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Latest on Dolphins' Pitch for SunLife Renovations

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by schmolioot, Jan 14, 2013.

  1. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I agree that the structure will help the city spread out the cost over time, but I imagine they will still need to issue general bonds to get the cash needed up front, and those can carry high interest rates moving forward.

    The way this gets done is for the city's cash up front to be as low as possible, while the city can then claim that it is not only getting the benefit of Super Bowls, BCS games, etc., but then is getting rent as well.

    But I do have to wonder again, with the cost of this project likely to end up costing closer to $600 million than the $400 they are claiming, why not go into a true partnership with the city/county on a new stadium that the county would own? And if you did that, you could negotiate with Broward, and even Palm Beach as well?

    I guess Ross just wants to get something done relatively quickly. Still don;t see how all this is done in time for Super Bowl 50, which is the one they really want
     
  2. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    Some images courtesy of the Miami Dolphins twitter account.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    True, but that siants didn;t change anything structurally though. The seats in the Superdome are in essentially the same places they were beforehand, to my understanding.

    Any temporary stadium would still have to pass NFL standards. Not sure the Citrus Bowl would, as the big issue up here is whether or not the county will pay for renovations in order to continue hosting the Captal One Bowl. FAU stadium is really small, but as it's new it might pass NFL muster, and at least it's in the general area of the team. Raymond James would also be a possibility I imagine.
     
  4. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

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    Well, maybe. But a good portion of the business in South Florida are uneffected by tourism. Raising taxes on residents effects 100% of the population. Raising it on tourists effects only a small percentage of people who's incomes are based on tourism (hotels/restaurants/etc).
     
  5. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Thank you.

    Those picture indicate a major structural change to me.
     
  6. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    The bottom picture looks much different then the top as well. Maybe two different plans depending on cost?
     
  7. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    I think they're the same but different angles. Also looks different because it's empty.
     
  8. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Are those seats in the corners or have they been removed?

    Hard to tell
     
  9. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    Are they going to pay rent?

    I think Ross is willing to put up a lot of the cash upfront. If the city is paying operation costs for the stadium, then really Ross would get back that cash in the form of the team being more. If/when he sells, it makes the financials more attractive. Certainly Ross is looking at this with more of a long-term view financially.

    Owning the stadium is why Ross paid the price he did, and a major component to the team's value. Not worth it for the team to give that up.

    Another big issue in regards to timing is interest rates. The Dolphins can borrow the money to do renovations at a pretty low rate right now.
     
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  10. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    Looks like seats to me. We should find out more in about 10 mins when they hold the conference.
     
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  11. DolfanTom

    DolfanTom Livin' and Dyin' w/ Ryan!

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    I like it!
     
  12. Dolphins1Beatles

    Dolphins1Beatles Ziggy Stardust

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    I think it all looks great. I randomly like what appears to be Palm Trees in the corners around the video boards, the Orange Bowl had all those palm trees visible in the open part.

    Seats are much closer especially at the goal lines. With the canopy, the place looks like it could be really loud. Sun Life is fairly loud already when people are actually excited about something.
     
  13. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    Those are seats in the corners.
     
  14. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

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    The only thing is that the upper bowl is still so far away from the field. Are there any plans to bring the Upper Bowl in closer, if even possible?
     
  15. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    What's the consideration for the lease if you're not getting paid rent?
     
  16. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    Certainly true, but conversely, would they be able to raise enough from an increased bed tax?
     
  17. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    Can't leave. Armando's point about the team moving if its sold is a pertinent one. If some rich person is deadset on bringing the NFL to LA, the Dolphins are a target simply because they don't have a lease to break. Now that is definitely a long shot, but it is very plausible.
     
  18. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

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    The proposal seems to think it would, no?
     
  19. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Don't see how it's possible.

    Looks like the Club/Suite level is untouched.

    They are lopping off quite a bit of upper level corener seats to accomodate what I presume is 4 new video boards.
     
  20. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    But legally there still needs to be some consideration for the lease, and I'm not sure simply a promise to stay is enough. It could be very little rent but there has to be something
     
  21. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    Yes, but you're back to making financial projections that aren't easy to make. Thats part of the dilemma for the city.
     
  22. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    The renderings are confusing. Very hard to distinguish the club level from the lower bowl in the second photo.
     
  23. DolfanTom

    DolfanTom Livin' and Dyin' w/ Ryan!

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    Was thinking same thing about the Palm trees. That was always awesome seeing those on TV for the OB.

