There's a new development in the search for a soccer stadium site in Miami as David Beckham and his ownership group continue their quest to land an MLS expansion team.
According to a report in Tuesday's Miami Herald, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez has proposed a new downtown waterfront site on city-owned land between Museum Park and American Airlines Arena, home of the NBA's Miami Heat.
The soccer stadium would be part of "a grand waterfront park" on Biscayne Bay and would require filling a man-made boat slip, which the report estimates would cost somewhere in the range of $10-$16 million.
In a statement provided to MLSsoccer.com, Miami Beckham United, which has vowed to finance the stadium construction, indicated it was open to the site proposed by Mayor Gimenez.
“Our goal from the outset has been to create a great fan experience, to provide an economic asset that creates jobs, and design a stadium that communicates the energy of Miami to the entire world," the statement read.
"As we have made clear, we are not asking the City or County for money, all we want is a site that the people of Miami are proud of. The Port is a strong site, however a stadium next to American Airlines Arena is an exciting possibility. We will carefully examine its feasibility in the coming weeks.”
Discussions with Miami officials have recently centered around a site in PortMiami and according to the report, the mayor says the area "is still in play" despite being met by public opposition from groups currently making use of the port.
A third potential location cited in the Herald article is Little Havana next to Marlins Park.
