|
|
|
Stadium #23 Land Shark Stadium Miami Gardens, FL |
Seattle
Seahawks vs. Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins Stadium November 9, 2008 21 - 19 Win |
|
|
| Main Page | Race to 31 | Miami Dolphins ProShop | My Blog |
|
|
NFL Stadium Reviews: Buffalo Bills Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions Carolina Panthers Cincinnati Bengals Green Bay Packers Pittsburgh Steelers Atlanta Falcons New England Patriots Philadelphia Eagles St. Louis Rams San Diego Chargers Seattle Seahawks Kansas City Chiefs Jacksonville Jaguars Indianapolis Colts San Francisco 49ers Oakland Raiders Dallas Cowboys Houston Texans Minnesota Vikings Miami Dolphins Tennessee Titans Chicago Bears Arizona Cardinals Stadiums Visited: Washington Redskins Baltimore Ravens RETURN Free 2008 Fantasy Football Cheatsheets |
Looking for Cheap Miami Dolphins Tickets? |
See
my other visit to |
||||
|
Stadium Vitals Built: Capacity: seats Playing Surface: Natural Grass |
Land Shark Stadium Address 2269 NW 199th Street Miami Gardens, FL 33056 305-625-6403 Get Directions |
 |
||||
|
Stadium Review 
- The Olive BranchLand Shark Stadium is home to the Miami Dolphins franchise with a storied history of NFL success and a proud nation of die hard supporters. Now although culturally, the phish are my sworn enemy, due certain loyalties to a rival up north (you guys know I'm a die hard Bills fan), as a self-appointed ambassador of the NFL product I love, I realized putting my home team bias on hold and embracing the Miami Dolphins franchise, if only for a day, is the right thing to do. As it turns out, embracing the culture of south Florida football, including some fantastic tailgating and the fine fans I encountered, was much easier than even I would have expected. If you think about it, Miami has it all. Great weather, an excellent NFL facility, and let's face it, a team that's on the rise after years of cellar dwelling in the AFC East along side my Buffalo Bills. It's the warmth of the south Florida fan and the support of a fan-friendly organization that makes Miami so damned tough to hate.  I arrived in Miami just before 9:00am with Jason, who also accompanied
me to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego last year. Donning my number
23 Ronnie Brown jersey, I briefly noted the parallelism between the
number on my chest and the fact that Land Shark Stadium would be my 23rd
NFL venue on the Quest for 31. As we parked the car, I was amazed to
find that each parking space actually has a 10'x10' tailgating area
that's clearly marked located behind the space. It's worth mentioning
that Land Shark Stadium is the only stadium in the NFL (that I've seen)
that actually sets aside this type of tailgating real estate for it's fans. Some franchises
are so concerned with boosting their own concession sales that they
actually install measures to discourage fan tailgating in and around the
facility, so this is a significant gesture on the part of the Miami Dolphins.
 I found the parking lot to be easily accessible from main roads. There
were plenty of spaces available and plenty of port-a-john facilities
located throughout the parking area on gameday. To ensure a good
spot in the better tailgating areas, it's best to purchase a parking pass in advance, but you can also
pay for parking on gameday if necessary. The Dolphins also host a great NFL
experience for the kids that allows them to participate in pass, punt
and kick drills, jump around in inflatable bouncers, and test the true
limitations of their natural athletic ability. Parents will find plenty
of shaded lounge areas nearby (for sipping on cocktails or debating the
finer points of the Wildcat formation), as the kids are thoroughly
entertained with their own activities including facepaint
artists stationed in the area. As for Tailgating, I hooked up with the pros from
Finatics.com, providers of the premiere
tailgating experience in south Florida. The Finatics are a diverse group
of Dolphin fans, including seasoned Dolphin supporters (folks that have
followed Miami since the 1970's), modern era fans, and transplants from
up north. These folks are extremely knowledgeable, well connected, and
fantastic hosts. We ate well, we drank well, we were thoroughly
entertained. It was definitely a warm reception all around. As I walked through the parking lot, I noticed fans were incredibly respectful and welcoming. Offers for beer and food were more than we could entertain, but being the true Quester that I am, I attempted to field every one. We ate banana pancakes and plantains with Robbie and Dave from Hallandale Beach, pulled pork sandwiches and shrimp kabobs from Alan and Steve, and popped in on a parking lot pig roast with Davy and Paully. There was no end to the creativity that was Miami Dolphins Tailgating. Land Shark Stadium itself is an equally impressive facility. Host to Super Bowl XLI, special renovations were undertaken in preparation for the Super Bowl to make this aging facility  more conducive to the needs of
the modern fan. There are several stadiums throughout that league that
could actually benefit from the lessons learned in Miami. Instead of
demolishing and building a monster facility, expansion projects like the
one at Land Shark Stadium can actually prolong the relevance and usability
of these older facilities, saving the organization and taxpayer the
expense of a complete rebuild. Prior to the renovations, Land Shark
stadium was much like many of the other older venues in the NFL. Tight
concourses made for crowded lines at concession stands and a scoreboard
the size of a my flatscreen TV at home, hosted postage stamp sized
replays that you had to squint to to see. The 2007 renovations opened up
the concourses, expanded the suites, and provided the common areas that
have been a hugely successful in many of the monster facilities built in
recent years. The food is fairly standard, but there is a noticeable
Hispanic influence in the available selections. Empanadas, frozen
sangria, and other local delights dot the menu, but most intriguing are
the "arepas" that can be found in specialty stands in the concourse. An arepa is part cornbread pancake and part grilled cheese sandwich, as
mozzarella cheese is melted between two circular corn bread cakes ...
