Money doesn’t grow on trees, but the Miami Dolphins think it does. The Dolphins want to funnel $350 million into renovations for Sun Life Stadium in an attempt to increase attendance, raise revenue, and elevate the quality of the stadium. The renovations include replacing the seats, growing the lower level by about 3,000 seats, installing video screens throughout the stadium, and creating an open-air roof that would protect fans from various weather conditions. Fans wonder though if the costs for these renovations are truly worth it, especially after the fact that the City of Miami recently built Marlin Park.
In an effort to accomplish these improvements, the Dolphins seek financial assistance from Miami-Dade County. The County and Dolphins officials agreed on having Miami-Dade pay $289 million for the project over 26 years. The Dolphins have also asked the state legislature to pay $90 million over 30 years. In order to fund the renovations, the hotel tax in Miami Beach, Surfside, and Bal Harbour would increase from six percent to seven percent. The Dolphins stand to receive 75 percent of the money accumulated by the increase.
“I don’t think that it is necessary for the Dolphins to be pursuing renovations at this time,” junior Mason Cheng said. “I believe that the Marlins’ Stadium deal that just happened was a hard hit on the County and now if the Dolphins go through with the renovations, then the residents in the County will be hit with more taxes that they don’t need to pay and also the Dolphins would be using funds for Sun Life Stadium that they could be using to improve their roster and build a program that is fit to make a run at a championship.”
In order to make the changes more favorable, the Dolphins fully supported bidding for Super Bowl L, the fiftieth running of the game. For the right to host Super Bowl L Miami will face San Francisco. In San Francisco, they are building a new stadium that will be unveiled in 2014 in an area known as Santa Clara. Their stadium is being built around the concept, according to San Francisco, “designing a stadium that is light, airy, and open.” Some of their stadium features include stadium-wide WiFi capability, mobile connectivity, and HD video boards. Despite the great atmosphere that surrounds the city of Miami, without the improvements, the NFL is unlikely to choose Sun Life Stadium as the site for the Super Bowl. Whether Miami or San Francisco loses the bid for Super Bowl L, then either one of them will face Houston for the right to host Super Bowl LI.
“It would be a real shame if Miami loses this opportunity,” senior Juan Pinzon said. “I believe that Miami is one of the best cities in the world because of our great atmosphere, weather, and culture and I believe that we are truly the most deserving of the honor to host Super Bowl L and maybe even Super Bowl LI.”
Another potential consequence of not improving the stadium is that the Dolphins may potentially move to a different city. It is rumored that the Dolphin’s owner Stephen Ross will eventually sell the team to someone who may move the team elsewhere if the funding for renovations is denied. Some of the rumored cities include Palm Beach and Los Angeles.
“Despite the potential rumors of relocation and the issue of funding for the renovations, I believe that the Dolphins will end up staying in Miami and will find a way to fund their renovations,” junior David Florez said. “I believe that everything happens for a reason and when the time is right, and whether the time is now or in the future, the Dolphins will get the renovations and hopefully the Super Bowl L bid that they want.”
