In a sweeping plan that only became public last week, Miami-Dade commissioners today approved a multibillion-dollar deal that includes downtown streetcar, museum campus, an underwater tunnel to the Port of Miami, and yes, a new retractable-roof stadium for the Florida Marlins.

(See renderings of a possible new Marlins stadium design here)

The 9-4 vote allows both the county and the City of Miami to set aside new property-taxes by way of urban renewal in the Overtown/Park West and Omni neighborhoods by expanding that project and extending its life. The 9-4 vote comes one day after Miami city commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the deal. As reported by the Miami Herald:

That expansion [in the Overtown/Park West and Omni neighborhoods] allowed the county and city to plan long-term spending of some $3 billion. Most of it will come from the Omni CRA, including $484 million to pay off debt at the new Carnival Center for the Performing Arts, $88 million for the city's contribution to the $1 billion port tunnel and $130 million to renovate Bicentennial Park, where voters in 2004 approved a plan to build two museums.

The two governments would spend $370 million on the baseball stadium -- plus $155 million from the Florida Marlins -- by dipping into tourism taxes that can only be used on sports and convention facilities.

Marlins President David Samson attended much of the day-long meeting but did not address the commission.

(Read the David Samson interview on The Biz of Baseball) 

The $155 million being provided by the Marlins is now being discussed as being an up-front payment.

In a separate vote, the Miami-Dade County Commission voted 11-2 in favor of allocating a $50 million general obligation bond toward the Marlins new stadium project at the site where the current Orange Bowl sits in the Little Havana. As reported by MLB.com:

The $50 million bond originally was voted on for renovations to the Orange Bowl. Now that the University of Miami football team is moving to Dolphin Stadium next season, the Orange Bowl is being vacated. Yet the $50 million was voted on to be used for an Orange Bowl facility.

Maury Brown is the founder and president of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football and The Biz of Basketball (The Biz of Hockey will be launching shortly). He is also an author for Baseball Prospectus, Basketball Prospectus and is an available writer for other media outlets.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

In a day and age where stadium naming rights deals can garner a large chunk of revenue for MLB clubs (as the best example, see how Citigroup’s naming rights deal for the new Mets ballpark will pull in $20 million annually over 20 years), the Washington Nationals will be waiting until after their new $611 million ballpark opens in March of ’08 – at the earliest – before a naming rights deal will arrive. And, it may be not happen next year at all. With that, get used to this name for a while… Nationals Park. As reported by Tim Lemke of the Washington Times:

A corporate naming rights deal for the $611 million stadium will not be in place for the 2008 season as the team is running out of time to complete an agreement for this spring, principal owner Mark Lerner said.

"I think it's more of an '09 thing," Lerner said in an interview during a holiday celebration overlooking the snow-covered ballpark yesterday. "It's something you really have to be patient on. We just have to find the right partner, and when the time is right, it will happen."

The Nationals have referred to the ballpark as Nationals Park for most of the last year and said the name will remain in place until a corporate partner is identified.

First Game Will Be Seen on ESPN 

In other Nationals news, it appears that the club will be able to get the first official game at the new ball on national television. The Nats are working on getting approval of a March 30 opening day game scheduled, which would allow the game to be shown on ESPN. The Nationals had hoped for an April 1 Sunday night game against the Mets, but ESPN balked at that match-up. Now, with the March 30 date being worked on, the Nationals will match-up with the Braves.

Maury Brown is the founder and president of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football and The Biz of Basketball (The Biz of Hockey will be launching shortly). He is also an author for Baseball Prospectus, Basketball Prospectus and is an available writer for other media outlets.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

Details on Funding, Location, Roof, etc. for Proposed Tampa Bay Rays Ballpark

The Biz of Baseball has been updated with a new Ballpark Renderings page with 10 new images of the proposed Tampa Bay Rays waterfront ballpark, and details, as they are currently known, for matters such as funding mechanisms, details on the unique rook concept, the redevelopment of Tropicana Field, and more.

Go to the following link for details:

Proposed Tampa Bay Rays Facility

Maury Brown is the founder and president of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football and The Biz of Basketball (The Biz of Hockey will be launching shortly). He is also an author for Baseball Prospectus, Basketball Prospectus and is an available writer for other media outlets.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted here.

“Our vision is to build a breath-taking and contemporary waterfront ballpark,” said Sternberg. “It will be an iconic landmark for the entire Tampa Bay region and showcase all that is great about Major League Baseball in the State of Florida.”

