Major League Baseball is closing in on finalizing a new ballpark deal in downtown Miami that would keep the Marlins in South Florida for a generation, the sport's No. 2 official said on Saturday night, just prior to the annual dinner held by the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation at a local hotel. The ballpark, replete with a retractable roof, would be located in a redevelopment district just miles inland from the American Airlines Arena, which is located on the banks of Biscayne Bay. "Our highest priority this winter is to get a ballpark deal done in Miami," Bob DuPuy, Major League Baseball's president and chief operating officer, told MLB.com. "We've had tremendous cooperation from the county manager and the mayor. There have been several meetings and we are really optimistic we can get this done. There's a will to get this done. It's necessary for the Marlins. We're committed to baseball remaining in South Florida."