Marlins move closer to new park and new name

MIAMI (Reuters) - Major League Baseball's Florida Marlins moved a step closer to a new $525 million home in downtown Miami after Miami-Dade county commissioners approved in principle a multi-billion dollar development plan.

Commission media director Hernando Vergara told Reuters the broad ranging plan, which has already been backed by Miami city commissioners, was passed 9-4 although details remain subject to negotiation and possible individual votes.

"Some pieces will likely come back and there is to be a vote on Thursday to give the mayor the right to begin negotiations," said Vergara.

The plan envisages the demolition of the Orange Bowl stadium, one of the U.S's best known sports venues which has fallen into disrepair, and the building of a baseball park with a retractable roof, on the site of the old stadium.

The Florida Marlins, who have been keen to leave their current venue at Dolphin Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins NFL team, will part-finance the new baseball venue.

A report posted on Tuesday on the Marlins Web site (florida.marlins.mlb.com) said the team would contribute $155 million to the new venue and rename themselves the Miami Marlins as part of the deal.

The Marlins are under lease at Dolphin Stadium until the end of the 2010 season.

Money originally planned for Orange Bowl renovations will be pushed into a new soccer stadium which will sit next to the baseball park.

Miami does not have a Major League Soccer franchise although a soccer-specific venue would boost their chances of gaining an expansion slot, possibly as early as 2010.

Miami FC, who play in the second tier United Soccer Leagues, have been party to the negotiations about the new soccer venue.

The Orange Bowl's main residents, the University of Miami's American football team, voted earlier this year to leave the venue and move to Dolphin Stadium, which sealed the fate of the downtown stadium.

Although the sports aspect of the plan has grabbed the most attention in the city, the redevelopment would include a lengthy list of projects including a downtown tram (streetcar) system and an underwater tunnel to the Port of Miami.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)