MIAMI (WSVN) - The 88th edition of the MLB All-Star game is coming to Miami.
“I mean, we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” said Ethan Orlinsky, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for MLB Properties.
The nearly week-long celebration, from July 6 through July 11, is 18 months in the making.
“Monday and Tuesday will be sold out. Sunday we’re over 30,000 tickets already sold,” said Miami Marlins Executive Vice President of Operations and Events Claude Delorme.
There will be plenty to do at the park and other venues for baseball fans of all ages: the All-Star fan fest, the All-Star gala, a parade and more.
Preparations are underway at Marlins Park to help ensure a safe and wonderful experience for baseball fans.
Authorities want to warn against counterfeit items, including tickets and merchandise. Undercover officers will be present in order to combat the sale of these items.
“$461 billion are lost annually to counterfeits both on an international scale and a local scale, and our job is to try to make everybody, all the fans feel comfortable,” said Orlinsky.
Officials said to ensure you are getting legitimate items, look out for holographic stickers with a raised baseball design.
“The holographic sticker is unique to every item,” said Orlinsky.
Also, avoid items with ripped tags or irregular markings.
Officials are also determined to keep fans safe using a multi-agency security plan.
Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies will be present in order to keep the peace. First responders will also be on hand in case of emergencies.
“Miami Fire Department is a very dense organization,” said City of Miami Assistant Fire Chief Alejandro Fernandez. “You can’t throw a rock without hitting a fire station in the area of Marlins Stadium, so in addition to all of the resources that we have allocated to the event, we also have multiple fire stations in very close proximity.”
“Last year, we did send some officers and some of my staff to San Diego to acquire the lessons learned,” said Miami-Dade Police Major Ed Caneva.
Training drills that were part of a larger initiative last year have since proved helpful.
Beyonce’s Formation World Tour kick-off last April at Marlins Park proved to be a valuable teaching tool on how best to get fans inside safely.
“We knew the All-Star game was coming,” said Miami Fire Rescue Chief Joseph Zahralban.
This year’s MLB All-Star week may even give the Miami Marlins a boost.
“Our experience also, for those who are local,” said Orlinsky, “is that oftentimes we bring the All-Star game to a city, and shortly thereafter the team makes it to the postseason.”
If you plan on attending any of the events at Marlins Park or plan to be in the area, make sure you leave your house early. There will will certainly be some extra traffic and road closures.
All-Star week begins Thursday, with the game beginning Tuesday at 7 p.m. on WSVN.
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