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| David Beckham's grand plan for Port Miami stadium for new MLS team | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Beckham’s proposed Miami MLS team will be playing in front of 25,000 fans in a hi-tech new stadium located on the city’s exclusive waterfront if the group behind the venture gets its way. | David Beckham’s proposed Miami MLS team will be playing in front of 25,000 fans in a hi-tech new stadium located on the city’s exclusive waterfront if the group behind the venture gets its way. |
| On Monday, the Miami Beckham United group presented its breath-taking vision for an open-air, bowl-like stadium offering fans a stunning view of the Downtown Miami skyline, which it hopes to have completed in time for the 2018 MLS season. | On Monday, the Miami Beckham United group presented its breath-taking vision for an open-air, bowl-like stadium offering fans a stunning view of the Downtown Miami skyline, which it hopes to have completed in time for the 2018 MLS season. |
| However, while the artist impressions are geared to garner public support and sell the local government on the Beckham faction’s best-case scenario, the group appears to be no closer to actually securing the highly-desired real estate at PortMiami. | However, while the artist impressions are geared to garner public support and sell the local government on the Beckham faction’s best-case scenario, the group appears to be no closer to actually securing the highly-desired real estate at PortMiami. |
| Instead, the waterfront remains the preferred option of four city locations still under consideration, according to Beckham’s New York-based real estate advisor John Alschuler who spoke at a Monday news conference. | Instead, the waterfront remains the preferred option of four city locations still under consideration, according to Beckham’s New York-based real estate advisor John Alschuler who spoke at a Monday news conference. |
| “It will create an unparalleled experience in soccer in the United States, perhaps an unparalleled experience anywhere in the world,” he said. | “It will create an unparalleled experience in soccer in the United States, perhaps an unparalleled experience anywhere in the world,” he said. |
| “The port of Miami is the right place because it will create a great stadium, it will energize downtown, it will create jobs and economic value.” | “The port of Miami is the right place because it will create a great stadium, it will energize downtown, it will create jobs and economic value.” |
| The task now facing Beckham, his investors and advisors, who have pledged to privately fund the building of the stadium and its ancillary elements, is to convince Miami-Dade county to let out (or perhaps just hand over) a significant plot of some of the most valuable real estate in the United States in aid of a sport that has already failed once in the city, while also providing tax breaks that would somewhat offset any rent income. | The task now facing Beckham, his investors and advisors, who have pledged to privately fund the building of the stadium and its ancillary elements, is to convince Miami-Dade county to let out (or perhaps just hand over) a significant plot of some of the most valuable real estate in the United States in aid of a sport that has already failed once in the city, while also providing tax breaks that would somewhat offset any rent income. |
| Some county officials believe the port area, a global hotspot for cruises and already inhabited by the Miami Heat basketball team, can’t handle any more traffic and has no room for the expected 5,000 cars descending upon every game. Royal Caribbean cruises, which draws a lot of water in the city, has already filed an objection to a port location. | Some county officials believe the port area, a global hotspot for cruises and already inhabited by the Miami Heat basketball team, can’t handle any more traffic and has no room for the expected 5,000 cars descending upon every game. Royal Caribbean cruises, which draws a lot of water in the city, has already filed an objection to a port location. |
| Alschuler said Heat games and cruise departure schedules would never clash and a European-style “march to the match” over a pedestrianized and currently unused drawbridge would be encouraged to reduce the need for parking spaces. | Alschuler said Heat games and cruise departure schedules would never clash and a European-style “march to the match” over a pedestrianized and currently unused drawbridge would be encouraged to reduce the need for parking spaces. |
| The group also wants to build a public plaza in the stadium’s shadow with shops, restaurants, a nightclub, an outdoor venue for film/sports screenings and concerts as well as a potential soccer museum. The funding source(s) for those proposed elements remains murky, with Alschuler saying shared fiscal responsibility would be sought. | The group also wants to build a public plaza in the stadium’s shadow with shops, restaurants, a nightclub, an outdoor venue for film/sports screenings and concerts as well as a potential soccer museum. The funding source(s) for those proposed elements remains murky, with Alschuler saying shared fiscal responsibility would be sought. |