(Click the image provided to see a high resolution version)

At a press conference conducted in the outfield of Progress Energy Park, home of Al Lang Field, Sternberg and the Rays introduced renderings of the proposed ballpark which will provide an intimate baseball venue and offer sweeping views of the picturesque St. Petersburg waterfront. The design draws upon the 100-year history of baseball and spring training on the Al Lang site. In addition to modern fan- and family-friendly amenities, the ballpark will feature 360 degree circulation, air-conditioned concourses with open views to the playing field, the smallest upper deck in baseball, and a new public park that will seamlessly link the waterfront park system to the north of the ballpark with the emerging cultural district to its south.

The ballpark design also includes a unique retractable roof which will shield the playing field and fans from the elements yet still maintain an intimate environment. The roof will be comprised of a light weatherproof fabric that will be pulled along cables that are suspended between arches on one end and a central mast structure on the other. It will take approximately 8 minutes to open or close the roof, and, even when the roof is deployed, the feel of an open-air ballpark will be maintained. The Rays have worked closely with a team of architects and engineers, led by HOK Sport, on the design. The total cost for the ballpark is estimated to be $450 million.

The design also takes advantage of the Al Lang site’s proximity to the existing interstate highway network and over 12,000 publicly-accessible parking spaces in downtown St. Petersburg. In addition, 5,000 overflow parking spaces will be available on the Tropicana Field site.

The Rays and the City of St. Petersburg have been evaluating financing alternatives for the facility. The ballpark financing will include a large contribution by the Rays. An essential component of the financing is the redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site into a major retail, entertainment, and housing development. The Rays also expect to seek financing assistance from the State of Florida.

“We are eager to advance our discussions with the City of St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, and the State of Florida to reach agreement on an appropriate financing plan for these projects,” said Rays President Matt Silverman. “We believe this ballpark can be built without any new taxes, and we will work in partnership with the public to make these projects a reality.”

The Rays have partnered with Hines, a leading national developer of high-quality and environmentally-friendly mixed-use projects, to develop a site plan on the Tropicana Field redevelopment. Hines envisions creating an entirely new community at the Tropicana Field site, with new shops and restaurants, residential buildings (including affordable workforce housing), street-level retail, entertainment venues and new parks and open spaces.

“We are excited about this opportunity to work with the Rays and the City of St. Petersburg,” said Hines Senior Vice President Michael Harrison. “We can transform Tropicana Field and its parking lots into a thriving neighborhood of residences, shops, entertainment and parkland.”

The waterfront ballpark and Tropicana Field redevelopment projects are estimated to bring more than $1 billion in investment to St. Petersburg, create thousands of construction and permanent jobs, and generate tens of millions of dollars in increased tax revenue for St. Petersburg, Pinellas County and its schools. The Rays expect both the new ballpark and the Tropicana Field redevelopment will qualify for LEED-certification, the highest standard of environmentally responsible construction.

“We look forward to working with the community to develop this vision for the future of St. Petersburg,” said Michael Kalt, Rays Senior Vice President of Development and Business Affairs. “These twin development projects will be a significant economic development engine, drawing visitors from around the region into the heart of downtown, and extending greater economic opportunity into Midtown and beyond."

Today’s announcement kicks off a year-long public process for the two projects. The Rays will conduct extensive public outreach to present plans and gather feedback on all aspects of these developments. Hines must also compete for the rights to redevelop the Tropicana Field site through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process managed by the City. In addition to the RFP process on the Tropicana Field site, the City Council would also need to approve adding to the November 2008 ballot a referendum to authorize the construction of the new ballpark on the site of Al Lang Field. Following referendum approval, construction on both sites is anticipated to begin in mid-2009, with the new ballpark ready by Opening Day 2012. The retail, commercial, and housing development on the Tropicana Field site is scheduled to open in 2011 and continue through approximately 2013.

"Downtown St. Petersburg has undergone a tremendous renaissance in recent years,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker. “We look forward to exploring this opportunity with the Rays."

Up to date information on the progress of the development plan can be obtained at www.majorleaguedowntown.com. The website will include an overview of the project, artist renderings, videos, a virtual tour and a timeline for completion of the projects. Fans may also sign up for email updates on the projects and join the Rays season ticket priority list.

