loanDepot park: Making Waves in Miami

The Miami Marlins’ ballpark is one of the newest in the MLB and one that tries to bridge tradition, culture and modernity. stadiaworld talked to Anthony Favata, Vice President Operations & Events, about how that translates into their architecture and venue management.

Two hours before first pitch (the Atlanta Braves visit loanDepot park on this Sunday afternoon), Favata has time for a chat in his office on the first floor. “All preparations are pretty much done, my team can manage a half hour without me”, he jokes. Favata oversees the organization’s game operations, ballpark services, guest experience, parking and transportation as well as event booking, event coordination and operations. The Operations & Events department includes about 15 to 20 full-time employees that manage all aspects of stadium operations. “Apart from all ballpark development topics, they cultivate relationships with all related parties: Concessions, retail, housekeeping etc.” explains Favata.

One of the biggest topics in every sports venue, but in Miami in particular, is the culinary offering. The Marlins partner with Levy Restaurants, who coordinate all public concessions as well as the lounges and premium areas. Favata: “Catering is about handling the expectations of our visitors. The top two items – and they have been that for years – are hot dogs and chicken tenders. But, especially here, people expect a certain variety, a lot of local cuisine. I feel Levy does a very good job in this aspect.” This is where Caribbean, Puerto Rican, Peruvian, and Mexican influences come into play. While serving these expectations can come via cooperations with local restaurants and food chains from the city, Levy is ultimately responsible for the oversight of the quality and availability of the food and beverage options. Concepts like “The Change Up” concession area feature local culinary icons through curated pop-ups. The philosophy: ensure that the classics are always available, while also offering space for regional creativity.

To stand out in Miami’s competitive entertainment market, the Marlins emphasize a family-friendly atmosphere and creative promotions. “Our goal is to have a packed house every single night. But: We see that attendance is closely tied to team performance – maybe more so than in other markets” finds Favata. So, the club invests in themed nights and promotions to make each game attractive, family-friendly pricing plays a key role. Every Sunday and Wednesday, the ballpark offers a “4 for 44 USD” deal that includes four tickets, four hot dogs, four drinks, and four popcorns. The 305 Menu (named after Miami’s area code) adds value with ballpark classics like hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, soft drinks, and beer offered for either three or five US-dollars.

To improve convenience, loanDepot Park implemented a “Free-Flow” parking concept. Instead of stopping at gates, fans can simply drive in to the parking garage right next to the stadium. Their license plates are scanned, and they can pay via QR code, either before or after the game. This minimizes bottlenecks and gets fans to their seats faster. Inside the park, mobile ordering and walk-out technology reduce wait times. Grab-and-go markets replace traditional counters, and pilot programs using “Just Walk Out” checkout have been positively received. “Being innovative about the fan experience” is a guiding principle, says Favata.

Other infrastructure upgrades include the switch to a new LED lighting system in 2022. loanDepot park became the first MLB venue in the U.S. with full color-capable LED lighting. “Not only will it provide improved visibility for players in tracking the trajectory of the baseball, but it also will elevate the fan experience at the ballpark and the TV viewing experience with a more focused lighting on the field of play and show-time elements with special effects”, the Marlins happily announced at the time. The transition nearly halved energy consumption compared to the old system, and light show capabilities for victory celebrations and player introductions benefitted the overall atmosphere.

Currently the ballpark is in a “very good” condition, finds Favata, “hats off to our maintenance team”. Recent off-season projects included upgraded player areas such as the weight room—now the largest in the MLB—and enhanced player family spaces. Even details like player entrance pathways have been optimized. “We are regularly mapping out improvements that we want to see implemented. Our mindset is: We want the best of the best.“ Ongoing projects focus on improving digital infrastructure, including display systems and mobile connectivity.

Architecturally, Miami’s ballpark stood out from the start. The 2012 opened venue is regarded as the first MLB ballpark in “contemporary architectural style”, breaking with the wave of “retro-style” builds, that many ballparks incorporated from the mid-90s on, building on the success of Baltimore’s Camden Yards complex. Instead of red brick and nostalgia, the design by architecture firm Populous and then-Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria focused on a futuristic, innovative design. It was supposed to be a statement for the future, while also resembling the uniqueness of Miami. Something that still continues even on the inside of the stadium, where one could almost feel like taking a museum tour. A variety of paintings, murals and exhibits adorn the interior. Here, too, the balance between tradition and modernity must be maintained. For example, the main concourse features a 3D animation of imagery that change their appearance depending on the viewing angle.

However, the centerpiece of the architecture is the retractable roof, which consists of three individually movable steel segments. This also allows the roof to be opened halfway – it takes 13-15 minutes to open it completely. Thanks to the roof, rainouts are virtually eliminated, and fans enjoy air-conditioned comfort when needed – but on pleasant evenings the park can still open up to the Miami night sky. In practice, however, the roof remains closed for the vast majority of games, whether due to heat or humidity. Favata confirms: "Unfortunately, we can't open the roof as often as we would have liked. It's always a matter of weighing up the fan experience, which is of course our top priority." Luckily, the stadium also features a glass façade comprised of six huge operable panels beyond the outfield, unveiling a panoramic view of Downtown Miami. Including the optical illusion that makes one feel to be much closer to the skyscrapers than is actually true.

In any case, the roof still provides the necessary flexibility to not only use the ballpark for baseball. Since its opening, efforts have been made to establish loanDepot park as a multifunctional event location. Various major events took place here in the early years: It was the venue for the World Baseball Classics (including the second round in 2013, the first round in 2017 and the final in 2023). In 2017, the stadium also hosted the MLB All-Star Game for the first time. In addition to baseball, it has been used for international football/soccer matches, music concerts (e.g. Beyoncé in 2016, Chris Brown in 2025) and even for unusual formats such as the 2017 Race of Champions (a motorsport show event in the stadium) or multiple Monster Jam events. From 2014 to 2016, the ballpark also hosted the Miami Beach Bowl college football bowl game. In January 2026, it will even host the NHL Winter Classic—the league’s southernmost stadium game and Florida’s first outdoor hockey event—transforming the park into an ice arena.

This wide range of uses positions loanDepot park as an entertainment arena beyond pure sport, something that will only grow more important for the venue. In 2023, it joined the exclusive OVG Stadium Alliance. As part of the Alliance, OVG will offer loanDepot park consulting services related to event booking as well as relationships with artists, managers, agencies and promoters. Jeff Nickler, senior vice president of Oak View Group's Arena Alliance & Stadium Alliance said: “Given the location of the venue in one of the most vibrant international destinations, we see loanDepot park, with its retractable roof technology, attracting an increasing number of year-round events.” Together, the aim is to bring more concerts, shows and international events to the venue. A helping factor: “I really think, there are no bad seats in the house!” says Favata. “And it doesn’t matter if that is for baseball or for other events.”

At the same time, management is pushing ahead with further development: in January 2025, the Marlins announced, together with a developer, that they would be implementing the ‘Miami Live!’ project next to the stadium. A complex with restaurants, bars and entertainment is to be built on the West Plaza by 2026 to bring the stadium district to life all year round. A trend that follows the example of modern stadium districts in other cities, that embed stadium visits in a comprehensive leisure experience. The combination of baseball venue and event location should help loanDepot park establish itself among the leading stadium experience in the United States in the long term – in keeping with Miami's reputation as a vibrant metropolis and the design idea from construction start. “I cannot stress enough, how dedicated we are to be a unique venue in this market. This is our top priority”, Favata sums up. (stadiaworld, 31.10.2025)