The first renderings of Miami Hurricanes’ proposed new 60,000-seat stadium have been released.
John H Ruiz, the business tycoon and University of Miami graduate, hopes to build a new home in Miami-Dade for the college football team, who have played games at Hard Rock Stadium since 2008 when they departed the Orange Bowl.
The designs have been drawn up by HKS Architects and come six months after plans for a development at local authority-owned Tropical Park area were first announced. The site is just three miles from the university campus, with Hard Rock Stadium more than 20 miles away.
Ruiz suggested the renderings are at present a concept rather than being finalised plans, but told his social media followers that the stadium would feature a retractable roof, air conditioning and luxury suites.
When asked about the road to making the stadium a reality, Ruiz said the project would be funded privately with no tax dollars.
“The process would be very similar to Freedom Park which was just approved by the voters. If you follow their path, we would likely mirror a similar process,” said Ruiz, citing the under-construction new home of MLS team Inter Miami.
The images were welcomed by Hurricanes fans…
Ruiz, the founder of law firm Medicare Secondary Player Recovery, announced earlier this year that the stadium would be part of a wider LifeWallet Park development.
The development would depend upon Ruiz and his associates being able to take control of the land, which is currently owned by the Miami-Dade authorities.
While Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said the land is not for sale, Ruiz suggested on social media that residents would back the project even if it was opposed by local government officials.
Tropical Park, which currently has a horse racing track, baseball fields and other sports facilities, would undergo significant renovation work if the LifeWallet Park plans are given the green light.
HKS Architects designed two of the US’s most celebrated stadiums – the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
In 2021, the Hurricanes averaged 43,698 fans in seven home games at Hard Rock Stadium.
Images: John H Ruiz (Twitter) / HKS Architects
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