Marlins Stadium Passes County Commission

Big news out of Miami last night, as the Miami-Dade County Commission voted 9-4 in favor to use county funds to pay for part of a Marlins stadium on the former Orange Bowl site. Coupled with the City of Miami's vote of approval on Friday, this means that we may actually see the Marlins playing in a new stadium by 2012 (I'll believe it when I see it). The Marlins will also change their name to the Miami Marlins at some point, which means we could be seeing some uniform changes in the near future (We'll have more on that some other time).

I do not wish to spark debate, but while I too am very skeptical about the effect of stadium construction on local economies, I am nonetheless pleased that the Marlins will remain in Miami (it helps that I no longer live in South Florida, so I don't have to worry as much about local governments losing money on the deal). Contrary to our reputation, Miami fans are passionate about their teams, and I expect attendance to rise once the Marlins are playing in a stadium that is not tucked away at the Dade-Broward border (could you imaging the Yankees playing in the Meadowlands? That is what it is like to see the Fish at Dolphin Stadium). Hopefully the breakthrough in the stadium deal will also lead to the Marlins locking up some of their young stars long-term (Nolasco? Maybin? Uggla? Johnson?). In short, it's a great day for Marlins fans, so let's celebrate.

Other Marlins Blogosphere Joy:
Fish Stripes
HLD&S
The Fish Pond
SporTech Matter