MIAMI – A new playground for multimillionaires shimmers in the South Florida sun, all steel and glass and girders, looking like something beamed down from the future into the modest surrounding Little Havana neighborhood.
Such an eye-catching edifice will always draw attention, and while the first game remains four months away, the Miami Marlins’ new ballpark already is attracting brisk business, All-Star players and the scrutiny of federal investigators. The ballpark made possible a spending spree unprecedented in the Marlins’ strange history.
“We have a glorious new ballpark, and we want to be good,” owner Jeffrey Loria said. “We want to win.”
After years of poor attendance and meager payrolls, the Marlins anticipate capacity crowds next season, and with revenue on the rise, Loria went shopping to upgrade the team.
A decade after buying the Marlins, art dealer Loria has mastered the art of the multiyear deal. The New York native suddenly became George Steinbrenner.
First he hired Ozzie Guillen, a veteran manager as colorful as the Marlins’ new uniforms. Then Loria turned his attention to free agents.
The Marlins were the talk of baseball’s winter meetings in Dallas this week, making deals for NL batting champion Jose Reyes, All-Star left-hander Mark Buehrle and All-Star closer
Read More from the Article Source: Full Article
