The city of Miami has bought into David Beckham's vision of bringing in a Major League Soccer franchise. It hasn't bought into Beckham's vision of building a soccer stadium for his MLS franchise.
According to Reuters, the English soccer icon still has not found a location for his franchise - more than a year after announcing plans to put a team in Miami.
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Beckham tried to secure land for a 25,000-seat bayfront arena in the downtown Miami area, but city officials nixed the plan after an executive with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and the former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles joined forces to block the attempt because they thought the stadium would affect Miami's economic plans based on the expansion of the Panama Canal.
Alternately, he tried to secure a location between the Miami Heat basketball arena and the city's art museum.
Those plans also were scrapped, leaving Beckham still scrambling to satisfy the wishes of the MLS. Its commissioner, Don Garber, has indicated that the new team have its own facility near downtown Miami.
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"If we can't get the right stadium, we can't go to Miami," Garber told Reuters in October.
Tadd Schwartz, a spokesman for Beckham said that the team still has several options available.
"The Miami Beckham United team is actively looking at four or five sites," Schwartz said.
In fact, Miami-Dade County lawmakers voted Tuesday to allow the county to enter negotiations with Florida International University for use of its stadium on a temporary basis.
"Right now, our focus is on identifying the location for a purpose-built stadium that will be the team's permanent home," Schwartz wrote.
Despite the delay and the threats of pulling out of Miami has not deterred Beckham.
"You can't build a stadium overnight, so finding the right site, finding the right place in Miami is important for us. But it will all start coming together pretty quickly and everything will start happening pretty soon," Beckham told E! Online last month.
No timetable has been listed publicly for Beckham's group to find a stadium in time for the team to start playing in 2016.
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"If we can't get the right stadium, we can't go to Miami," Garber told Reuters in October.
Tadd Schwartz, a spokesman for Beckham said that the team still has several options available.
"The Miami Beckham United team is actively looking at four or five sites," Schwartz said.
In fact, Miami-Dade County lawmakers voted Tuesday to allow the county to enter negotiations with Florida International University for use of its stadium on a temporary basis.
"Right now, our focus is on identifying the location for a purpose-built stadium that will be the team's permanent home," Schwartz wrote.
Despite the delay and the threats of pulling out of Miami has not deterred Beckham.
"You can't build a stadium overnight, so finding the right site, finding the right place in Miami is important for us. But it will all start coming together pretty quickly and everything will start happening pretty soon," Beckham told E! Online last month.
No timetable has been listed publicly for Beckham's group to find a stadium in time for the team to start playing in 2016.
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