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Beckham-led group unveils stadium design showcasing downtown Miami

Miami stadium rendering 1

By CAITLIN MURRAY

Plans for a Major League Soccer franchise in Miami just became a little more real.

David Beckham and the ownership group behind efforts to bring MLS to Miami will unveil stadium designs Monday, according to a report by the Miami Herald. The proposed 25,000-seat stadium at PortMiami would feature an open-air design showcasing the city’s skyline as a backdrop.

The site plan also calls for a plaza with restaurants, shops, a nightclub and space for outdoor events. The stadium and plaza would be connected to downtown Miami via an unused drawbridge that would be converted for pedestrian use.

But not everyone is on board with putting a soccer stadium at PortMiami, the seaport on Biscayne Bay outside Miami. Royal Caribbean Cruises, whose headquarters are next to the site, and some Miami-Dade County commissioners have raised concerns about traffic and interference with port operations. The MiamiPort design also poses “complex landlord-tenant issues” when it comes to space for parking 5,000 cars, Beckham’s group has conceded.

It’s clear PortMiami is the favored location of Beckham and his investors, but they do have three backup locations in mind: land next to Marlins Park; an industrial plot near the Miami airport’s car rental locations; and near Florida International University at Tamiami Park.

Beckham’s group was awarded an expansion franchise earlier this year and they hope the yet-unnamed team will begin league play in 2017.

Check out more renderings of the proposed stadium below:

Miami stadium rendering 3

Miami stadium rendering 2

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What do you think of these designs? How does it compare to the stadiums already in MLS? Think Beckham’s group can work things out with those worried about the impact of the new stadium?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I sort of half believe that this proposal is choice A and the Beckham group will happily settle for whatever choice B is, and let the choice A take all the heat from the locals, so he can say “see we compromised” when he eventually “settles” for choice B. Coz let me tell you this will be a heavy lift in Miami right now, what with the leftover anger at the Marlins deal and all the opposition to their being a soccer stadium on that particular plot of land.

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  2. I live in South Florida and I can’t comment on the environmental impact, or potential flooding, or how much weight Carnival can throw around, or the percentage of yacht owners who would belly up to the bar.
    But I can comment on the South Florida sports fan.
    He is a strange and fickle character.
    He doesn’t like going out in the heat of the summer to watch sports
    He doesn’t like going out in the summer rain to watch sports.
    Other than the Fins, unless you are in championship contention he doesn’t pay money to see you.
    – He supports the Marlins when they make the world series.. yet is a no show otherwise
    – He brags about “The U” and their glory days… yet is a no show otherwise
    – He isn’t aware there’s a hockey team somewhere down here

    I’m looking forward to watching games live, whether it’s at the port or elsewhere….
    But set your expectations my friends… and don’t shoot the messenger-just hope he is wrong this time

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    • This comment nails it! The same goes for Atlanta. Both seem like good ideas on the surface, but when you really look at the history of how those cities have supported professional sports franchises, their record is poor.

      Cities like St. Louis, who actually has some significant soccer history, Baltimore, and Raleigh are all stronger, though less glamorous, choices in my humble opinion.

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  3. Me Likey!
    I will definitely make the trip to see this stadium open.

    Now if MLS can schedule ATL’s “Blank’s Billions” v Miami FC’s “the Fighting Beckhams” I’ll bring all my brothers and shoot the Hangover IV.

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  4. Galaxy need a stadium face lift, something like this. C’mon its los angeles, its galaxy Hollywood. By the way, this stadium looks like skc first option they had and kinda looks like DCs big brother stadium and cosmos stadium.
    Another thing, whoever buys chivas usa, you will need to make something like this in Los Angeles.
    Crazy question, can some rich person make a 15-18,000 sss by santa monica or brentwood for galaxy and let the new LA team keep stubhub center
    Next in line sounders, revolution, dc, crew, nycfc,

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  5. Beckham wasn’t awarded a franchise. He and Garber announced he used his coupon and has a franchise option but no franchise officially yet for Miami.

