Hard Rock Stadium

Dolphins Stadium (originally named Dolphin Stadium, later named Joe Robbie Stadium and then briefly Pro Player Park before becoming Pro Player Stadium, and now back to Dolphins Stadium) is an American football and baseball stadium in Miami, Florida.

Dolphin Stadium was the first of its kind to be constructed entirely with private funds. The late Joe Robbie led the financing campaign to build Joe Robbie Stadium (JRS) for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. JRS revolutionized the economics of professional sports when it opened in 1987. Inclusion of a Club Level, along with Executive Suites, helped to finance the construction of the stadium. Season ticket holders committed to long term agreements and in return they received first-class amenities in a state-of-the-art facility which is still used as a model for new facilities across the country.

In 1990, H. Wayne Huizenga, then Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Blockbuster Video and Huizenga Holdings Inc., agreed to purchase fifty percent of Joe Robbie Stadium and became the point man in the drive to bring Major League Baseball to South Florida. That effort was rewarded in July of 1991, when South Florida was awarded a National League expansion franchise. On January 24, 1994, Huizenga acquired the remaining fifty percent of the stadium to give him 100% ownership. Since 1991, several million dollars have been spent to upgrade and renovate the stadium. The improvement and revitalization of the building under Huizenga allowed the stadium to remain the finest sports and entertainment facility in the United States.

The stadium has been home to the Miami Dolphins since 1987 and to the Florida Marlins since 1993. It has been the site of the FedEx Orange Bowl game since 1996. Dolphins Stadium has played host to two NFL Super Bowls in 1995 and 1999 with another scheduled in 2007, two MLB World Series (1997 and 2003), and numerous concerts, featuring entertainers such as U2, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Elton John/ Billy Joel, Chicago, Genesis, Gloria Estefan, Guns N' Roses, The Who, Hall & Oates, Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, and The Three Tenors.

Other events held at Dolphins Stadium have included international soccer matches, Monster Truck shows, Hoop-It-Up Basketball, RV and Boat Shows, the UniverSoul Circus and numerous trade shows. The Stadium also plays host to the yearly Shula Bowl, a game played between FAU and FIU.

Dolphins Stadium has been home to many commercials and feature films as well, including Ace Ventura Pet Detective and the football-themed movie, Any Given Sunday, starring Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx.

Renovations for the Florida Marlins

Behind the scenes, Pro Player Stadium underwent $10 million in renovations to accommodate Major League Baseball and the Florida Marlins before the 1993 season. The conversion included the installation of retractable seating on the north side of the stadium, the construction of the baseball press box in the southwest corner of the facility, the building of the baseball dugouts, the addition of 660 new lights for suitable night play and the installation of a hyrdolic disappearing pitcher's mound. The stadium also features a synthetic warning track designed to absorb water. At the time, the only other facility to feature this type of track was Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles. The renovation also included the construction of the Florida Marlins clubhouse and other amenities to accommodate baseball at Pro Player Stadium.

Because of the need to fit an American football field in the stadium, the field of play is larger than in most other new baseball stadiums. The 33-foot tall left field fence, nicknamed the Teal Monster - a play on the Green Monster at Fenway Park - further limits the ability of players to hit home runs. Foul territory is also fairly large in comparison with most new stadiums.

Since winning the World Series in 1997, the Marlins management has regularly argued that the stadium is insufficient to host a Major League Baseball team on a regular basis, arguing that too many of the seats are too far from the field and angled for American football rather than baseball, and that a retractable dome is needed to prevent rain-outs. The stadium did not prevent the team from winning another world championship in 2003, however.

On the field, the stadium is equipped with a Prescription Athletic Turf (PAT) system which provides draining for its natural grass. At a cost of one million dollars, the system ensures a firm dry playing surface within half an hour's time after as much as a three inch per hour rain fall.

Stadium Naming Rights

On August 26, 1996, Pro Player, the sports apparel division of Fruit of the Loom, sponsored the renaming of Joe Robbie Stadium as Pro Player Stadium. Pro Player, which specialized in licensed sports apparel, became the first sports marketing and products company to entitle a stadium or arena with their ten year, $20 million deal. Fruit of the Loom filed for bankruptcy in 1999, however the name remained until 2005. On January 10, 2005 stadium owner H. Wayne Huizenga announced a $300 million renovation of Pro Player Stadium to add luxury suites, additional parking and a retractable dome. Huizenga also announced the stadium to immediately be renamed Dolphins Stadium.