Watch CBS News

New Marlins' Stadium 70% Complete

MIAMI (CBS4) - Next year at this time you'll be able to cheer on the Miami Marlins with a cold brew and a hot dog at their new home in Little Havana.

The Florida Marlins organization said on Thursday that construction of their new ballpark was more than 70 percent complete.

"We're completely on time, completely on budget, and every time you walk through this ballpark, we picture fans here on opening day," said Marlins' president David Samson.

Workers still have about two and half months to go to complete the main structural part of the project. The $550 million stadium will feature a retractable roof, which is currently being worked on. When complete the stadium will have enough seats for 36-thousand fans and standing room only for another thousand.

"We have nine and a half months remaining on the project, so a lot of work has to be done. The devil is in the details and the next nine and a half months we'll address those," said Samson.

The stadium will feature 38 suites complete with flat screens where you and 20 or so of your friends can enjoy the game.

"This is not your standard brick and mortar building," said Claude Delorme, Marlins Executive Vice President . "A lot of attention was placed to make sure this is reflective of the Miami market."

The ballpark sits on the site of the old Orange Bowl; bordered by NW 6th Street to the north, NW 4th Street to the south, NW 16th Avenue to the west and NW 14th Avenue to the east. Samson hopes the air conditioned, retractable-roof facility will help draw more fans during South Florida's hot and rainy summers.

The team, which won World Series titles in 1997 and 2003, will be renamed the Miami Marlins when the new stadium opens in April 2012.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.