MIAMI —  The Florida Marlins' new ballpark won't open until the 2012 season, a one-year delay because a recent court challenge slowed the start of construction.

Last Friday, a Miami-Dade circuit judge eliminated the final legal obstacle _ a lawsuit filed by auto dealer Norman Braman against several projects, including the 37,000-seat, retractable-roof stadium.

The Marlins, however, have yet to break ground at the site.

"The litigation pushed us back," team president David Samson said. "We met with the construction manager, and he told us the risk was not manageable to open in 2011. The cost of accelerating construction would be too high."

The Marlins still expect to meet the targeted cost of $515 million for the ballpark, Samson said.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.