Miami residents are evenly split over the merits of a David Beckham waterfront stadium plan, with younger residents expressing support and older residents having more reservations.
The poll from the Miami Herald shows Miami residents opposing the proposal 45-43 percent, but given the poll’s margin of error (4.3 points), this is essentially a tie. The Beckham waterfront stadium plan calls for the city to lease an MLS expansion team a disused slip on the waterfront, with Beckham and his investors paying to fill the slip as well as constructing a 20,000-seat stadium — a private investment that should easily exceed $250 million.
The poll, according to the Herald, shows “54 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 backing the site, compared to 60 percent of voters 65 or older who say the opposite.” Of course, it’s the older residents who vote, and if the Beckham group does indeed want to see a waterfront stadium subject to a November referendum, they’ll need to persuade more of the olds that a soccer stadium is in their best interests. From the Herald:
A spokesman for Beckham’s group said the poll should have noted that the investors plan to pay for stadium construction mostly with private funds, and that they would also landscape newly filled land along the waterfront and connect it to a county-owned tract known as Parcel B that has long been promised as a park.
“Our plan will create a stadium and park that is compatible with Museum Park, protects public access to the waterfront, and further activates and expands Museum Park by 20 percent,” publicist Tadd Schwartz said in a statement. “We look forward to discussing our vision with the public over the coming months.”