After a long day of debate and discussions, both the city of Miami and the Miami-Dade County commissions have approved the new Marlins Stadium proposal. The $515 million, 37,000 seat stadium...with a retractable-roof (finally!) together with a $94 million parking garage has moved over a huge hurdle on Thursday night. It's to be built on the site of the Orange Bowl which is already being made ready for a demolition. There still is some work to do on the deal though.

The next step will have the city of Miami, Miami-Dade County and the Marlins agree to financing, a non-relocation agreement (35 years) and the re-naming of the team to the Miami Marlins (about time). They will have until July to get the deals hammered out. There is one other hurdle...a lawsuit. Auto dealer (and millionaire) Norman Braman is challenging many pieces of this plan. Braman is saying that the plan should be put to a public vote, since tax dollars are being planned in the financing of the project. So I guess we will have to wait and see until this summer.

I'm just worried that the stadium will be too far south to draw the crowds that this park will need to make some money.