The Rays will continue to operate under their current lease agreement at Tropicana Field during this process. Tropicana Field was completed in 1990 as a multi-purpose stadium. Tampa Bay was awarded a Major League Baseball franchise in 1995, and the facility underwent an $85 million renovation before the Rays (then named the Devil Rays) began play in 1998. The domed Tropicana Field, one of only five multipurpose stadiums in baseball, was the last baseball stadium constructed before Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore ushered in a new era of ballpark design and innovation.

Progress Energy Park, home of Al Lang Field, will host the Rays 2008 Spring Training before the team moves to Charlotte County for the 2009 spring season. The field is named after Al Lang, former mayor of St. Petersburg, who, in 1914, convinced Branch Rickey to move his St. Louis Browns to the city for Spring Training. Since then, nine teams have trained in the city. Since 1998, the Rays have played their Spring Training games at Progress Energy Park, home of Al Lang Field.

(Renderings and information courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays. More images as they are made available, so check back often at The Biz of Baseball)

Maury Brown is the founder and president of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football and The Biz of Basketball (The Biz of Hockey will be launching shortly). He is also an author for Baseball Prospectus, Basketball Prospectus and is an available writer for other media outlets.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted here.

As reported earlier this month, the Tampa Bay Rays are looking to develop a new waterfront stadium at the current site of Al Lang Field in downtown St. Petersburg.

Today, the Rays have called a Weds. Nov 28th 3pm ET press conference to unveil the proposed design for the 35,000 seat, $450 million ballpark. As reported by Ticker:

According to various reports, the team is willing to contribute up to $150 million and is seeking at least $60 million in future sales tax revenues from the state of Florida.

The proposed stadium would not be completed until at least 2012.

The Rays will also announce plans for the redevelopment of Tropicana Field as part of the methodology for offsetting the costs on the new stadium. The redevelopment of Tropicana Field would attract a million square feet of new retail, office and residential development. That would generate more than $800 million in new property and sales tax revenue over the next 35 years, according to a report submitted by the City of St. Petersburg.

The lease on “The Trop” runs through to 2025, with the estimated value being reported at $100 million.

Maury Brown is the founder and president of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football and The Biz of Basketball (The Biz of Hockey will be launching shortly). He is also an author for Baseball Prospectus, Basketball Prospectus and is an available writer for other media outlets.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted here.

With the words “play ball” announced by Dodger Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, the cities of Glendale and Phoenix broke ground on the Cactus League’s newest Spring Training facility. In addition to Mr. Scully, dignitaries on hand for the much anticipated event included Governor Janet Napolitano, Mayor Scruggs and Mayor Gordon, Dodger Owners and Chairman Frank McCourt, Dodger Vice Chairman and President Jamie McCourt, Chicago White Sox Owner Jerry Reinsdorf, Dodger Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrín, Dodger broadcaster Charley Steiner and White Sox General Manager Ken Williams.

(Select the renderings to see in high resolution)

The facilities will be shared between the Dodgers and White Sox. 

A festive atmosphere, including hot dogs from Glendale ’s Dazzo’s Dog House and a seventh-inning stretch marked the start of construction for the facility. Members of the Arrowhead Little League also passed out commemorative baseballs and dignitaries officially broke ground in a ceremonial shovel dig.

Located just across the Loop 101 from Glendale ’s Sports and Entertainment District, the site is located at 111th Avenue, west of the Loop 101 between Camelback Road and Glendale Avenue , and reaches across both Glendale and Phoenix city borders. The two-team facility will be the new home to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, and in addition to state-of-the-art baseball facilities, the site will include, residential, restaurant and retail development, 4-star hotel and 18-hole golf course, developed by Rightpath Limited Development Group.

The Dodgers claim that based on a 2006 Economic Impact Study conducted by Economic Research Associates (ERA), it is estimated that moving the Dodgers and White Sox will have a substantial economic impact for Glendale , Phoenix and the region. The exceptionally rosy claim is an anticipated economic impact for the region that could be as much as $19 million per year.

Details of the project are as follows:

• * The 10,000-seat stadium, with 3,000 lawn seats will cost approximately $76 million to build.
• The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority will provide 2/3 of the funding needed to construct the facility.
• 118,000 sq. feet of Major and minor league clubhouses for the two teams
• Four Major League practice fields
• Eight minor league practice fields
• Two practice infields
• The site will include parking to accommodate 5,000 vehicles.

* Some reports have the cost as high as $80.7 million

As reported by MLB.com:

The remaining one-third is being funded by Glendale based on sales taxes and other revenues from a mixed-use project near the ballpark developed by Rightpath Development Group that will include residential and retail space, as well as a hotel and golf course. Five-hundred acres are being developed in total.

