David Beckham’s Miami soccer stadium plan scores key victory with final zoning approval
David Beckham’s plan to build a stadium for his soccer team in the city of Miami cleared a major hurdle on Tuesday by winning the final zoning vote that will allow construction to begin in the near future.
Beckham and local co-owners Jorge and Jose Mas received the commission votes necessary to pave the way for applying for permits and breaking ground on the Miami Freedom Park project that also envisions space for shops, offices and a park. Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the zoning plan, with Commissioner Manolo Reyes, a consistent opponent of the project, the sole no vote.
The process will begin with an extensive environmental cleanup of contaminated land under the golf course that is the site of the project, which is expected to radically transform the largest swath of taxpayer-owned park land in the city.
There was no mention of safety concerns recently raised by Miami-Dade County’s Aviation Department, which runs Miami International Airport next to the site of the planned complex. It was unclear if the airport issues will be another obstacle for the project.
Commissioners gave final approval to zoning changes necessary to build Miami Freedom Park, the $1 billion plan for a 25,000-seat stadium, office park, hotel, retail village and 58-acre public park that is set to replace Miami’s only city-owned golf course. Part of the zoning plan includes designating new park spaces on city-owned lots across Miami, a requirement under a city policy that if park land is rezoned, it must be replaced elsewhere.
The city still needs to sign the series of lease documents that commissioners approved in late April that allow Inter Miami’s owners to use the land for the next 99 years. New land appraisals were ordered to determine the final annual rent, but they have not been finalized yet, according to a city spokesperson.
READ MORE: David Beckham needs one more vote for soccer stadium. Miami’s airport has concerns
The commission voted on the zoning plan with no discussion on Tuesday. Last week, City Manager Art Noriega told the Miami Herald his administration has met with the county and plans to respond to the airport concerns point by point, though he said it would not impact the project’s timing.
“It’s not going to slow us down,” Noriega said.
The city can now prepare to have Miami Freedom Park’s developers take over the site, where golf is still being played. The city has to give the operator of Melreese golf course, the De Lucca family, at least two months’ notice before canceling their lease.
This update corrects the spelling of the name of the operator of Melreese golf course to the De Lucca family.
