Despite debate and various concerns, soccer legend David Beckham is one step closer to building a privately funded, 25,000 seat soccer stadium near downtown Miami.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Audrey Edmonson initially put the stadium's plans on hold, but, last week, he switched course by sponsoring the legislation to sell Beckham the land in Overtown for $9 million dollars.
Tuesday, Miami-Dade County Commissioners voted 9-4 in favor of selling the nearly 3-acre, former equipment depot to Beckham's MLS group... a huge step forward in a more than year-long journey.
More than a dozen Spring Garden and Overtown residents attended Tuesday's vote to voice concerns surrounding traffic and noise. However, supporters believe that the stadium would be beneficial to the city's revenue.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez has expressed his approval of the commissioners' decision. "I firmly believe that the sale of this property, as well as the subsequent soccer stadium, will leave a lasting positive impact on the community," the mayor said in a statement. "I can also assure the residents of Miami-Dade County -- particularly residents of Overtown and Spring Garden -- that this is unlike any previous agreement. The purchasing company will use private funds to build the proposed stadium and will guarantee at least 50 permanent jobs for our community."
The proposed stadium still needs to obtain zoning permits. Additional meetings must also be held to discuss stadium operations.
Miami Beckham United attorneys promise they have solutions for planning and parking.