Latest details on Miami Dolphins and stadium renovations (with photos)

On Friday afternoon, the Miami Dolphins held a media event that brought those down in South Florida to Sun Life Stadium to review and present all of the renovations of Sun Life Stadium. Based on various reports from the media, here's what was presented at the event, which was attended by Emilio Estefan, Stephen Ross, Tom Garfinkel, Mike Tannebaum, Dan Marino, Dawn Aponte, Dennis Hickey and Joe Philbin.

• The stadium will still be called Sun Life Stadium in the short term.
  
• The Dolphins will seek a new naming rights partner once renovations are done.
  
• In 2014, 17% of the stadium was in the shade. In 2015 and beyond, 92% will be in the shade.
  
• Lower level seats will be moved in 25 feet on both sidelines
  
• The current capacity of the stadium is 76,018. It will be reduced to 65,326.
  
• The reduction in seats will be noticed in the upper level. More lower level seats coming.
  
• During the University of Miami football games, capacity will be down around 55,000. 
  
• A large UM banner will hang in one of the endzones during their games.
  
• Scoreboards, suites and the club level will be remodeled for the start of the 2016 season.
  
• The canopy will also be added for the start of the 2016 season.
  
• They will continue to have a grass field, even with the canopy.
• Ross said that soccer games played at Sun Life will be far superior to any MLS product.

Ross, of course, was ecstatic about the renovations. This is a huge moment for him because the vast majority will be funded by him. Thus, his fingerprints will be all over it and this will be the legacy that he leaves South Florida.

"This is a very exciting day for me, and also for South Florida. Miami is certainly the most aspirational cities in the world. I've always said it needed a first-class stadium. This will create a new stadium and entertainment complex," he said. "We're already working with the Super Bowl committee, led by Rodney Barreto. We're very, very excited about it. The NFL, they want to come to Miami. ... We're talking about having it on a regular basis."

Ross did acknowledge that the Dolphins have yet to put a winning team on the field under his leadership but he is confident that it will change beginning in 2015. 

Miami-Dade Carlos Gimenez also had great words to say about the renovations and talked about the economic impact it will have on the Miami-Dade county.

"Today is a great day in the history of Miami-Dade County. This is a performance-based agreement than provides incentives" to bring major events to South Florida. This is a unique and innovative agreement that will protect M-D taxpayers but keep the Dolphins in our community. No general funds money will ever be at risk. Renovations will create 3,400 new full-time and part-time jobs. Economic impact of the team and the stadium are estimated to be in excess of $1B annually. This agreement is a win-win."

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs. Adam Beasley and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald along with Hal Habib and Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post all contributed to this report. Photos are courtesy of Habib and the Miami Dolphins.