Marlins executives to talk with Portland officials about ballpark

MIAMI (AP) _ Florida Marlins representatives plan to meet next week with Portland, Ore. officials about the team's possible relocation to the city in the event it can't get a baseball-only stadium

Friday, January 6th 2006, 9:24 pm

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) _ Florida Marlins representatives plan to meet next week with Portland, Ore. officials about the team's possible relocation to the city in the event it can't get a baseball-only stadium in South Florida.

Marlins president David Samson will travel to Portland on Monday for a one-day visit, team spokesman P.J. Loyello said Friday. Samson will be accompanied by Marlins vice chairman Joel Mael and Claude Delorme, who is in charge of stadium development.

Since their inception in 1993, the Marlins have shared the Miami Dolphins' home, owned by Wayne Huizenga. The Marlins' lease with the stadium is in effect until 2007, and the team could move after that.

If the team relocates, Las Vegas and Portland appear to be the early front-runners.