Major League Soccer fans living in Miami have something worth celebrating. It has been four years since David Beckham first announced his plans to build an enormous, multi-million dollar MLS stadium in Miami that will launch a Miami-based MLS team and it looks like his dream is finally becoming a reality.
Beckham’s ownership group, Miami Beckham United, just got approval from Miami-Dade commissioners to purchase the last three acres of land needed to erect Beckham’s vision of a 25,000-seat open-air venue in Overton for $9 million. The entire stadium is estimated to cost at least $175 million, but some of that money will go back into the community with the creation of 50 full-time jobs.
Miami Beckham United has two final hoops to jump through before the deal is officially sealed; it must first obtain the approval of the city of Miami before attaining approval from the MLS- the latter being more of a formality than a requirement. Beckham hopes to achieve these final milestones by the end of June.
While a few final pieces remain to be put into place, there is no longer any question that Beckham’s MLS stadium will be coming to Miami, with the goal of entering the league before the 2019 season. “I firmly believe that the sale of this property, as well as the subsequent soccer stadium, will leave a lasting positive impact on the community,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.
The Mayor did note in his official statement that Miami Beckham United will have to work with the city of Miami before the contract is binding and construction begins. The reason the process of finalizing the plans has been so long and drawn-out is because the stadium is being built with private funds and will have a direct positive impact on the community, so it pays to take the time to get it right.
The Mayor is confident in the future of the MLS stadium, looking forward to the day when the Miami MLS team can join the ranks of the Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins, and Miami Heat. If you’re a Miami sports fan, it is almost a guarantee that you have something to look forward to as well.