Marlins expect near-capacity crowds in new stadium

[February 03, 2009]  HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) -- With final voting on the Florida Marlins' long-sought ballpark less than two weeks away, club president David Samson says he expects near-capacity crowds nightly the first year in the team's new home, with annual attendance above 2 million for at least seven seasons.

Such an increase for the attendance-challenged Marlins would allow them to climb into the middle of the major league pack in player payroll, Samson said Monday.

"As soon as our revenues goes up, our payroll will go up," Samson said at a luncheon to promote the upcoming season. "In the new ballpark, our payroll will always match our revenues, but our revenues will be higher."

The Marlins have been last or next-to-last in the majors in payroll each of the past three years. In 2008 payroll was $22 million, while the median in the big leagues was $80 million.

"This is not a small-market team," Samson said. "It has been a low-revenue team. Miami and its surrounding counties to me are at least a mid- to above-average market. If we can get the revenue that should go along with that size market, then we certainly should be at least in the mid-range."

Because the Marlins have long been plagued by poor attendance, critics of the ballpark plan may scoff at Samson's projections. They were based on conversations with fans and the impact of new stadiums for other teams, Samson said.

City of Miami and county commissioners are scheduled to vote Feb. 13 on contracts for the ballpark. That's the final hurdle before groundbreaking, which could begin as early as June 15.

The 37,000-seat stadium near downtown Miami is projected to open in 2012 and cost $515 million, including a retractable roof. The ballpark is part of a $3 billion public works package that includes a tunnel for the Port of Miami and a downtown trolley line.

Samson said he's cautiously optimistic about final approval from commissioners.

"We are in their hands," Samson said. "Until the votes actually happen, of course I'm going to be concerned. When commissioners analyze the deal and all their questions are answered, I hope they come to the conclusion the benefits of this ballpark deal for the community will lead them to vote yes."

The Marlins are certain the deal would benefit them. Last year they ranked last in the majors in attendance at 1.34 million, or 16,688 per home game. Samson believes a retractable roof will mean bigger turnouts during South Florida's hot, rainy summers.

With the franchise saddled by its reputation for small crowds and budgets, Samson also expects an attendance boost from changing the team's name to the Miami Marlins and moving it closer to downtown Miami. Since the Marlins' first game in 1993, they've shared their home in suburban Miami with the NFL's Dolphins.

"It's a complete relaunch of our brand," Samson said. "We would certainly expect that the first year we would be close to selling out every single game. We have attendance leveling out well above 2 million fans the first seven years, just to be conservative."

The Marlins last reached the 2-million mark in 1997, the year they won the first of their two World Series titles.

[Associated Press; By STEVEN WINE]

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