A day after watching the first Dolphins preseason game since he bought a majority stake in the team, owner Stephen Ross spoke in detail about his desire to turn each game into an entertainment-laden ``Sunday party.''

But not at the expense of the game.

``We recognize the most important thing is winning,'' Ross told The Miami Herald on Tuesday.

``Everything else is on the margins.''

The game-day glitz is part of a multipronged strategy to remake the franchise into what he sees as South Florida's multiethnic, glamorous image; rebuild a season ticket base that has sunk almost 20 percent since 2006; and to lure younger fans from around the state -- especially from Miami-Dade County.

``In my mind, I always felt they neglected Miami,'' Ross said of the Dolphins marketing and community efforts during the 15 years Broward-based H. Wayne Huizenga was majority owner.

But, he said, ``You don't ever want to forget to take care of the fans you already have. I think singer Jimmy Buffett really kind of personifies those fans.''

Buffett and his Land Shark beer have a marketing agreement with the Dolphins.

Next Tuesday, the Dolphins will announce three more limited ownership partners, at least one of which will be African-American, Ross indicated. Ross already has added producers/performers Emilio and Gloria Estefan, longtime Miami Beach residents, and singer Marc Anthony, now married to former Miami Beach resident Jennifer Lopez, as limited partners.

``We're going to put a lot of emphasis on reconnecting with Miami-Dade County,'' said Dolphins chief executive officer Mike Dee said, who with Ross and team vice chairman Jorge Perez, the prominent Miami real estate developer, met with Miami Herald editors and reporters on Tuesday. ``The Estefans are part of that.''

Ross added: ``It's the Miami Dolphins, not the Fort Lauderdale Dolphins. The heart of this area is Miami. Yes, we are reaching out to that.''

REACHING OUT

Ross believes the team should reach out to the Spanish-language media. No representatives of it were at Joe's Stone Crab for the Dolphins' 2008 team awards breakfast, stunning Ross and his aides. Since then, all press releases have been distributed in English and Spanish. Dee said the percentage of advertising dollars spent on English-language media -- estimated at 90 percent -- would be reduced.

Several changes to Land Shark Stadium and the game-day atmosphere around the stadium are being made or will be made. Some will be cosmetic, such as painting the outside of the stadium and featuring works by artist Romero Britto. Others, such as changes to shorten waits in concession and restroom lines, speak to oft-heard fan complaints.

Ross said improvements to the stadium, built in 1987, are necessary to keep pace with other teams' facilities. Despite the $250 million face lift the stadium received in 2006, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had harshly criticized the facility as outdated in May when he explained why South Florida finished behind New Orleans and Phoenix in the bid for the February 2013 Super Bowl.

Ross didn't wholly disagree with Goodell.

``It's how you spend the money,'' he said of the upgrade done under Huizenga. ``You would've thought for that money, it would have a bigger impact.''

CELEBRITY FACTOR

Ross' vision of a ``Sunday party'' includes featuring more celebrities, who along with former Dolphins stars, will be given an ``Orange Carpet'' treatment. He believes South Florida is about ``celebrities, entertainment and lifestyles,'' which, in Ross' view, makes Miami one of the nation's three unique cities -- along with New York and Los Angeles.

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