Nt To Play Miami In First Game @ Dolphins Stadium?

[The Jason]

Hurricanes In New Stadium

Miami to move Hurricanes' football out of Orange Bowl for Dolphin Stadium in 2008

Miami to move Hurricanes' football out of Orange Bowl for Dolphin Stadium in 2008

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer

August 21, 2007

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -- Miami will play home football games at Dolphin Stadium starting in 2008, leaving the historic but decaying Orange Bowl after seven decades.

The university's trustees decided Tuesday to make the much-debated move, which could generate $2 million or more in extra revenue annually for the Hurricanes' athletic department. City officials unsuccessfully tried to keep Miami at the Orange Bowl by promising $206 million in upgrades.

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"This is a painful and sad decision," Miami president Donna Shalala said.

The Hurricanes agreed to a 25-year lease with Dolphin Stadium.

Miami first played at the Orange Bowl, about eight miles from its campus, in 1937. The Hurricanes won three national championship games on that field, had a NCAA-record 58-game home winning streak from 1985 through 1994 and have drawn more than 17 million fans there over the years.

But the stadium's facade is rusting, upgrades are needed and the building lacks many amenities that modern stadiums have -- such as the luxury suites and video replay screens that helped lure Miami to the home of the Dolphins.

"The move to the stadium and the superior facilities that it offers will greatly enhance our recruiting efforts," Miami coach Randy Shannon said.

With the Hurricanes set to depart, the Orange Bowl will no longer have a primary tenant. The Dolphins moved to the facility first known as Joe Robbie Stadium in 1987, and the Orange Bowl -- one of college football's marquee and best-known bowl games -- moved to Dolphin Stadium in 1996.

And that means the building's future is in serious doubt. The site has been mentioned as a possible new home for the Florida Marlins, or the stadium could simply be knocked down.

Miami's first game in Dolphin Stadium is scheduled for Aug. 30, 2008, against North Texas, but Hurricanes athletic director Paul Dee said the school is negotiating to bring a different opponent in for that date.

Miami has won nearly 70 percent of its games at the Orange Bowl, a place where opponents routinely acknowledged feeling intimidated by the crowds and game-time atmosphere.

"It got to be very tough to hear and tough to communicate down there. That's what made it difficult to play in," said Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, who brought his Seminoles to the building nearly two dozen times over the years.

The Orange Bowl opened in 1937 and has hosted Super Bowls, a famous speech by President John F. Kennedy to Cuban exiles after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, concerts, boxing and even Olympic soccer matches in 1996.

Many of the university's existing Orange Bowl traditions -- including the smoke-filled tunnel for pregame introductions and the Miami ring of honor -- will be moved to Dolphin Stadium, which is undergoing $300 million worth of expansion and renovations.

"We look forward to a wonderful partnership that continues the storied football legacy of UM here in their new home," Dolphin Stadium owner Wayne Huizenga said.

The city's stadium refurbishment plan was met with skepticism by some within the university, since much of the needed money would have to come from grants and tax credits that haven't been secured.

Still, some fans continued lobbying until the end, with more than 4,000 signing an online petition in recent weeks imploring the university to stay put, and others organizing small rallies in hope of getting trustees to change their mind.

"The city of Miami made an extraordinary effort to identify funds and design a renovation," Shalala said. "But in the end, it wasn't enough."

Miami's lease at the Orange Bowl runs past 2008, but the school will be able to move next fall -- meaning the last scheduled game for the Hurricanes at the facility will be Nov. 10 against Virginia.

[edcollopy]

PAY US SOME JACK AND WE'LL MOVE THE DATE IF THEY WANT A BIGGER OPPONENT....THEY DON'T WANT THE OPENING GAME TO HAVE 40K EMPTY SEATS.

[UNTflyer]

It's a shame the NFL has abandoned the tradition of opening weekend being the same as Labor Day weekend. It would be nice to go see UNT-Miami on Saturday then the Dolphins on Sunday.

As it is, I'll be going down this season for the UNT-FIU game, followed on Sunday by Dolphins-Jets.

[GMoney]

Miami's first game in Dolphin Stadium is scheduled for Aug. 30, 2008, against North Texas, but Hurricanes athletic director Paul Dee said the school is negotiating to bring a different opponent in for that date.

That means will get a payout to break the date and can hopefully schedule someone a little closer.

