UPDATE: Stadium proposal APPROVED/Ross will sign a 30 year lease with Miami-Dade

[roy_miami]

In an interview on the Dolphins site Garfinckle says they'll start on some smaller projects right away and start the major renos after the season. I would guess bathrooms and concession stands will be done for the start of this season and either the roof or the seats done by the start of next offseason. They better not be planning on starting anything before late January though...

 

[Stefins]

What about any Links to what improvement s will be made?

LIke an artist rendition of the changes or a computer mock ups.

 

[Daytona Fin]

Does anyone know what improvement will be started in a few weeks and completed before this season?

http://www.finheaven.com/content.php?82-Miami-Dade-Approves-Sun-Life-Stadium-Renovation-Proposal

What about any Links to what improvement s will be made?

LIke an artist rendition of the changes or a computer mock ups.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

The seats will be changed. The configuration will not change. The franchise has intentionally let that misconception linger. Some patchwork rows will be added to the front, not much different than at the Alabama/Notre Dame championship game. A bit more sturdy than that, but hardly ideal.

The roof is the primary patchwork change. If the NFL said the parking lots were the issue toward awarding another Super Bowl, then we'd patch the parking lots and wouldn't give a damn about a roof. But since it's a roof, then Ross and his clapping seals have to pretend it's an ideal roof, the answer to all our problems, and somehow worth hundreds of millions.

The overwhelming problem with the Dolphins in recent years has been lack of high caliber individuals at all the important positions. Outmatched people make mediocre decisions every step of the way. But there's always potential for brilliance to accidentally step through the door. That's why it's seldom wise to overreact to a bad draft pick or poor coaching hire. However, this decision is the most devastating development imaginable because it likely carries 30+ years of regulatory influence on the Dolphins and perhaps the Canes, if they fail to astutely pursue their own building. Even if a sharp new potential owner does have interest in the team, and understands a new stadium is needed, he knows the local government has already committed to this project and considers it a long term solution, given the promises made by Ross and company. In other words, we're stuck. Those ridiculous videos are out there, airbrushed to the point you actually have posters in this thread asserting it will be like a brand new stadium. That's the type who buys undercoating and begs to pay extra for earthquake insurance.

I'm trying to imagine being jealous of another community that has brainstormed to patch a 27 year old venue for $350 or $400 million, a half dozen years after spending $250 million on the same cause. Even if the location were ideal it would be a terrible move. In a terrible location it's like a sick joke or parody. Yet somehow it passes for celebration around here. The stadiums that have been isolated as worse than Sun Life in this thread will be replaced one by one, and probably sooner than we estimate. Meanwhile our patchwork satisfaction will peel away within years, revealing an old ugly flawed home-neutral facility that was outdated long before the first patch.

 

[DisturbedShifty]

The seats will be changed. The configuration will not change. The franchise has intentionally let that misconception linger. Some patchwork rows will be added to the front, not much different than at the Alabama/Notre Dame championship game. A bit more sturdy than that, but hardly ideal.

The roof is the primary patchwork change. If the NFL said the parking lots were the issue toward awarding another Super Bowl, then we'd patch the parking lots and wouldn't give a damn about a roof. But since it's a roof, then Ross and his clapping seals have to pretend it's an ideal roof, the answer to all our problems, and somehow worth hundreds of millions.

The overwhelming problem with the Dolphins in recent years has been lack of high caliber individuals at all the important positions. Outmatched people make mediocre decisions every step of the way. But there's always potential for brilliance to accidentally step through the door. That's why it's seldom wise to overreact to a bad draft pick or poor coaching hire. However, this decision is the most devastating development imaginable because it likely carries 30+ years of regulatory influence on the Dolphins and perhaps the Canes, if they fail to astutely pursue their own building. Even if a sharp new potential owner does have interest in the team, and understands a new stadium is needed, he knows the local government has already committed to this project and considers it a long term solution, given the promises made by Ross and company. In other words, we're stuck. Those ridiculous videos are out there, airbrushed to the point you actually have posters in this thread asserting it will be like a brand new stadium. That's the type who buys undercoating and begs to pay extra for earthquake insurance.

I'm trying to imagine being jealous of another community that has brainstormed to patch a 27 year old venue for $350 or $400 million, a half dozen years after spending $250 million on the same cause. Even if the location were ideal it would be a terrible move. In a terrible location it's like a sick joke or parody. Yet somehow it passes for celebration around here. The stadiums that have been isolated as worse than Sun Life in this thread will be replaced one by one, and probably sooner than we estimate. Meanwhile our patchwork satisfaction will peel away within years, revealing an old ugly flawed home-neutral facility that was outdated long before the first patch.

