Stadium to seat 25,000 will be privately financed.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: David Beckham’s investment group reached a tentative agreement on Friday to build a stadium for a new MLS franchise next to Marlins Park in Miami.
Beckham’s partner, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure informed the newspaper that the proposed stadium would seat 25,000 and be privately financed.
MLS granted Beckham ownership rights at a discounted rate after he retired from playing in 2013, but the former England star’s hopes of catalyzing a new franchise have stalled as he’s struggled to get approval for a stadium.
When opposition torpedoed their bids for a waterfront stadium in downtown Miami, the Beckham group gradually relented to pressure to consider the Marlins Park site, where Miami owns large chunks of land.
The University of Miami is not part of the plan, though Beckham partner Marcelo Claure said talks with the college continue to build a big enough stadium to house its football team as well as Major League Soccer.
“Obviously we are in conversations with the University of Miami, but we figured we are running out of time,” Claure told The Miami Herald on Friday. “MLS has been very clear: if we are going to bring soccer to Miami, it needs to be now.”
The site of the new stadium sits adjacent to Marlins Park, and comprises city-owned lots, a private apartment complex and some commercial property.
We feel extremely good about it,” Claure said. “Because you now have two great properties put together. Our goal is to create an amazing urban park surrounding both stadiums.”