loanDepot park - Miami Marlins
- Vinny Martin
- Aug 15
- 5 min read
Updated: 51 minutes ago
Photos by Vinny Martin, Richard Smith, and Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
loanDepot park 501 Marlins Way Miami, FL 33125
Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 36,742
Baseball in the 305
loanDepot Park, originally known as Marlins Park, opened in 2012 as the exclusive home of the newly rebranded Miami Marlins. The Marlins called SunLife Stadium (now Hard Rock Stadium) home from 1993 to 2011, and shared the facility with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL.
loanDepot Park is located in the Little Havana neighborhood, about 2 miles west of Downtown Miami. It is one of MLB's smallest ballparks by capacity and features a retractable roof, an essential amenity during Miami's hot and humid summers. loanDepot Park is notably the first and only ballpark to be built under a contemporary architectural design, making it one of a kind among Major League Baseball stadiums.
Food & Beverage 4
There are very impressive options for food and drinks at loanDepot Park, with a good variety of cultural options to represent the city. Sergio’s and Los Verdes offer a variety of Latin and Cuban options, such as empanadas, rice bowls, and Cuban sandwiches. Aside from the conventional ballgame options, hungry Marlins fans can find gourmet sliders, tacos, and barbecue, to name a few options.
Miami’s party atmosphere is well represented with multiple bars scattered throughout the concourse, including the Blue Moon Brew Hall, the Budweiser Bar, and the Bacardi Bar.
A rare experience at professional sporting events is being able to have a sit-down meal while watching the game. You can do that at loanDepot, with the Bullpen Bar and Grill offering great views of the game from left field, as well as a view right into the home bullpen.
Atmosphere 4
The best way to describe loanDepot Park is unique. While many ballparks built during this era take inspiration from retro classic parks like Camden Yards, loanDepot is truly one of a kind. The venue's design is contemporary and modern, giving loanDepot Park a feel unlike virtually any other stadium in Major League Baseball.
Stadium Journey recommends taking a walk around the entire exterior of the stadium to be able to appreciate its quirky design. Recent renovations replaced much of the stadium's original neon green and orange color scheme with the light blue featured in the Marlins' current branding. A fixture of the pre-renovation interior was a very colorful (and slightly odd-looking) home run sculpture. Fortunately, the Marlins moved this sculpture to the exterior of the stadium so fans can still take a look.
The gameday atmosphere is very distinctly Miami. The Marlins do a great job of making the energy vibrant and fun despite a lack of fans on most nights. There are fun light and sound effects for home runs, as well as Marlins wins. Concession works also double as drummers, attempting to fire up the crowd with “Let’s Go Marlins” chants.
The star of loanDepot Park is the left field walkway, with the aforementioned Budweiser balcony and the Norwegian Cruise Line deck being great general admission areas to watch the game, and the gigantic glass window offering stunning views of the Miami skyline.
Neighborhood 3
loanDepot Park is located in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, about 10-15 minutes away from downtown. Little Havana is a vibrant part of the city, with Cuban-influenced architecture and parks. While Little Havana is filled with Cuban restaurants, bars, parks, and cultural attractions, much of the neighborhood's activity is centered around Calle Ocho rather than the immediate blocks surrounding the ballpark.
Downtown Miami and Brickell, along with their hundreds of bars, restaurants, and entertainment options, are a short drive away.
Fans 2
Excitement for baseball in South Florida has often been lacking, and with the Marlins struggling to compete for a majority of their existence, that remains as true as ever. Visiting team fans often swarm loanDepot park, often creating a fairly neutral atmosphere. The Marlins fans who show up are passionate about their team and make noise, but just don’t do so in large enough numbers to make an impact.
loanDepot Park has yet to host a playoff game in its existence. It would be interesting to see how Marlins fans would show up for October baseball.
Access 3
loanDepot Park is serviced by I-95 and I-395. Traffic getting into the stadium is usually manageable due to the lower crowds, but prepare for some delays on weeknights. If traveling from downtown Miami, the main access to Little Havana is by drawbridge, which can considerably delay you if the bridge is up.
There are parking lots, as well as four parking garages surrounding the stadium. There are also Miami-Dade Metrorail stations within a mile of the gate.
The stadium's main concourse is located on its second level, with multiple escalators and ramps bringing fans up from the street level. The concourses of loanDepot Park are very wide and easy to get around.
Return on Investment 4
A Marlins game can be a very affordable experience. Depending on the time of year, day of the week, and opponent, tickets can be found fairly consistently for under $30. There are also some great deals on the secondary market, and parking is no more than $20 depending on the lot.
The real investment is in the concessions, which are surprisingly priced very high. Food and drink prices are more representative of what you will find at Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park. The 305 menu is available for more affordability, but at very small portions.
Extras 5
The bobblehead museum is located in center field. It is a huge display of hundreds of bobbleheads of Marlins players and other notable baseball stars. It is a very unique feature of this ballpark.
Another point is the left-field glass offering a view of the Miami skyline. Seriously, it is one of the best skyline views you will ever find at a stadium. The view becomes even more impressive once the sun goes down.
Despite hosting no playoff games, loanDepot Park has been home to multiple World Baseball Classic tournament games, as well as the WBC championship in 2023 and 2026. Miami also hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2017.
loanDepot Park was named the “Greenest MLB Ballpark” after its opening in 2012, becoming the first MLB venue to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
The site used to be home to the Miami Orange Bowl, before it was demolished in 2008. There is a very cool nod to the former stadium, as fans can see letters of the old Orange Bowl sign poking up from the pavement near the third base gate.
Final Thoughts
loanDepot Park is truly one of a kind. The Marlins and Jeffry Loria deserve credit for taking a risk pioneering the contemporary style of baseball stadiums. Despite a lackluster atmosphere and a location somewhat disconnected from Miami's major tourist areas, a gameday experience here is one of high quality. The World Baseball Classic showed us what this ballpark and this city's fans are capable of. If the Marlins franchise ever finds more success and fan interest grows, the potential of loanDepot is through the (retractable) roof.
Follow Vinny’s stadium journeys on TikTok @vinnymartin_