All I got out of this entire rant was, no one is MAKING you cheer for the Dolphins. Please feel free to jump on the next available band wagon. I head the Broncos were accepting new members.

 

[Digital]

Sooooo... if they're adding in rows closer to the field, how is that not closer seating?

Well it would seem that way at first glance. But it really isn't the same thing. For instance, the upper Bowl is not getting closer. Nothing reflecting noise is any closer. The incline of fans I not getting any closer. Literally nothing is changing. It's exactly like they are adding a few rows of foldable expensive seats between the bench and the fan section.

If they moved a stand inward all of those seats would be closer. All of the stuff making noise would be closer and everything reflecting that noise down onto the field would be closer.

Sent from my phone, so please forgive any typos.

 

[Digital]

My understanding is the entire lower bowl will be redone after this season. It is not just adding seats closer to the field.

Replacing the seats doesn't change anything if they go back into the same spots. In fact, these seats will be bigger so there will be less people total in that same spot so it will be less loud.

The point of a stadium is to get the most people possible comfortably as close to the game as possible with good sight angles. The stands are no lower after the renovation than they are now. It is simply adding a few rows in front of them.

It's just not the same effect as moving a stand closer. If you go to 2 different stadia you feel the difference immediately. For our renovation the biggest change will be the roof, so let's hope it helps.

Sent from my phone, so please forgive any typos.

 

[Nublar7]

The seats will be changed. The configuration will not change. The franchise has intentionally let that misconception linger. Some patchwork rows will be added to the front, not much different than at the Alabama/Notre Dame championship game. A bit more sturdy than that, but hardly ideal.

The roof is the primary patchwork change. If the NFL said the parking lots were the issue toward awarding another Super Bowl, then we'd patch the parking lots and wouldn't give a damn about a roof. But since it's a roof, then Ross and his clapping seals have to pretend it's an ideal roof, the answer to all our problems, and somehow worth hundreds of millions.

The overwhelming problem with the Dolphins in recent years has been lack of high caliber individuals at all the important positions. Outmatched people make mediocre decisions every step of the way. But there's always potential for brilliance to accidentally step through the door. That's why it's seldom wise to overreact to a bad draft pick or poor coaching hire. However, this decision is the most devastating development imaginable because it likely carries 30+ years of regulatory influence on the Dolphins and perhaps the Canes, if they fail to astutely pursue their own building. Even if a sharp new potential owner does have interest in the team, and understands a new stadium is needed, he knows the local government has already committed to this project and considers it a long term solution, given the promises made by Ross and company. In other words, we're stuck. Those ridiculous videos are out there, airbrushed to the point you actually have posters in this thread asserting it will be like a brand new stadium. That's the type who buys undercoating and begs to pay extra for earthquake insurance.

I'm trying to imagine being jealous of another community that has brainstormed to patch a 27 year old venue for $350 or $400 million, a half dozen years after spending $250 million on the same cause. Even if the location were ideal it would be a terrible move. In a terrible location it's like a sick joke or parody. Yet somehow it passes for celebration around here. The stadiums that have been isolated as worse than Sun Life in this thread will be replaced one by one, and probably sooner than we estimate. Meanwhile our patchwork satisfaction will peel away within years, revealing an old ugly flawed home-neutral facility that was outdated long before the first patch.

:boohoo:

 

[Zounds]

I'm trying to imagine being jealous of another community that has brainstormed to patch a 27 year old venue for $350 or $400 million, a half dozen years after spending $250 million on the same cause. Even if the location were ideal it would be a terrible move. In a terrible location it's like a sick joke or parody. Yet somehow it passes for celebration around here. The stadiums that have been isolated as worse than Sun Life in this thread will be replaced one by one, and probably sooner than we estimate. Meanwhile our patchwork satisfaction will peel away within years, revealing an old ugly flawed home-neutral facility that was outdated long before the first patch.

You ask for 27 year old venues that are retrofitted every decade or so? Try teams like Chicago, Kansas City, Green Bay, Oakland, New Orleans, ect. Its actually a pretty common thing.

 

[Nublar7]

You ask for 27 year old venues that are retrofitted every decade or so? Try teams like Chicago, Kansas City, Green Bay, Oakland, New Orleans, ect. Its actually a pretty common thing.

Yep, not uncommon at all. Lambeau Field is undergoing a renovation right now that will be completed in 2015, after having a renovation between 2012 and 2013. Before that, it was renovated between 2001 and 2003.

Renovating older stadiums is nothing new, not sure why some think that is the case. Also Sun Life Stadium at 27 years old is a baby compared to some of the other stadiums in the NFL, which is why it is easier to renovate and make it feel more like a brand new stadium than some of the real old ones.

Ralph Wilson Stadium is 41 years old and is getting a $130 million renovation right now. Team might not be in Buffalo five years from now, but they are still upgrading that facility.

