Miami Ballpark is being built at the site of the former Miami Orange Bowl in Little Havana. The stadium broke ground in July 2009 and is on the track for completion by April 2012. The stadium is designed by Populos and retains parts from the original Sun Life Stadium. The total cost for building the stadium is estimated at $515 million.
The new stadium, upon completion, will be 130 meters from home plate, and will then slope down to 127 meter in straight-away center field. Right in the center of the stadium, there will be a 119 meter power alley. The shortest dimension of the stadium will be 102 meter down the right-field line.
The stadium features a retractable roof that can open in about 14 minutes 30 seconds. The left field of the stadium will have a pool area and a sliding, glass wall that gives a view of downtown Miami. The right field will have a porch, which will set back into the stands.
The plaza surrounding the stadium will be the largest in US and will feature food courts and entertainment zones. The plaza will feature restaurants, hotels and retail stores. The stadium will have a party suite that will be for fans to see the field from behind the outfield fence.
The dead center field of the stadium is anticipated to have a home run feature, which will be a design creation of Red Grooms. The stadium will also have dual aquariums that will function as a backdrop for the home-plate and will be built on the either side of the home plate. Both the aquarium will be made of durable fiberglass with crystal-clear acrylic panels.
Upon completion, the new stadium will try to win LEED Silver certification, and if awarded it will be the first retractable roof ballpark to win LEED silver certification.
