David Beckham's bid to build a soccer stadium in Miami received a boost this week, when the county commissioner, whose district includes the proposed soccer stadium site, sponsored a plan to sell the land needed by Beckham's prospective ownership group as their efforts to secure an MLS expansion team continue.
According to the Miami Herald, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Audrey Edmonson formally endorsed Miami Beckham United’s plan to build a stadium in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood, sponsoring legislation that would allow the county to sell a truck depot to Beckham’s group for about $9 million.
The proposed no-bid deal will go before the full 13-member county board for a vote next Tuesday, June 6. If it passes, Miami Beckham United would be in position to add the three-acre truck depot to an adjoining six acres it purchased last year from private owners to complete their stadium site. Even with the land, they would still need approval from the city of Miami before they could begin construction on a stadium.
In the buildup to Tuesday’s County Commission meeting, Miami Beckham United have scheduled three town hall meetings to make their stadium pitch to Overtown residents. According to the Herald, Beckham representatives – the former LA Galaxy star will reportedly not be in attendance – will present to residents their stadium plan and economic incentives they’ve offered to the county in exchange for the chance to buy the land through a no-bid process.
Miami Beckham United went public with details of their proposed 25,000-seat, privately-financed stadium last month. The group has been pursuing a stadium in Miami since early 2014, when Beckham exercised his option to purchase an MLS expansion team.
