Beckham Group Close to Land Purchase for Miami MLS Stadium

By Zach Spedden on May 9, 2017 in MLS

Following the addition of new investment, David Beckham and his group are closer to purchasing a land parcel needed for a proposed Overtown MLS stadium

As noted here late last month, Miami Beckham United appeared close to adding Todd Boehly to its investment group, and it seems that he has come aboard the project. The addition of Boehly, a part-owner of MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers as well as the chairman and CEO of Eldridge Industries, has helped the group inch closer to purchasing the last parcel needed for the site of its proposed MLS stadium in Overtown.

Should the acquisition of the three-acre Miami Dade County-owned land move forward, it would mark a major milestone for Miami Beckham United, which has spent the last several years trying to finalize a stadium plan for an MLS expansion franchise. Miami Beckham United will need to clear some hurdles beyond the land acquisition, including needed zoning changes for the stadium site.

The group is hoping to have the county sign off on the land transaction quickly, but some uncertainties remain as to when a vote will take place. More from The Miami Herald:

But with the recent signing of sports mogul Todd Boehly to help bankroll the Miami stadium, Beckham’s representatives have jump-started county talks and want a quick vote of approval, people familiar with the talks said.

“We finally heard from them,” said Miami-Dade Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, whose district includes the stadium site. Edmonson said she isn’t ready to support the deal. “I’ve got to see what my community says.”

Edmonson’s remarks could complicate the timing of a commission vote on the land deal, since fellow commissioners are reluctant to oppose a hometown commissioner’s wishes on a project in his or her district. That could mean the administration waits to submit the Beckham item for a meeting in June, or could simply delay a vote on the matter.

Edmonson said it’s important for the Beckham group to reconnect with the Overtown neighborhood before the commission decides on the sale.

“They made the promise to come back to the community,” she said. “That’s something I expect them to do.”

If the stadium ultimately moves forward, the Miami MLS expansion franchise would likely play its first games in 2019.

David Beckham, Miami Beckham United, Miami-Dade County, MLS, MLS expansion, Todd Boehly

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Beckham Group Close to Land Purchase for Miami MLS Stadium

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