The Hialeah Racetrack was demolished this year after much controversy, and now, one more of Miami’s historic sites may be saying goodbye for good. For 70 years the Orange Bowl Stadium has held various sports events, five Super Bowls, car shows, concerts, Monster Jam, and it was even the stage for a speech once given by President John F. Kennedy. Today, its future is in question.

Many different games such as football, soccer, boxing, and baseball have been held at the stadium. But for the seven decades of the stadium’s existence, it has been known as the home of the University of Miami Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes won three national championships at the stadium and had a 58 home game winning streak, between 1985 and 1994, that broke a NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) record.

“I can remember every Orange Bowl game that I’ve gone to ever since I was five, it is a place of many fond memories for me,” said freshman Jesus De la Rosa.

But the decaying stadium’s condition has not improved over the years, especially after the impact hurricane Wilma had on it back in 2005. The damages caused by hurricane Wilma were repaired, and the idea of further renovation was brought up. The city offered University of Miami trustees a $206 million budget for repairs, but after much consideration the offer was declined.

Instead, the Canes will play at Dolphin Stadium starting in 2008; their first game is schedule to take place Saturday, August 30th, 2008. By doing so, the university’s football team expects to collect an additional $2 million in profits a year.

“I didn’t want to do it. I think that for all of us who love the Orange Bowl, and I clearly haven’t been here as long as everyone else, that we made extraordinary efforts to see whether it was possible to stay,” said UM President Donna Shalala to a Sun-Sentinel reporter.

So the question is: What happens to the Orange Bowl?

There has been talk about two outcomes. The first would be the idea of making it the official home of the Florida Marlins; they have been playing at Dolphin Stadium since 1993. Now the team has been discussing the idea of a baseball only facility, and this might be just the place.

The other outcome would be demolition. This suggestion caused much frenzy amongst the 17 million fans that have been visiting the Orange Bowl games over the years. However, nothing definite has been established. For the time remaining the Hurricanes will continue bringing in the crowds into Miami’s most historic site; their last game will be on Saturday, November 10th, 2007, against Virginia.