What Will the Marlins Ballpark Look Like?

Aerial view of the Marlins Ballpark (rendering)

We've all seen the outside renderings of the new Florida (soon to be Miami) Marlins ballpark, but not many have seen what it will look like inside. The Sun-Sentinel has a photo gallery of the images released by the organization on the official groundbreaking day.

According to the images, there will be a water tank beyond the center field wall. This tank will not contain marine life (like Tampa Bay's Tropicana Field has) although that would be a cool idea. Instead the tank will be a pool, similar to what they have in the Arizona D-Back's ballpark, where fans will be able to cool off and enjoy the game "with a splash." Either way, the point is to combine the Marlins' mascot with the idea of the sea and a "where fish belong" kind of ambiance. The pictures also portray a seating arrangement that includes blue seats, but we are not sure if that will be the official color of the seats. Besides, teal, orange or black might be better fits for the Fish.

Right field and left field will be open views of the city and pieces of the Miami skyline, accented by thin white pillars that hold up the structure. It should make for beautiful views during the summer as the retractable roof will be closed off and fans will enjoy the fact that they are "in here" and not "out there."

The dimensions of the park will resemble Dolphin Stadium (or temporarily, Land Shark Stadium) - meaning that it will be a pitchers' park. The center field dimensions will be as unorthodox as the current Dolphin Stadium layout, which they call "The Bermuda Triangle."

Take a look at the gallery for yourself by clicking here.

Stadium-to-Stadium Comparison

Dolphin Stadium dimensions:

• Left Field: 330 feet
• Left Center: 360 feet
  
• Center: 434 feet
• Right-Center: 361 feet
• Right Field: 345 feet

Marlins Stadium dimensions:

• Left Field: 340 feet
• Left-Center: 384 feet
• Center: 416-420 feet
• Right-Center: 392 feet
• Right Field: 335 feet

Dolphin Stadium currently holds 72,000 seats, obviously catered to football games and not baseball. The new Marlins stadium is projected to hold approximately 37,000 seats - much more fitting for a baseball game attendance.

Our Two Cents

Now the Marlins front office must use a more aggressive approach than "if you build it they will come." Instead, they should adapt a mentality that stresses the product on the field - a product that competes each and every season. That's how to build more than just a stadium, it's how you build a loyal fan base and a lasting legacy.