Orange Bowl Site History

Since 1935 when the Orange Bowl Classic was played on a field before the stadium was built, the location of loanDepot park has compiled the most storied record of any team sports venue in Florida. As loanDepot park begins its own history, the site will open its next chapter, continuing a legendary 77-year history of football, baseball, soccer, public events and major concerts attended by tens of millions of fans.

History of the Site:

Built as a Depression-era Works Progress Administration project in 1936, the original Roddy Burdine Stadium was designed to host the Orange Bowl Classic college football game and the University of Miami.

Since then the site has seen:

  • The longest college football winning streak in NCAA history when the University of Miami won 58 consecutive home games.
  • The only Perfect Season in the history of the NFL, the 1972 Miami Dolphins
  • The 31-game NFL record for home game victories
  • 60 years of Orange Bowl Classic legends
  • 16 college national championship games
  • Five Super Bowls
  • 60 years of University of Miami football
  • 21 years of Miami Dolphins football
  • 1996 Summer Olympics soccer
  • The Miami Seahawks, which became the Baltimore Colts
  • The minor-league Miami Marlins baseball team in the 1950s, starring renowned pitcher Leroy "Satchel" Paige
  • Boxing championships
  • Wrestling competitions
  • President Kennedy's 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis speech
  • Concerts by Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Madonna, Van Halen, the Rolling Stones

Tributes to the Orange Bowl at loanDepot park

Orange Bowl Tribute Art Piece

Located in the loanDepot park East Plaza resides a series of art pieces that come together to form Daniel Arsham's "Orange Bowl Tribute". The piece is intended to show what the letters in the signage "MIAMI ORANGE BOWL" would have looked like as they naturally fell to the ground during the fall of the previous facility.

Orange Bowl Public Benches

Located off of Bobby Maduro Drive (NW 5th Street) and Marlins Way (NW 16th Avenue) resides a couple of park benches made from some of the original seats from the Miami Orange Bowl.

In-Park Tribute

Located near sections 24-25, this in-park tribute documents the storied history of the Miami Orange Bowl.

Open East "End Zone"

The loanDepot park design also provides an open East end to provide unobstructed views to the Downtown Miami Skyline.

Inside loanDepot park