Miami-Dade County has granted permission to the Miami Marlins, led by CEO Derek Jeter, to move Red Grooms's massive kinetic sculpture *Homer* from its original location inside Marlins Park to a new outdoor plaza called the Marlins Park Art Walk. The 73-foot-tall, $2.5 million artwork, which activates with water jets and spinning figures after every Marlins home run, has been opposed by the 81-year-old artist, who argues the un-weatherized piece will be damaged by the elements. Grooms and his wife have publicly appealed to keep the sculpture in place, but the county's Art in Public Places board approved the relocation, with the team facing a $2,000-a-day fine if the work is not reinstalled by January 1, 2020.
This dispute matters because it highlights the tension between public art commissions and the priorities of new team ownership, especially when a high-profile figure like Derek Jeter is involved. The removal of a major, site-specific artwork from a stadium—replacing it with a fan zone aimed at boosting low attendance—raises questions about the preservation of public art, the enforceability of artists' contractual rights, and the balance between commercial interests and cultural commitments. The case also underscores the vulnerability of large-scale public works when institutional leadership changes, and the financial stakes for municipalities that fund such projects.