday, entertaining the crowd.

This is a pivotal period for the franchise. The most significant issue surrounding the club right now has nothing to do with the rotation, bullpen or position players. It has everything to do with the team's future home.

"The fans in attendance today were very enthusiastic, not only about Opening Day, and the 2009 season, but also about the World Baseball Classic," Marlins president David Samson said. "The impressive turnout today is a great indicator of the optimism surrounding our team as we eagerly anticipate next Friday's final ballpark vote."

On Friday, commissioners in Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami will vote on five final documents that will determine if the 37,000-seat retractable-roof park at the Orange Bowl will be built.

"This will mark the sixth straight year that I've been in front of you, telling you that this is the year that we will get the ballpark," Samson told a gathering at a town hall-style meeting. "The good news is, this year I actually mean it, because on Feb. 13, there will be the final vote on whether or not we can start to break ground in July on a retractable-roof ballpark in Miami."

The $515 million public/private venture was tentatively passed last February, and the project continues to have the support of city of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez.

In a tough economic climate, the Marlins are hopeful that the stadium will be viewed as a stimulus for economic development.

"This is going to be a 365-day experience, restaurants, retail," Samson said. "This is exactly what is needed in these economic times. We need economic development. We need places to go, places to work and places to be entertained."

The Marlins have made Dolphin Stadium home since their inaugural season in 1993. The team is under lease to stay through 2011, and the new ballpark is slated to open in '12.

FanFest had a different flavor Saturday, because most of the activities were on the field itself. Players signed autographs and fans tested their skills in batting and pitching cages. Merchandise and memorabilia also were on sale.

The Marlins have their fond memories at Dolphin Stadium, including World Series title teams in 1997 and 2003.

"It is time for us to branch out on our own and see what it's like in our own facility," Samson said.

One of the proposed revenue streams for the new ballpark is "bed taxes" in Miami-Dade County. In tough economic times, there is a concern that tourism is down and the area won't get the necessary visitors to South Florida hotels.

Samson is hopeful the commissioners will look at the benefits a ballpark will bring over the 35 years of the lease.

"We are the tourist capital of the country, in my opinion," Samson said. "Right now, tourism may be going slower than we may have liked. There are good years and there are bad years. But this area has been so resilient. When tourism goes down one year, it comes back even stronger the next.

"So there is an argument to be made that fewer people are traveling internationally, so more people are driving to Florida. Every year is different. We're looking at this over a 35-year period. That's what's so important to remember. Over a 35-year period, there are going to be ups and there are going to be downs."