An ownership group led by David Beckham purchases land for a soccer stadium in Miami with hopes of a securing an MLS franchise.
After more than four years of scouting land with his ownership group, soccer star David Beckham is one step closer to bringing a Major League Soccer franchise to Miami.
“Commissioners voted 9-4 this afternoon to sell a county-owned parcel of land in Overtown to Beckham’s group for $9 million — the final piece of land needed to begin work on a stadium next to the Miami River.”
Miami Beckham United already paid $19 million for six other acres of land needed for the stadium and it would be privately funded with the stadium being subject to county property tax.
Beckham was awarded a future expansion franchise after signing a deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 that gave him the right to do so for $25 million and announced the decision for a Miami franchise in 2013.
The approval for a new stadium, however, comes with criticism from residents.
“I want you to consider me and think of me when I’m not able to sleep at night because of the lights and the sounds from the crowd,” Meredith Vey, a Spring Garden resident, told commissioners before the vote.
The last hurdle for Beckham and his group is to get approval for a new franchise in Miami by MLS officials. They are expected to visit the stadium site on Wednesday.
If Miami gets approved for a new MLS franchise, this wouldn’t be their first time in the league. The city has been without a soccer team since 2001 when the Miami Fusion ceased operations after just four seasons due to poor ticket sales. However, with the recent success for MLS, it wouldn’t hurt to give Miami another chance for an expansion. Just take a look at Orlando City Soccer Club.