[CMJ]

Very sad to see the old stadium go(kinda like the Cotton Bowl which will be abandoned soon more than likely). I wish they could've renovated it.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Since they had $206 million available for stadium renovation and aren't going to use it.... can we have it.???? We will let them out of the contract to play them if they will grant it to us.

[UNTflyer]

How on earth did the Hurricanes become a Div-I powerhouse and 5-time National Champion when they don't even have an on-campus stadium????

Oh, yeah... they WIN.

[pollock]

Suuuuuuuuure, we'll reschedule. But now it's a home-and-home deal, you bastards.

[KingDL1]

Suuuuuuuuure, we'll reschedule. But now it's a home-and-home deal, you bastards.

That is a great idea!

[H-towngreen]

Take the money and run!! We will get a nice chunk of change not to play, and then have another date to schedule who we please. Anyone see us playing Mizzu, with Dodge SLC connetions we have.

[NT91]

I would like to see us play UTEP!

[El Paso Eagle]

I would like to see us play UTEP!

Home-and-Home would be nice

[El Paso Eagle]

Home-and-Home would be nice

In fact - Sign a series with NMSU and come out here every other year

Edited August 21, 2007 by El Paso Eagle

[Texas Stranger]

Get paid to not play a bad game for visiting fans (2nd worst only to LSU) ? That would be great. One down, one to go. Mr. Villareal, please keep us the hell out of Baton Rouge. Surely there are other "Marquee Road Game" venues available.

[jperg2]

In fact - Sign a series with NMSU and come out here every other year

That would be a great.

[EagleD]

Why do people want out of this game? If Dodge is the real deal we should be able to give Miami a run for their money, right?

Seriously, we should NOT back out of this game!

GO MEAN GREEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BEAT THE HELL OUT OF OU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dodge2007]

NMSU sucks. Their program is exactly what we do not need. Let's suit up and play at least a couple of big boys. It is a shame Miami is looking to replace our game with them at Dolphin Stadium. Our program needs the Big Dollar games and the recognition.

[runt96]

NMSU sucks. Their program is exactly what we do not need. Let's suit up and play at least a couple of big boys. It is a shame Miami is looking to replace our game with them at Dolphin Stadium. Our program needs the Big Dollar games and the recognition.

The press and recognition we would get playing Miami as their first dolphin stadium game may be higher than the buyout. You're right. We play a decent game with our best recruiting class ever, we'll get noticed.

[NT03]

Take the money and run!! We will get a nice chunk of change not to play, and then have another date to schedule who we please. Anyone see us playing Mizzu, with Dodge SLC connetions we have.

What about the connection with.... Utah State ???

[TIgreen01]

NMSU sucks. Their program is exactly what we do not need.

?! WTF?

[FirefightnRick]

?! WTF?

Don't make eye contact and he may never even see you.

Rick

[greenminer]

NMSU sucks. Their program is exactly what we do not need. Let's suit up and play at least a couple of big boys. It is a shame Miami is looking to replace our game with them at Dolphin Stadium. Our program needs the Big Dollar games and the recognition.

I totally agree with keeping Miami, but I'd personally like to see us play an NMSU rather than a 3rd body bag game (hopefully, one day they won't be bodybaggers!). Like'm or not, their offense is going to hang with Hawaii's this year and with anyone on their schedule. It's unfortunate that their defense is going to put them in a situation where they'd be lucky to win 7.

Not to mention they have been on the other side of the ball in some of the best games UNT has ever played since '01. I seem to recall one of the best crowds ever at Fouts coming to watch us play those Ags. A fantastic series that was a shame to see cutoff due to conference shifts. JMO.

[NT80]

posted by FIUFanatic , 08-21-2007, :

Well, ironically, FIU will play the last 3 college football games at the Orange Bowl...So, UNT will play THE LAST college football game EVER at the OB, most likely...

[RETSO]

Take the money and run!! We will get a nice chunk of change not to play, and then have another date to schedule who we please. Anyone see us playing Mizzu, with Dodge SLC connetions we have.

I would love to get out of the Miami deal (for a right price $$$) and play a regional foe..OK St, A@M, TCU, TTech. etc...etc..etc.....

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

-- If we get a "bit lucky" and defeat OU then I'll bet they will not be so eager to dump us off the schedule. We can always dream...crazier things have happened.