| The prime location issue isn’t the only obstacle the Miami Beckham United group faces in getting its plans approved. Stadium builds and renovations are a hot topic in the city at the moment with the political waters just as shark-infested as the location Beckham seeks to occupy. | The prime location issue isn’t the only obstacle the Miami Beckham United group faces in getting its plans approved. Stadium builds and renovations are a hot topic in the city at the moment with the political waters just as shark-infested as the location Beckham seeks to occupy. |
| The Miami Marlins baseball club owner Jeffrey Loria remains among the city’s most disliked individuals, after taking $500m in taxpayer money (costs will rise to $2.4 billion over the next 40 years) to construct a new ballpark with a promise to build the city a World Series-contending team. | The Miami Marlins baseball club owner Jeffrey Loria remains among the city’s most disliked individuals, after taking $500m in taxpayer money (costs will rise to $2.4 billion over the next 40 years) to construct a new ballpark with a promise to build the city a World Series-contending team. |
| Midway through Marlins Park’s inaugural season in 2012 Loria pulled the plug and traded away most of the team’s big stars. Last season the hapless Marlins finished with the second worst record in MLB and are expected to fare little better in 2014. | Midway through Marlins Park’s inaugural season in 2012 Loria pulled the plug and traded away most of the team’s big stars. Last season the hapless Marlins finished with the second worst record in MLB and are expected to fare little better in 2014. |
| The resentment and cynicism at pubic and local government level is still palpable, meaning Beckham and co. must tread very lightly. Miami does not want to get burned so embarrassingly again. | The resentment and cynicism at pubic and local government level is still palpable, meaning Beckham and co. must tread very lightly. Miami does not want to get burned so embarrassingly again. |
| What’s also worth considering is the as-yet-unnamed MLS team (which may initially share Marlins Park when it joins MLS as planned in 2016) isn’t the only sporting enterprise in the city seeking permission for home improvements. The Miami Dolphins organisation is also in the mix. | What’s also worth considering is the as-yet-unnamed MLS team (which may initially share Marlins Park when it joins MLS as planned in 2016) isn’t the only sporting enterprise in the city seeking permission for home improvements. The Miami Dolphins organisation is also in the mix. |
| The team’s Sun Life Stadium has hosted five Super Bowls largely due to South Florida’s affable February climate. However, the NFL has ruled Miami out of bidding for the incredibly prestigious and lucrative showcase events, unless the stadium receives essential renovations. | The team’s Sun Life Stadium has hosted five Super Bowls largely due to South Florida’s affable February climate. However, the NFL has ruled Miami out of bidding for the incredibly prestigious and lucrative showcase events, unless the stadium receives essential renovations. |
| Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross has already had one publicly funded proposal rejected out of hand. Now he is pledging to foot the bill in exchange for exemption from property taxes. It’s a similar trade off to that which the Beckham group seeks. | Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross has already had one publicly funded proposal rejected out of hand. Now he is pledging to foot the bill in exchange for exemption from property taxes. It’s a similar trade off to that which the Beckham group seeks. |
| Ross’s negotiations with the city remain on-going, but despite all of Beckham’s charm and popularity, it’s difficult to see his proposed venture receiving preferential treatment over the Miami Dolphins who are first in the public consciousness, despite the Miami Heat’s recent back-to-back NBA Championship wins. | Ross’s negotiations with the city remain on-going, but despite all of Beckham’s charm and popularity, it’s difficult to see his proposed venture receiving preferential treatment over the Miami Dolphins who are first in the public consciousness, despite the Miami Heat’s recent back-to-back NBA Championship wins. |
| While Beckham’s perfect scenario would be a dream come true for the city’s anticipant soccer supporters, there’s still an daunting number of challenges for the former England midfielder to overcome before it becomes a reality. However, after showing off the ambitious vision to Miami on Monday, anything else would surely be a considered a disappointment. | While Beckham’s perfect scenario would be a dream come true for the city’s anticipant soccer supporters, there’s still an daunting number of challenges for the former England midfielder to overcome before it becomes a reality. However, after showing off the ambitious vision to Miami on Monday, anything else would surely be a considered a disappointment. |