definitely worth a try. As for the game, the Dolphins handled their business in what could
easily have been a trap game against a weaker opponent. Chad Pennington,
Ronnie Brown, and Ricky Williams ran the Wildcat formation to
perfection, producing 21 points en route to a much deserved 21 - 19 win
over the visiting Seattle Seahawks. The seats I scored from TicketCity.com were
excellent and the atmosphere electric. Ted Ginn Jr's touchdown catch in
the first quarter set the tone for the day as Miami battled to maintain
it's position with the pack in the AFC East. With a solid quarterback
under center, a ground game that grinds out the clock, and their
traditionally stingy, solid play on defense, the Dolphins have once
again proven that they are a force to be reckoned with in the AFC East. |
||||||
 |
Compare Prices for Miami Dolphins Tickets Here: Click on the following links Miami Dolphins ticket availability at each of the top online ticket brokers on the web. Try each link to find the cheapest NFL ticket prices: TicketCity.com StubHub.com TicketsNow.com RazorGator.com E-Bay |
Yahoo! Maps  Directions to Land Shark Stadium from your home |
Ask City  Find a Restaurant near Land Shark Stadium |
|
|
|||
|
|
|
1 Sun, 13-Sep at Atlanta 1:00 PM |
|
|
Land Shark Stadium Tours Land Shark Stadium offers group tours for groups of 15 or more. To schedule a tour, please contact the Community Relations department by email at rheard@dolphinstadium.com or by phone at 305-623-6286. Feel free to checkout the Land Shark stadium website at http://www.landsharkstadium.com/. Premiere Fan Forum Post your thoughts on the Miami Dolphins here: FinHeaven.com |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
NFL AIRPORT CODES Phoenix, AZ (PHX) Atlanta, GA (ATL) Baltimore, MD (BWI) Boston, MA (BOS) Buffalo, NY (BUF) Charlotte, NC (CLT) Chicago, IL (ORD) Cincinnati, OH (CVG) Cleveland, OH (CLE) Dallas, TX (DFW) Denver, CO (DEN) Detroit, MI (DTW) Green Bay, WI (GRB) Houston, TX (HOU) Indianapolis, IN (IND) Jacksonville, FL (JAX) Kansas City, MO (MCI) Miami, FL (MIA) Minneapolis, MN (MSP) Nashville, TN (BNA) New Orleans,LA (MSY) New York, NY (NYC) Oakland, CA (OAK) Philadelphia, PA (PHL) Pittsburgh PA (PIT) St. Louis, MO (STL) San Diego, CA (SAN) SanFrancisco,CA(SFO) Seattle, WA (SEA) Tampa, FL (TPA) Washington,DC (DCA) Other Cities |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
||
| The day begins | Excellent Addition | Dan Marino and Don Shula | ||
 |
 |
 |
||
| One Big Fella | Irony by the Numbers | Loungin' | ||
 |
 |
 |
||
| Mr. Fintastic | The fin is a nice touch | Quest for 31 Flag marking our spot | ||
 |
 |
 |
||
| Dave and Robbie Mixin' Rum Runners | Juvenile? Yes. But fun, you betcha! | Debbie celebrated her 350th consecutive game | ||
 |
 |
 |
||
| The view from here ain't so bad | Looking for a win | the lower level is much nicer | ||
 |
 |
 |
||
| Arepas!!!! | How about that Wildcat Formation | Stadium #23 - Land Shark Stadium | ||
| COMMENTS? Please feel free to post any suggestions or comments you might have for my journey to Land Shark Stadium, including the following: - Local Hotspots (Bar Districts, Restaurants, Clubs) - Local Foods (Traditional Cuisine, Micro Brews) - Tailgating Traditions - Your Experiences or Helpful Hints - If you saw me let me know! All commentary will be moderated. Your e-mail address will not be published. |
 |
|
From: Janet White
from Hollywood, FL Sent: Friday, November 14, 2008 13:36:18 EST |
Hi Hans I met you Sunday, 11/9 at the Miami Dolphins game. I was with my son and all our tailgating friends. My friend Debbie is the one who is celebrating her 350 consecutive Dolphin game this coming week. She has never missed a home game since 1974. Good luck on your Quest for 31. It was a pleasure meeting you and look us up next time you are in Miami. Janet |
|||||
|
From: Finatic Bob
from Miami Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 18:28:10 EST |
Hi Hans, It was a pleasure to meet you and share our tailgate and stadium. I'm glad that you had a great time. On the Finatics web site, I have added a link and thanks to our "Sites We Recommend" page. Check it out when you have a chance! Good luck on the rest of your journey! Peace! |
|||||
A Production of Madness Unwatched LLC
Copyright © 2006-2009 nflfootballstadiums.com. All Rights Reserved.
nflfootballstadiums.com is not associated with the National Football League
in any way.
Contact Us
-
About Me
