Now that construction work at Hard Rock Stadium is winding down and the Dolphins have landed the 2020 Super Bowl, their work isn’t over.The Dolphins would eventually like to host the NFL Draft, said Tom Garfinkel, the club’s president and CEO.
“We’ve love the draft,” Garfinkel said Thursday during a media tour of the stadium that featured new artwork and concessions. “Why wouldn’t we? If we can bring that here and it’s exciting for South Florida, we would want to bring it here.”
The draft had been traditionally held in New York but the two most recent selection meetings were in Chicago. The NFL plans to open bidding for future drafts.
Garfinkel said the draft is “not something we’ve specifically bid on, but as we move forward, as we get through these renovations, we’re open to anything we can bring that makes sense.”
• Garfinkel also said the Dolphins hope to create three different concert seating arrangements at the stadium, with capacities of 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000.
“You can bring in different artists and create different environments,” he said.
• Although the canopy wasn’t fully in place at the most recent University of Miami game, it is now, Garfinkel said. Crews have been checking for leaks and sealing where needed since the last pieces of the canopy were installed.
“I would expect it to be 99.9 percent dry on Sunday if we have rain,” he said, referring to the Dolphins’ home opener at 1 p.m. against the Cleveland Browns.
He pointed out that the canopy is designed to shield 92 percent of the seats from the sun and will keep most fans dry, but with a hole in the middle for the sun to hit the field, he warned that some fans still will get wet, particularly if the wind is blowing rain at an angle.
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Hal Habib @gunnerhal 3m3 minutes ago
Happy to report why Don Shula didn't attend mural unveiling: He's in SF, doing well after pacemaker was implanted. http://pbpo.st/2cVz5BY
Hal Habib @gunnerhal 2m2 minutes ago
David Shula, on Don: "He’s recovered nicely and he has good quality of life and he’s able to enjoy things.”