West Plaza Discussion

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Posted on Wed, Jan. 25, 2012
Miami Marlins pick food vendors for new stadium’s exterior plaza



CARL JUSTE / MIAMI HERALD STAFF
An aerial view of the Miami Marlins Stadium on November 9, 2011.
The Miami Marlins have signed up three food vendors to fill shops at the new ballpark’s West Plaza, the broad area facing Southwest 17th Avenue that will be covered when the stadium’s roof is retracted.
The three are La Baguette, a salad and sandwich shop; Holiday Bakery, a Cuban-style bakery; and YoBlendz, a frozen-yogurt shop. All three are local operators and will be open every day to serve both fans and the local community, the team said Wednesday in a news release.

The Marlins characterized the selection of the three operators as “helping the economic development’’ of the impoverished Little Havana neighborhood around the publicly financed stadium, which will open in April. Marlins and public officials have said the stadium will spur economic improvements in the area, though experts caution sports facilities rarely succeed in doing so.

Commercial spaces in the adjacent, city-built parking garages, a linchpin of redevelopment promises, remain unleased after officials changed the leasing emphasis from neighborhood food and retail services to a high-end entertainment district.

The Marlins have previously announced several food and drink vendors who will operate inside the stadium, including the Don Camaron seafood restaurant, Latin American Grill and Papo Llega y Pon, a popular purveyor of pork sandwiches.

ANDRES VIGLUCCI

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/2...#storylink=cpy

[Party]

Papo Llega Y Pon has amazing pork sandwiches from what I hear.

[Big Z]

No Chick-Fil-A at the park?

[TheMendozaLine]

Unfortunately Chick-Fil-A, like Prince Fielder, is just not Hispanic enough.

[Omar]

Would be weird to have something in the park that would never be open for Sunday games

[emkayseven]

Marlins Park itself isn't the only major project nearing completion on the site of the former Orange Bowl in the Little Havana neighborhood.

West Plaza, an urban center unlike any other in the Greater Miami area, is also taking shape right outside the main entrance into the new home of the Miami Marlins.

A place to meet, greet, eat and enjoy the experience of a fun-filled mecca not only on game days but also throughout the year, West Plaza will be unique in that it can be either open-air or sheltered from the heat and rain of South Florida.

That uniqueness comes thanks to the same retractable roof that will keep the Marlins protected from the elements while battling their opponents in the 37,000-seat ballpark.

The plaza, which will blend in with the character and charm of Little Havana and mirror the diversity of the Magic City and its surroundings, differs from other area locales in that its very appearance will change depending on the ballpark's roof.

When the roof is open, West Plaza will be a covered area the size of three-and-a-half football fields. It will be open to the public and be used for events, concerts and the like both in the daytime and in the evening.

And just recently, the first three tenants of West Plaza were finalized as Holiday Bakery, La Baguette and YoBlendz will serve as the initial mainstays in what will be a hub of activity for baseball fans and South Floridians in general.

Through the West Plaza concept, Marlins Park will create a street edge that connects to the surrounding neighborhood.

All three new shop owners are delighted to be a part of the changing landscape when the Orange Bowl once served as a pillar of that area.

“We are so excited to be part of Marlins Park,” said Jose Blanco, owner of Holiday Bakery, through a Marlins' press release. “Our bakery will have traditional Hispanic sandwiches, pastries, tamales and of course Cuban Coffee, that will accentuate the Latin flair that makes Marlins Park such a unique and special place.”

La Baguette will also offer a tasty array of choices for those visiting West Plaza.

“We are known for our amazing sandwiches like the prosciutto and fresh mozzarella and its turkey and melted brie...we look forward to sharing our products with Miami Marlin’s fans while they attend the games and also the neighbors of the ballpark all year round," added Mr. Hernandez, owner of La Baguette, in that same release.

And Adam Ogden, founder and CEO of YoBlendz, couldn't have been any happier to be a part of West Plaza.

"We are thrilled to partner with the Marlins on this tremendous community development and revitalization project," Ogden said in the release. "To be among the first retailers to be a part of this unique new concept is very exciting. We look forward to providing our fresh, YoBlendz self-serve frozen yogurt to fans and visitors throughout the coming years.”

All three establishments anticipate being open when the Marlins welcome a sellout crowd and a national television audience for its opening game on April 4 against the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

http://www.examiner.com/marlins-in-m...ff-the-diamond

[Metes]

FML21 enjoys the hip-hop stylings of YoBlendz

[Chewford]

I personally consider myself to be rather gangster, so a cool, hip name such as "YoBlendz" is very warm and inviting to individuals who are "street" such as myself.

[Namaste]

So there's nothing planned for a bar/lounge/restaurant where adults can go for a drink after the game while the parking garages clear out?

If its to curb drunk driving then I totally get that but it cuts down on the stadium as far as being a "destination" for an evening.

[CrimsonCane]

So there's nothing planned for a bar/lounge/restaurant where adults can go for a drink after the game while the parking garages clear out?

If its to curb drunk driving then I totally get that but it cuts down on the stadium as far as being a "destination" for an evening.

I believe it's always been part of their plans. They just haven't been successful at getting an interested tenant yet.

I believe alot of restauranteurs are wary about the viability of that location year round right now and what happens to the interest in the stadium/team long term. The Marlins are not really an established brand where there is a guarantee of huge crowds night in and night out during home games. If they get similar attendance as JRS, a restaurant/bar won't be able to make enough during home games to really offset the slow nights every other day of the year.

This is an area without any existing retail or restaurant presence. As an alternative case study look to AAA. There, Bayside already gets a sizable tourist population year round. So the influx of people going there to eat/drink before and afte Heat games is a nice bonus but not vital. Conversely, if you don't get people going to games or if attendance isnt meeting expectations (and with so much uncertainty how do you properly estimate attendance for the next 5 or even 10 years), a restaurant in that area of Little Havana is going out of business really fast. Vision takes risk but that's in short supply in Miami. Most restaurants in this city just try to copy whatever made another restaurant successful. Brickell is emblematic of this problem. It's got a very nice, bustling nightlife but nothing that has opened in that area can be defined as original. (For example, there are about 4 Irish pub themed restaurants within a 10 minute walk)

[Namaste]

Yup, I totally overlooked the whole non-game night aspect.

[Party]

For sure. Agreed with all of that.

[Bobbob1313]

I believe those restaurant spaces are owned by the city as well, right?

[Party]

The spaces under the garages? Yes.

The spaces on the first floor of the ballpark are owned by the County/Stadium Authority, who owns the ballpark, but the team controls the revenues. (or something like that)

[Bobbob1313]

But who is responsible for filling the spaces?