I don't know if it has been considered before, but if the Marlins go bust, would it be a feasible proposition to buy Marlins Park and adapt it for soccer? It would be about the right size and it would be a pity to leave it unused. This would save building a new stadium.
Given MLB's business practices, I would never count on the Marlins "going bust" while Marlins Park is still a viable stadium. If MLB can keep the A's in Oakland and the Rays at the Trop, the fish aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
Lobbying issue aside, congratulations. Welcome at long last to MLS. Looks like Becks did right by Miami as well.
Any update on when Inter Miami will negotiate with the commission about the stadium? Feels like I havent heard any update since the referendum and its already been a month
I think MLS has a lot of irons in the fire at the moment. MLS Cup just ended. The Columbus/Austin thing is not official yet, and neither new stadium is all the way over the line, though both are close. Cincy is breaking ground this month on a stadium. And I bet MLS is rushing on a St. Louis announcement soon so they can start the bidding on 29-32 pronto. After the dust settles on that, I think the Miami & Nashville stadium stuff will move to the front burner. Winter/early spring should see some news. Congrats again BTW. It will be good to have Miami back in MLS.
I don't think any of this has anything to do with the city of Miami, Beckham U, the commission or anyone on the inside letting news out about how negotiations are going. IMO
Perhaps. But Becks is a showman. Miami is the last sexy US market without a team. The last A lister not at the party. When she enters, all eyes need to be on her. There will a be a big THANG that will happen. Boom goes the dynamite. Now, I think that is what Becks/MLS want. Not sure it will happen that way. But if they have their druthers, they do not want Miami news and other news happening at the same time. Columbus/ Austin by end of year. #28 probably soon thereafter. Then Nash. Then the belle of the ball. I think the tidbit freeze is probably due to the lobbying allegations, yes?
The referendum gave them approval to negotiate a no-competition lease deal with the city commission. I believe they have already began those negotiations. Before the referendum, they already agreed on certain terms, such as $15 minimum wage, fully private funding of the cleanup of the area and the stadium, etc. However, I'm sure there are still details that need to be sorted out. I believe they are doing all these negotiations without public knowledge. Once they have an accord, they should announce everything. They need to start construction before October (deadline given to the ownership group by the MLS). So, while we aren't sure if they are negotiating at this moment, its safe to assume they are.
Cool updates. Aside frim Minnesota finishing off their new digs, Portland's upgrades, we have a lot if towns targeting 2021 stadium opens that will need to start digging this year. Cincy already has. You guys need to. As will Columbus, Nashville, & Austin. Looking forward to us all getting shovels in the ground.
Has Inter cleared all the governmental hurdles? I thought they needed to go from 3/5 to 4/5 members of a commission?
NEW: Miami-Dade ethics officials have informed city of Miami that lobbyists for Jorge Mas & David Beckham's soccer group have fulfilled registration requirements, giving the green light for negotiations of a 99-year lease of Melreese golf course for a stadium/commercial complex.— Joey Flechas (@joeflech) January 16, 2019 It seems now they will negotiate the lease.
Don't they still have to win another commissioner over? I also saw in the N&A thread that someone has filed a suit to stop the stadium. It claimed Beckham's group wasn't paying full fair value for Melreese.
Just a total sucker for any and all stadium renderings. In video form. In picture form. The bestLooks incredible, @InterMiamiCF pic.twitter.com/p3B2WdDctN— Pitch Invasion Podcast (@PitchInvasion5R) April 9, 2019
That "pink" on the stadium and all those jerseys is looking a lot like what Miami's rival/predecessors in Orlando call "purple."
Out of towner here, but I'm fine with it. Love that MLS will keep Lockhart alive and loved. Inter can ride the launch fuel for a couple years in a less than ideal location. Doesn't seem like they'll be able to get a better option they could convert to academy/USL/training center. Then Phase Two... launch of the Miami stadium? Sounds amazing.
Putting the HQ and training facility in the middle of Broward showed the ultimate commitment this team has to making it a true regional team. Like I've said over and over, this Miami market is inseparable from FTL and WPB. We are a single 100 mile long, pencil shaped market, maybe the most geographically unique/challenging this league has ever known. I live in North Broward and am obviously cool with opening in a revamped Lockhart at this point (though I would've delayed the launch of the team until 2022 to open in the new building in Miami)...I would like to ask management why, after hearing talk of a Dade-based training facility over the years, the plan was moved into Broward. Land was available for the training site in Dade at multiple locations. What triggered the change for HQ? It will be something to see the Lockhart site transformed in such a short amount of time. I feel like I should be more doubtful that Mas and Co. can make this happen by March, but I think they will pull this off. Who knows though-this saga has underscored that we should continue to expect the unexpected with MLS in South Florida.
I think it’s positive. I know there are some voices out there, albeit small ones, that have hard feelings about the way the Lockhart legacy is being treated. Additionally there are some Dade people that feel it is a slight. But looking at the big picture I think it is incredibly important that the club handles all this business and the business of cementing their plans for whatever will become their permanent home for match days. I don’t want to minimize the importance of these civic and fiscal debates, but it really detracts from the fan experience with the product on the field. That’s why we’re all here right? We are here to watch soccer and support a club. Look at MLB in both Florida markets and how stadium debates have been such a large part of the fan experience over 25 years. We don’t want that for Inter. Provided the shovels hit the dirt in time, Lockhart ensures a 2020 kickoff. HOPEFULLY, the Dade stadium is secured before then because it would be fantastic to focus on roster construction and developing a relationship between the communities and the club.
I’ll deal with it as long as we finally get the chance to see players wearing the team colors and uniforms. Also, it will give us at least a couple of seasons to work out any kinks as far as coaches and players. Hopefully by the time the club opens in the new stadium in Miami we have a stable and competitive team. Opening day would be insane and support would have built up even more by then.