NewsMarlins excited about West Plaza
Fan-friendly area will feature stores, restaurants year-round
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
11/27/09 10:45 AM EST
This is part of an MLB.com/Marlins.com exclusive series with team president David Samson chronicling the progress and developments of the new retractable-roof stadium that is scheduled to open in 2012. Throughout the series, which will run weekly in the off-season, fans are encouraged to e-mail David at D.Samson@Marlins.com with their thoughts.MIAMI -- Major League Baseball games may be seasonal, but there will be at least one part of the Marlins' new ballpark that the public will be able to enjoy year-round.
When the retractable-roof stadium opens in 2012, fans will quickly become introduced to the West Plaza area of the building.
It promises to be more than a section of a baseball facility. It's designed to become a destination and tourist attraction in South Florida.
When the roof is open, the West Plaza will be covered by the roof, providing shade.
"It's going to be the largest plaza in sports," Samson said. "It will have activities all year long. It will have stores, restaurants, bars."
The Marlins' new home will be on the Orange Bowl grounds in the Little Havana section of Miami. The site was active this week, as on Tuesday, team officials conducted a turkey giveaway to local families in need.
Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria was hand on Tuesday. He surveyed construction and saw firsthand how the state-of-the-art park is developing. He also took part handing out close to 500 turkeys.
Being good neighbors is an objective for the organization. Look for numerous events to be held at the Orange Bowl site leading up to when the team calls the place home in 2012.
"It's just the beginning of the way we will be partners," Samson said. "When there are baseball games, there will be tickets available for people in the community. There will be no one who says, 'I can't afford to come and see the new ballpark.' We want to make sure everyone can come and enjoy that new ballpark.
"A big part of Tuesday was Jeffrey was able to walk around that West Plaza. He heard about our vision of that plaza, going forward, and how it's going to be a 365-day area for people, not just for that neighborhood, but for people all over to come and enjoy food, drinks and general landscaped areas to hang out."
Construction on the stadium began in July, and the building is rising rapidly from the ground. Every stage of developments can be seen via the webcam on www.marlins.com.
This week, Loria was able to speak to workers and supervisors, getting the latest updates on the building.
"The excitement our whole organization feels towards the ballpark is hard to contain," Samson said. "You see the form and the columns, and the track beams are being built right now. By the end of January, you'll see track beams up in the air."
The track beams will guide the roof and be supported by the large super columns, which already are standing.
Workers have been on the site seven days a week. Thanksgiving is one of three days off from construction between now and 2010. The workers will also take off on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
During Tuesday's turkey distribution, construction continued as normal. By the time team officials were leaving, it was dark and workers were getting ready to pour concrete on the main concourse.
"One of the best things of about having a ballpark in South Florida is us to permanently continue our community efforts and to truly embrace the local community, down where the ballpark is," Samson said.
"The corporate responsibility we have to being a good neighbor, that goes from the personal door-to-door outreach that we do in the neighborhood, talking to people about what we are doing with construction and where the road closures are ... what the sequence of construction and doing things for people in need."
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
