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FBL-USA-MLS-MIAMI-BECKHAM
Beckham celebrates as Miami voters approve path to stadium
CORAL GABLES, United States, Nov 7, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – David Beckham was
celebrating in South Florida on Tuesday after his dream of building a team in
Major League Soccer took a notable step forward.
The former England captain’s push to bring a franchise to Miami has been
hamstrung for close to five years with a suitable venue for a new stadium
extremely difficult to find.
But voters in Miami on Tuesday came out in favor of a change in
regulations that will allow his ownership group — Miami Freedom Park Group
LLC — to negotiate a 99-year lease for the latest target: city owned land at
the Melreese Country Club, the city’s only municipal golf course, near Miami
airport.
The measure voted on Tuesday, which allows for a no-bid process in
negotiations, had a 60 percent lead with 88 percent of precincts reporting.
The 73 acre site is the fifth location put forward by Beckham, whose
investment group consists of Jorge Mas and his brother Jose, owners of local
infrastructure company MasTec, as well as Sprint chairman Marcelo Claure and
SoftBank chief executive Masayoshi Son.
The saga has stretched on since February 2014, when Beckham first
announced his intentions to own a franchise.
There’s much more work to do, yet the 43-year-old Londoner was delighted
to have cleared the latest hurdle in what has been a torturous process so
far.
“I need to say a big thanks to the fans who have stuck by us,” the former
Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy star told AFP after speaking
emotionally in front of an excitable crowd in Coral Gables, many of whom were
decked out in Inter Miami FC colors.
“Today is an exciting day,” Beckham said. “We have had a dream of bringing
a team to this great city. We want to create a legacy, something our children
will aspire to.
“But we also want to win. I am not coming here just to have a pretty team.
Winning championships are important to me.”
– Hurdles remain –
The next step, however, is far from straightforward.
Beckham’s group must now earn approval from four of the five city
commissioners. Two of them — Manolo Reyes, a staunch critic of the plans,
and Willy Gort, whose district includes Melreese — opposed the referendum
earlier this year.
Furthermore, with the Melreese site built on a toxic waste dump which
could cost upwards of $35 million to clean up, doubters have suggested the
plans will encounter many more roadblocks before building permits are
granted, something which must happen by November 2019 according to the
previously agreed MLS expansion agreement.
Critics fear the clean-up costs could spiral and leave the taxpayers
footing the bill — a daunting prospect after the uproar caused after
baseball’s Miami Marlins Stadium fiasco left locals with a tab which has
almost reached $3 billion.
Beckham’s lavish $1 billion, privately financed project will include a
stadium complex as well as a huge shopping mall, a 750 room hotel, office
space and a 58-acre public park.
Locals were encouraged to vote ‘yes’ to ensure jobs and other benefits for
Miami including $20 million to help reinvigorate other public parks in the
area.
MLS stress the team will begin playing in 2020 although it will have to be
at a temporary venue, potentially at the Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami
Dolphins, or the Marlins baseball stadium.
“We will look at all options,” Jorge Mas said.
BSS/AFP/BZC/2010HRS