Denied Early Game, Miami Still Seeks World Cup Final

Miami’s Joe Robbie Stadium was not selected as one of nine sites to hold 1994 World Cup soccer games, but the stadium’s manager confirmed Tuesday that the city still hopes to play host to the final.

“We haven’t been solicited, but when we placed our original bid and placed the deposit, we bid for all the possibilities of first-round games through to the final,” said Glenn Mon, manager for Joe Robbie Stadium.

The stadium, in which play began in 1987, was designed to accommodate soccer’s wide field. It has long been the favorite of FIFA, the sport’s international governing body.

However, after Miami began the bidding process nearly two years ago, the city was awarded a major league baseball franchise. Joe Robbie will be the home of the Florida Marlins, and the ’94 World Cup will be played during baseball season. Because of the conflict, Miami was not selected to stage any of the preliminary games.

It was speculated Monday that Miami would seek the final game, which could bring millions of dollars into the city. Never in World Cup history, however, has a final been held in a city that did not stage preliminary games.

“If the World Cup Organizing Committee is willing to accept a city they did not select to host preliminary rounds, then we are very interested,” Mon said. “We stand ready to participate if called upon. We aren’t hard to find.”

Charles Kenny, managing director of World Cup USA 1994, indicated at a news conference Monday that the preference would be for one of the nine sites named.

Miami’s interest in holding the final affects the chances of Pasadena and Washington, which are considered co-favorites. The Rose Bowl is by far the the largest World Cup venue named Monday, with a capacity of 102,083. Joe Robbie holds 75,000.

But FIFA officials have expressed displeasure with the Rose Bowl’s age--it was built in 1922--and what they call inadequate press and locker room facilities. A remodeling of the Rose Bowl press facilities is under way.