The big question will be, can it be completed by the projected 2009 opening date? With a short 15 months to do so, developer M.A. Mortenson Co. is expected to release a final construction schedule, including anticipated completion date, by mid-December.

If that were indeed the case, this upcoming Spring Training will be last at historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida.

(Images courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers and HKS Architecture)

Maury Brown is the founder and president of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football and The Biz of Basketball (The Biz of Hockey will be launching shortly). He is also an author for Baseball Prospectus, Basketball Prospectus and is an available writer for other media outlets.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted here.

In center field, the DiamondVision LED video board will sit atop the LED scoreboard, reversing the placement of the system used since the ballpark opened in 1992. The new LED out of town scoreboard in right field will feature statistical information in addition to game scores. The narrow auxiliary matrix boards along the club level and upper deck will be replaced with LED ribbon boards, providing better definition, brighter images and wider viewing angles.

"The Orioles are excited about the major ballpark entertainment enhancements coming soon to Oriole Park at Camden Yards," said Orioles Director of Communications Greg Bader. "We are pleased to be able to provide our fans with a state of the art video system and LED boards that will both enhance the ballpark experience and preserve the traditional aesthetic that is a defining characteristic of Oriole Park. We appreciate the Maryland Stadium Authority’s efforts in working with us to accomplish this important goal.”

In order to preserve the traditional feel of Oriole Park while providing fans with the most modern technology, the Orioles retained Janet Marie Smith, who was instrumental in leading the Orioles’ vision in the original design of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles also retained the services of Gary McAuliffe of PMK Consultants, a respected audio visual technologies consulting firm. Together, Smith and McAuliffe worked to assist the Orioles and MSA in the evaluation and selection process. 

“The contribution of the Orioles’ experts, along with the Orioles and MSA design teams, will ensure that Oriole Park at Camden Yards will remain true to its status as baseball’s premier ballpark,” added Bader. “Oriole Park has been an outstanding venue for Orioles baseball for more than 48 million fans over the last 16 seasons, and we believe these improvements will provide even more excitement for millions more fans in the years to come."

Maury Brown is the founder and president of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football and The Biz of Basketball (The Biz of Hockey will be launching shortly). He is also an author for Baseball Prospectus, Basketball Prospectus and is an available writer for other media outlets.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted here.

The Boston Red Sox today announced their Year VII Fenway Park Improvements to "America's Most Beloved Ballpark," which celebrates its 96th anniversary in 2008. More seats, more space, more information, more food, and improved circulation highlight the list.

(See drawings and schematics for Fenway here on the Biz of Baseball)

SEATS: More than 800 new State Street Pavilion seats, plus standing room tickets, will be available for each game. Most (approximately 620) will be installed on the third base side of the park; the remaining (approximately 220) on the first base side.

"It's important to note that many of the tickets are intended to be affordable and available for day of game purchases, group sales, and 10th man plans," said Red Sox President/CEO Larry Lucchino. "We understand the demand for such seats; thus we are adding to the supply."

SPACE: Beyond the seats on the third base side, a dedicated area, "Standing Room Corner," will provide a unique view of the field. In addition, the club is adding permanent upgraded restrooms and concessions that will serve the State Street Pavilion and the Green Monster.

INFORMATION: New, linear scoreboards will line portions of the EMC Level fascia. The "LED" technology gives full color, clear information regarding the batter, the pitcher, the count, and other key game information. This improvement helps fans with compromised views of the scoreboards in centerfield and left field.

FOOD: A Bleacher Bar & Grill, a year-round restaurant in center field, is scheduled to open at the start of the 2008 season. Beneath the Bleachers that previously sat atop the visitors' batting cages, it will open onto Lansdowne Street, with a view into the ballpark as well.

CIRCULATION: A new staircase from the Gate A area on Yawkey Way to the back of the Grandstand at Section 27 will improve vertical circulation, as will a new elevator and stairway in left field.

SUITES: Eight new private suites, available on a single game basis, will replace the six that were housed in the temporary boxes placed on the pavilion for the 1999 All-Star Game. Those two boxes, the "K" and "B" suites (named for their proximity to Kenmore Square and Boylston Street, respectively), are scheduled to be removed starting today. In addition, 12 private suites will be renovated (just as 26 were renovated in 2007).