    I would think it would be deafening w/ that canopy when there is something to cheer for. OB2.
     
  24. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    Must be a big deal if they're making another twitter account. :lol:
     
  25. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

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    But how can they approve any project then? All projects involve financial projections to pay for them?
     
  26. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I tell you though, for something costing $400 million it doesn;t really look all that different. I'm sure there are bells and whistles they have planned that don;t show up in the picture, but it's basically the same stadium with the lower level a little closer and a canopy.
     
  27. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    [​IMG]
    Guy on the left wasn't ready...
     
  28. Ozzy

    Ozzy Premium Member Luxury Box

    That would take a total rebuild.


    The luxury boxes are in the way. The smart thing to do would be get rid of them but it will never happen
     
  29. DolfanTom

    DolfanTom Livin' and Dyin' w/ Ryan!

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    So this looks like more than can be done from February to July. Where could the Dolphins even realistically play elsewhere in FL for one season? The OB doesn't exist anymore, and the closest major college team plays there already so that's out. Is there even a stadium down there closer than Tampa that could hold 40-50K even?
     
  30. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    @AdamHBeasley Dee calls for a comprehensive modernization of Sun Life Stadium. Intensified after named Super Bowl finalist. 18 weeks til bid is due.

    Cost range for project: $375-$400M.
     
  31. schmolioot

    schmolioot Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    FAU Stadium is the closes, although it's a low level college stadium.

    Citrus Bowl in Orlando has the capacity but is dumpy. Would make my trips to the games pretty easy though
     
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  32. oakelmpine

    oakelmpine New Member

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    Also the Marlins plan was never put to a public vote. It was all done in city & county commision meetings.

    To me, Ross selling the stadium is a danger sign of his eventual plans to relocate the team. We always hear about LA but it could happen that they might be moved to a new location in south Palm Beach County. I doubt it would be Orlando since that would put 3 teams too close (if Jax stays). But to me, selling the stadium is a definite red flag.

    The reason I say south Palm Beach is that it would put the team within 75 miles of the Space Coast, and you'd have the Martin & St Lucie Counties in there too. There are hundreds of thousands that live in that area that are former Miami-Dade & Broward County residents.
     
  33. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    Yeah, and thats why the public is weary of these projects.
     
  34. oakelmpine

    oakelmpine New Member

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    Well that is not what I have heard, at least on the 1st part. The Marlins stadium "supposedly" is being funded mostly by a hotel tax that was voter approved in 2002. The Marlins are supposedly paying $ 155 million, but it comes in $ 2 million per year "rent-payments" that balloon to $ 4 million a year after year 10 of the lease and remain that way for 20 years.

    But have you a link that says this is all bunk and says the Marlins got general funds ?
     
  35. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    holy sh$& is that awesome, wait.... No.. No way.

    I may be wrong, I've done a lot of research, but I don't believe what we're seeing here is possible, this is a complete restructure of the foundation Byroan..

    In the article It clearly states ADDING seats closer to the field, not bringing,I don't see how it's possible to reconfigure the whole building, are these pics official, were they officially given out to the public?..for these to be true they would literally have to rebuild a stadium inside a stadium..

    I hope someone can ask the question specifically what their plan is to get more "noise in the building" as they say..are we talking reconstructive surgery, or adding things.
     
  36. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    They're changing all the seats too. Supposedly different sight lines, etc. They're also pushing this as a soccer stadium as well, which is smart IMO.
     
  37. DolfanTom

    DolfanTom Livin' and Dyin' w/ Ryan!

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    Just googled the FAU stadium. Looks like a mini-blue Orange bowl. Only 30K, though, I wonder if they could put some temporary seats in the corners or something.

    Haven't seen anything on Twitter about the team addressing this yet.

    Perhaps they plan this in two parts - seat configuration first, canopy second?
     
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  38. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

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    I was referring to any type of project. Roads/bridges/etc all involve financial projections...
     
  39. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    Yeah, those are official. You can see more at http://www.miamifirst.com/

    I'm not sure if its a complete restructure of the foundation. All this if from https://twitter.com/MiamiFirst :

     
  40. DolfanTom

    DolfanTom Livin' and Dyin' w/ Ryan!

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    One thing I like also is the blue/grayish seats. Or whatever that is. Now, hopefully, the games will sell out, it'll be a fun place to be and - most importantly - the team will be good, but when there are empty seats, at least it won't be as obvious. Now, all you see is orange orange and more orange, making a half-filled stadium look 1/4 full.
     
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