Here's David Beckham's group site plan for downtown Miami soccer stadium: pic.twitter.com/LQLeWFuKQX
— Patricia Mazzei (@PatriciaMazzei) May 22, 2014
Here's how David Beckham's group is pitching downtown Miami MLS stadium. Would take over 4.2 Museum Park acres pic.twitter.com/1rTonAwpub — Patricia Mazzei (@PatriciaMazzei) May 22, 2014
David Beckham's pursuit of an MLS franchise has just one final hurdle: Building a soccer-specific stadium in a desired location.
On Thursday, his ownership group revealed alternative plans after his pursuit of a Port Miami site failed to come to fruition. Those plans include filling a deep-water boat slip and turning it into land next the Miami Heat's American Airlines Arena, with the long side of the soccer field parallel to Biscayne Boulevard.
Preliminary designs were released in order to offset amateur drawings put out earlier this week from local soccer fans looking to build support. In a statement, Beckham released his vision for the new site (h/t to the Miami Herald). "By expanding Museum Park with new public spaces anchored by world-class art and science museums and a world-class soccer club, we'll be activating the waterfront on a year-round basis."
His fellow investor, Miami-based billionaire Marcelo Claure, added, "Our plans to transform the FEC slip and Parcel B into soccer grounds and a public park will give Miami fans a chance to experience the thrill of the sport right in the heart of downtown."
Claure acknowledges that Beckham MLS stadium plans in Miami have been "moving quickly"
— Patricia Mazzei (@PatriciaMazzei) May 22, 2014
By no stretch of the imagination are the renderings released Thursday by the ownership group as enthralling as the $2 million renderings released for the Port Miami site. They are, however, more realistic in their approach.
The city of Miami owns all properties involved and all that would be needed is a land swap that would exempt the stadium structure from property taxes (per Patricia Mazzei of the Miami Herald). The ownership group would pay the $20 million estimate required to fill the slip and most of the cost to construct the stadium itself.
Will the stadium's location be enough to launch a successful MLS franchise in Miami? Tell us @SportsWN
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