Mr. Margaritaville Wants to Save Marine Stadium

Jimmy Buffett's song and dance routine may not be helping the woeful 0-3 Dolphins, but the singer is hoping a new ad can save the long-neglected Miami Marine Stadium from obscurity.

Showing clips of him performing with his Coral Reefer band at the stadium in 1985, Buffet makes a plea to the public in a new public-service spot to help save the dilapidated venue and restore it to its former glory.

The 7,500-seat stadium has fallen into disrepair since it was closed 17 years ago, in 1992, after damage from Hurricane Andrew made it unsafe. Where it once played host to speed boat races and A-list concerts, graffiti and rotting chairs now dot the landscape.

"It's a symbol of everything that's great about Florida -- boats, music, water and great Florida fun," Buffett says in the new ad. "I think the stadium deserves a future."

Buffett made the ad to support Friends of Miami Marine Stadium, a group which hopes to find a way to repair the 46-year-old stadium.

"He is the single performer who is most identified with that stadium," Don Worth, a founder of Friends of Miami Marine Stadium, told the Miami Herald. "I like to think we proved ourselves to him. It's a huge credibility boost for us."

The group has helped win historic designation for the stadium and helped raise $50,000 to commission a engineering study to determine the costs of restoring the landmark.

But with estimates in the millions, and the city already strapped for cash, they'll need Buffett's help to help wrangle in funds from parrotheads and just about anyone else.

"We had a great time at the marine stadium," Buffett says in the ad. "Let's do it again."

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