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Dupuy: New Marlins ballpark will open in 2011

In the annual press conference before the start of the World Series, MLB COO Bob Dupuy expressed great confidence a new Florida Marlins ballpark would open during the 2011 season, but he did hedge his bet and say it may be during the middle of the season. We don’t share his optimism.In the annual press conference before the start of the World Series, MLB COO Bob Dupuy expressed great confidence a new Florida Marlins ballpark would open during the 2011 season, but he did hedge his bet and say it may be during the middle of the season. We don’t share his optimism. As we reported yesterday, Miami-Dade County will not be selling bonds until next spring at the earliest, and both county and city officials are adamant that work on the new ballpark will not begin until leases and financing are in place. (Leases are a whole other issue: between now and the end of the year the Marlins and the county must come to agreement on five separate leases for the ballpark, parking revenues and more. And there are rumblings on the county commission about some increased opposition to the project given the economy, so expect lots of negotiations designed to placate both sides.) It will take at least 30 months for ballpark construction, according to everyone we’ve talked with. Let’s say construction begins next March. Go out 30 months. Do the math. As it stands right now, we’d be surprised if the Fish were playing at their new ballpark during any part of the 2011 season. On the flip side, the pieces are all in place for the new ballpark to happen — and that’s good news for long-suffering Marlins fans.