UM Leaves OB; Marlins Moving In?

The Hurricanes are finally done with delaying the inevitable and are giving in to Wayne Huizenga’s desires and moving out of the Orange Bowl and into the faux OB, Dolphin Stadium (which will forever be known as Joe Robbie Stadium to this humble writer).

Not a shock at all. But Cane fans will be debating this move for some time, talking about the tradition of the dingy Orange Bowl and all its history. They have one final season to soak it up.

Yet, what will the city of Miami now do with this increasingly outdated structure? They had promised to put over $200M in improvements into the renovation project – should the University of Miami committed to staying.

Further Reading
UM Leaves OB
Shalala Didn’t Want to Do It
A Sad Day When Tradition Loses

But now, it is time for the Marlins to explore this situation very carefully. There were plans, how serious is debatable, to see the OB turned into a sports complex with the Marlins attaching their new stadium to the side of the Orange Bowl. That vision never fully materialized due to funding and other concerns, but now that the city is losing its only tenant of the Orange Bowl, they may be pressed to strike a deal with the Marlins. The city is faced with not only missing out on the promise of their major college football tenant but could also lose out on their MLB franchise which is looking to plant roots somewhere in South Florida.

And that will mean major bucks and a lucrative tourist attraction. For the area around the Orange Bowl, it would be a needed boost.

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