Marlins Park, home of the Miami Marlins, is one of the newest ballparks in the MLB, opening on March 5th, 2012, after more than two and a half years of construction that started on July 1st, 2009. The final cost of this facility was $634 million, which ended up generating considerable controversy due to the public funding plans put into place by politicians who were soon voted out. Ironically, the funds raised were through tourist taxes rather than from taxes derived from local citizens.

Despite the fact that it’s a new facility, the capacity of Marlins Park is only 35,742, which ranks it near the bottom in terms of capacity for attendance. The players and fans are well protected against the elements, however, as the retractable roof allows for open-air games during pleasant weather while protecting against rained out games.

This stadium is a huge upgrade from their previous facility, Sun Life Stadium, which they shared with the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Hurricanes football teams. Before the Marlins moved into Marlins Park and changed their name from the Florida Marlins to the Miami Marlins, players would look forward to going on the road due to terrible field conditions that were partly due to football being played on the diamond.

Miami Marlins Stadium

The home field record of the Miami Marlins was decent in 2014, finishing three games above .500, which was much better than their 35-46 road record. Their 2015 record follows a similar pattern, with their play at home strongly outpacing the quality of ball they produce on the road.

According to MLB park factor stats, Marlins Park is in the bottom third in terms of the rate of runs produced compared to other Major League Baseball facilities. Only AT&T Stadium is a more difficult park to hit a dinger in, most likely due to the fact that the distance to center field is second largest in the league at 422 feet. As a result, this field sees more than its fair share of triples, although hit production is about average while doubles production is below average.

Marlins Park goes against the retro trend of new ballpark construction around the MLB, opting instead for a contemporary architecture that reflects the culture of Miami and the desire to innovate. The owner, Jeffrey Loria, simply ordered architects and designers to create a work of art, which has resulted in an unusually colorful design compared to most other ballparks. One benefit of this philosophy has resulted in the park being named the greenest in the league according to LEED certification.

Stadium Vitals

Date Opened: March 5, 2012

Construction Cost: $634 million

Architect: Populous

Ballpark Type: Contemporary

Capacity Attendance: 37,442

Playing Surface: Platinum TE Paspalum

Previous Florida Marlins Stadiums

Sun Life Stadium

Other Major Events

College Football

In addition to being one of the newest stadiums in the MLB, Marlins Park is home to one of the newest college football bowl events, the Miami Beach Bowl, which began in 2014.

2017 MLB All-Star Game

The 2017 Major League Baseball All-Star game will take place at Marlins Park, with the American and National Leagues fighting it out to see which side will earn home field advantage in the 2017 World Series.