Dolphins Stadium
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| Location | Miami, Florida |
| Opened | August 16, 1987 |
| Capacity |
Baseball: Football: 75,000 |
| Owned By | Wayne Huizenga |
| Architect: | |
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Dimensions:
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The stadium underwent a $10 million renovation before the 1993 season so that what was previously an American football stadium would be able to host baseball games. The lower deck in left field was converted to retractable stands, dugouts were built, and small temporary stands were added in front of the bullpen areas. The upper deck seats beyond the outfield are generally too far from the field to be in regular use, and are generally covered with canvas during the regular season. The seats have been used for playoff baseball games, however. Some sections in right field have occasionally been covered over and used as a picnic area for baseball games as well.
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 Pro Player Stadium is an insufficient stadium 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.
Local sportscasters used to call the stadium "The Pro." Many sports fans called it "Pro Robbie" in homage to its former name.
Pro Player, a division of the Fruit of the Loom clothing company, bought the naming rights in 1996 in a ten year, $20 million deal. However, Fruit of the Loom filed for bankruptcy in 1999, yet the name remained until 2005. On January 10, 2005 Dolphins owner 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 back to "Dolphins Stadium".
The facility has hosted three Super Bowl games. In Super Bowl XXIII, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-16, when Joe Montana threw to John Taylor for a ten-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left in the game. Jerry Rice was named the game's MVP. Six years later, the Niners returned for Super Bowl XXIX, routing the San Diego Chargers, 49-26 as MVP Steve Young threw for a record six TDs, three to Rice. In 1999, Super Bowl XXXIII was played and became the swan song for John Elway. The Denver Broncos handily defeated the Atlanta Falcons by the score of 34-19 as Elway, who was the game's MVP, threw for 336 yards and ran for a touchdown in his final game as a player. The next Super Bowl for this stadium will be Super Bowl XLI, scheduled for February 4th, 2007.