INFRASTRUCTURE: Improvements also include waterproofing the seating bowl in the Bleacher area, a project that requires replacing the seats (already sold to fans) in these sections. The seating replacement gives the club the opportunity to add wheelchair locations with sightlines and companion seating that comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

Structural upgrades and stabilization are underway in all seating areas, and service level improvements include additional sprinkler systems in the concourses and automatic exit doors in the roll down grates.

As a part of the club's commitment to bring the Red Sox clubhouse up to par with those of other Major League Baseball teams, the Red Sox plan to provide a fully equipped kitchen and new restrooms on the clubhouse's Mezzanine Level. The club plans also to install new restrooms adjacent to the Red Sox Interview Room.

The club has made annual improvements since Principal Owner John Henry, Chairman Tom Werner, Lucchino and their partners purchased the club before the start of the 2002 season.

"We are pleased to be on the path to achieve goals that were once thought to be unachievable," Lucchino said. "For decades, there was a presumption that Fenway Park had outlived its useful life and, sentiment aside, would have to be replaced by a modern facility in another location. We are eager to see, in 2012, this ballpark become the first ever to celebrate its 100th anniversary."

On March 25, 2005, Henry, Werner, Lucchino, and their ownership group announced a long-term commitment to the park, ending years of uncertainty. Since making their commitment, they have worked to preserve and protect the jewel.

"These improvements continue our efforts to make Fenway Park more comparable to other MLB parks in terms of number of seats and fan amenities, while still preserving the scale and character that had made Fenway Park 'America's Most Beloved Ballpark,'" said Janet Marie Smith, the Red Sox' Senior Vice President/Planning and Development. (Read The Biz of Baseball interview with Janet Marie Smith)"Changes are being made in accordance with the standards set by the National Park Service and are reviewed in advance by the Massachusetts Historic Commission, the Boston City Landmarks Commission, and Boston Redevelopment Authority.

"We are committed to not only making Fenway Park more convenient and comfortable for our fans, but ensuring that the safety of our park is in line with current codes."

The improvements for 2008 were designed by D'Agostino Izzo & Quirk of Somerville. McNamara Salvia is the structural engineer, and SEI is serving as the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineer with both firms based in Boston. The code and life safety consultant is Howe Engineers of Sandwich, MA. Construction is being done by William A. Berry & Son, Inc. of Danvers, MA. The Boston office of Struever Brothers Eccles & Rouse is acting as the Red Sox program manager.

Maury Brown is the founder and president of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football and The Biz of Basketball (The Biz of Hockey will be launching shortly). He is also an author for Baseball Prospectus, Basketball Prospectus and is an available writer for other media outlets.

He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted here.

Cost of New Yankee Stadium Continues to Rise

Remember last year when NY Mayor Bloomberg announced that capital improvements to infrastructure around New Yankee Stadium would not go above $145 million?

Think the costs to the taxpayers ended there? Think again. As reported by the NY Daily News:

A new analysis of the capital budget by City Controller William Thompson says City Hall has slated $235 million for stadium improvements between now and 2011.

That's a $90 million increase over what the public was told before the City Council approved the stadium deal in April 2006.

Then last week the Yankees suddenly claimed an extra $5 million in retroactive deductions from the city to their stadium rent for 2005.

The Yankees say all of that was connected to planning for the new stadium.  

Those asking about those write-offs (the $5 million a year in what is deemed “planning expenses"), remember there has been talk of serious gouging by the Yankees, including, “a bill for 12 crystal baseballs that came to $1,825, including a “rush charge”; and thousands of dollars in meals billed by the Stadium Club restaurant for the clubhouse, umpires and ‘new business’.”

And remember, that $235 million that the City Controller reported doesn’t include the issuance of $225 million in tax-free bonds for new parking structures and renovation of existing parking garages around the facility.

Maury Brown is the founder and president of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football and The Biz of Basketball (The Biz of Hockey will be launching shortly). He is also an author for Baseball Prospectus, Basketball Prospectus and is an available writer for other media outlets.

He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted here.

(See renderings of the New Nationals Ballpark)

According to The AP, tickets will not be sold for the event, but rather season-ticket holders will be able to attend for free, while other tickets will be given away.

Team president Stan Kasten (read The Biz of Baseball interview with Stan Kasten) is awaiting word to hear from the commissioner's office whether the new ballpark will host their first regular season game the following day (March 30) or April 7.

Maury Brown is the founder and president of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football and The Biz of Basketball (The Biz of Hockey will be launching shortly). He is also an author for Baseball Prospectus, Basketball Prospectus and is an available writer for other media outlets.

He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted here.