Arrowhead Stadium is 42 years old and just had a $375 million renovation a few years ago. The original plans for the Arrowhead Stadium renovation was $850 million and included, you guessed it, putting a roof on it to host a Super Bowl. Arrowhead was actually supposed to host this upcoming Super Bowl, but once local politics got involved they killed financial support for the roof and the NFL pulled KC from hosting and gave it to Arizona.

If you want to host the Super Bowl, you need to have respectable facility, that doesn't mean a brand spanking new one every couple of decades. Does it really make sense to rip down Sun Life Stadium and build a new one for well over $1 billion just to do it all again 20-30 years from now? Who is paying for that? Much easier and cheaper to renovate stadiums and get pretty damn close to the same results that building a completely new stadium would get.

Renovated Sun Life Stadium will look great.

 

[dirwuf]

Meanwhile, the morons in Chicago spent 660 million bucks to renovate/rebuild Soldier Field without even considering a Super Bowl bid....which they now want, but can't bid for because the capacity is 5,000 short of the minimum needed to host.

 

[PerfectFinz72]

For anyone who is complaining about the renovations, I've been to SunLife a bunch of times. I've sat lower level mostly but once in the upper bowl. I thought my seats were fine each time, it was plenty loud even for one of the games that wasn't completely filled.

Overall I thought the stadium was fine and I enjoyed my time there. So if its not that bad to begin with (of course only my opinion), this will only improve the fan experience.

 

[Vaark]

LMAO@the hard-wired crowd of panties bunchees and disco-duck retrogrades who are condemning Ross for what's in reality his going even further than the proverbial extra mile. Compare that to fellow billionaires including Arthur Blank and Ziggy Wilf who've had the taxpayers underwrite their brand new stadiums while Ross has been thwarted at every step locally and state-wise, essentially paying the price for the city's stupidity over getting bamboozled by Jeffrey Loria. Ross has bent over backwards to accommodate Miami and its taxpayers including a reassuring 30 year guarantee of staying put. Under severe limitations, he is doing the best he can but must be thinking "why are these others getting free rides?"

Personally, Ross should have used the 49ers model in moving the team down the peninsula to the new Santa Clara Levis Stadium where the 49ers paid for cost overruns, will pay the city $30mil a year for rent while the lions' share of the $2billion construction costs were picked up through direct financing and loans by the city after passing by city council vote. There will be no new additional taxes. I've been maintaining all along that the demographics existing when Joe Robbie was built has manifest destiny'd north and that if Ross could have negotiated for a new stadium with say the city of West Palm or PB county, not only would existing fans follow but new ones would flock to the stadium also. And the inconvenient for tourist location would thwart many of the divisional fans who use the game as a topper on a warm weather winter vacation.

In my book given the obstacles and abuse he faced, the end results make Ross more of a "hero" than a "zero" !!!!

 

[Zounds]

Meanwhile, the morons in Chicago spent 660 million bucks to renovate/rebuild Soldier Field without even considering a Super Bowl bid....which they now want, but can't bid for because the capacity is 5,000 short of the minimum needed to host.

That renovation in 2003 when seating capacity changed, about 10 years prior to the NFL even considering hosting Super Bowls in cold weather outdoor stadiums. When those renovations were made, a Super Bowl in Chicago was an impossibility.

 

[phinfan40353]

Ross is OWNING his team.

Ross is an old school manager. He is stoic with his support of Philbin and he is renovating his house to make it a home. He believes in not just purchasing his investment, but rehabilitating it and working from within.

We may not like the exact pieces that have come to be our current Dolphin franchise. But these people want to be here. They want ownership in the team. They want success and are willing to stand by their decisions.

No matter the ups or downs, THIS IS THE PATH TO REDEMPTION.

The fans need to take ownership in their team, as well. Ryan Tannehill is our QB for the next decade. Philbin is our coach. Ross is our owner. This is the group that wants to be responsible for building us into a winner.

They are not on the short term Bill Parcells', Jimmy Johnson or Nick Saban plan. They are here to build, endure and rehabilitate this franchise.

We don't need a new stadium. We don't need new coaches, new players or anything else new. What we need is dedicated souls who WANT to be here. We need individuals want to OWN this team and stake their own interest in it's success. The fans respond to winning, but need to learn to respect dedication, loyalty and devotion when it is being delivered. And not just when it produces victories.

I'm not the biggest fan of Philbin's public and game day persona. But his stoic nature and calm yet decisive demeanor are what we need in the Front Office leading everyone else like a captain. Weathering the storms and persisting forward. There will be steps backwards. But overall, we are moving forward.

I like the new stadium design. We need something iconic to send a message. And even if it is born of function, art has many inspirations. This is our house. Live in it.