David Beckham secured a site for a privately funded stadium in Miami's Overtown district Friday. The proposed site is the fourth location that the group, Miami Beckham United, has pursued since starting its quest to bring an MLS franchise to Miami in January 2014.
Beckham signed a non-binding letter of intent to pay "fair market price" for nine acres of land, according to The Miami Herald. The Overtown site is plan B, after a location in the Little Havana neighborhood fell through earlier this week, and Beckham needed to secure a site before Dec. 5. The stadium will rest northwest of downtown Miami, seat 30,000 fans and cost roughly $250 million The Toronto Sun reported.
Deep pockets and a world class stadium makes it easier to compete with high profile European clubs Manchester United or Paris Saint-Germaine when it comes to attracting international talent, according to the Mirror. The MLS has a reputation of attracting aging European players, but only lately have players seen North America as an option in their prime.
The MLS has been exploring expansion in markets outside Miami, most notably Sacramento, The Orlando Sentinel reported. Despite almost two years of failed stadium proposals in Florida, Miami Beckham United has remained optimistic about the future in Miami.
"The private properties, which comprise the majority of the land, are under contract and we intend to purchase the County land at fair market value pending approval of our site by the MLS Board of Governors," Miami Beckham United said in a press release Friday.
The news of the land deal comes a day before the MLS Board of Governor's meeting in Columbus, Ohio site of the 2015 MLS Cup on Dec. 6 between the Columbus Crew SC and the Portland Timbers.
