After announcing yet another new club to join the MLS, David Beckham and his partners were halted by a very large obstacle. Where would they house their team?
The Miami club was expected to be in full operation by 2014, after Beckham was granted permission to own an expansion club upon signing for the Galaxy in 2007, but with no where to play the clubs future has been delayed.
Beckham and his crew have gone through many hoops trying to make his plans come to fruition, but rejection of building plans kept standing in the way. His first proposal to build a 25,000 seat stadium next to the Miami Heat stadium was deemed “inappropriate” by city officials because of the close vicinity of the two sports. Yet, the city then funded nearly double the proposed wage, close to $500 million, of Beckham’s MLS stadium to the Miami Marlins soon after.
Beckham's first choice for the new stadium. Next to American Airlines Arena. Photo: @_MiamiHeatFans | Twitter
The Englishman then moved on to an alternate plan of sharing the University of Miami’s stadium with the college football team. On paper it sounded like a great compromise for the two organizations. However, losing their long-term contract with the Miami Dolphins stadium is a big risk. Also, the amount of preparation and labor needed to switch the field between football and soccer conditions would be another added expense to take into account.
Maybe share with American football? Photo: @Funwith_drone | Twitter
Fast forwarding to today, Beckham and his team are pleased to announce that their search for a stadium is finally over. Even better news, the Miami expansion club won’t have to share a stadium with another sports club. The new stadium will be built next to the Marlin’s current stadium as a convince to the city of Miami so fans will not have to travel any extra distance.
#UPDATE Latest on #Beckham, City of Miami agreeing to build @MLS stadium next to Marlins Park http://t.co/0fqff4lmAy pic.twitter.com/Ty2k1BApcY
— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) July 17, 2015The only downside is that Miami and David Beckham will have to wait until 2017 to see their new club entered into the MLS organization. But for all the trouble he has gone through to see his plans come to life, I don’t think they will mind the wait now that the stadium has been approved.