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  6. Re: 3rd option, near Tamiami Park and FIU campus…

    Doesn’t FIU already have an 18,000 seat stadium? It just seems like a ridiculous waste to have 2 small stadia of similar size about a mile from each other…

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  7. Hello, can someone in Seattle answer this.
    Can sounders host friendlies at husky stadium, or even actual MLS games. Husky stadium looks super intimate and with all the college students, its a perfect recipe for sounders soccer.
    Husky stadium would have the scariest atmosphere for soccer. Make it happen sounders

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      • Im not talking about amenities or better technology, but husky stadium feels on top of you. Husky stadium feels like its gonna eat you and if you add the gloomy sky and drizzle, that would be real home advantage.

      • I still don’t get it. CenturyLink is infamous for its crowd noise (and shares its skies with Husky Stadium).

        I’ve never been in Husky Stadium—and I’ve never been on the field at CenturyLink—but I don’t see how Husky would be an improvement over Clink.

    • i LOVE new husky stadium. I think it would be a great setting for a MLS game. Maybe against the timbers since the max attendance is high enough to break the record for highest attendance for an MLS game

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      • I dont think its in a weird spot. Its generally noted as being one of the best settings in all of college football. and thats in the fall in seattle! not a great time. Summer is perfect and i think it would be a GREAT setting to host a game.

  8. Now what are the chances it actually ends up looking like that in a similar location? Looks really nice though, location is key in Miami so hopefully they manage to pull off the land deal.

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  9. Wow, only if we had more beckham ownership groups in the league. This looks MLS 3.0 and im getting soccer stadium h0rny 😉
    I wish you the best beckham and i hope your wish comes true with this stadium porn 😉 you did so much for MLS.
    As a matter of fact, when I say galaxy need a stadium face lift, i mean something like this. C’mon its los angeles, its galaxy Hollywood. By the way, this stadium looks like skc first option they had and kinda looks like DCs big brother stadium.
    Another thing, whoever buys chivas usa, you will need to make something like this in Los Angeles.
    Crazy question, can some rich person make a 18,000 sss by santa monica or brentwood for galaxy and let the new LA team keep stubhub center or the new LA team does something HUGE and go into santa monica and make a sss and call it Hollywood empire 😉
    Next in line sounders, revolution, dc, crew, nycfc,

    Reply
    • Sounders aren’t ever leaving Century Link. Revs, lololol. DC, something about working on something. Crew, maybe some upgrades happen – but they can’t just get a new stadium when they’re already in a “newish” stadium. NYCFC, Yankee Stadium. Get used to it.

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    • It’s raining stadiums!!

      el paso: I don’t think you appreciate how expensive and difficult to build (approve) stadiums are, especially in cities that already have multiple stadiums.

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    • Me too. LA away to Miami? Heck yeah. If MLS works the schedules right, the west coast teams will hit Miami and Orlando back-to-back. Looks like my family will be taking a few Florida vacations in the future.

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  10. Now would this immediately become the most attractive stadium in MLS when it is built? I have seen some renderings for DC United’s new stadium but I don’t think it comes close to this. And I don’t know who else would be building a new stadium.

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  11. Stadiums never end up looking like the first round of renderings, but that is spectacular. I second the poster above who mentioned spots for boats. Some kind of ferry system could complement the pedestrian traffic–other stadiums have boat transport, such as Husky Stadium in Seattle and the SF Giants Stadium. You could certainly bring in a few thousand by boat every game, and it would be fun.

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  12. I’m not from Miami; just wondering if there are any concerns about flooding in this location, and if so, whether the stadium design takes this into account.

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  13. Love it.

    Parking will be similar to Heat games. Soccer fans will love the walk. Casual fans maybe not so much. In Miami I’m sure they will provide some sort of VIP shuttle service for those willing(able) to pay.

    Carnival needs to shut their traps. Anything that brings them attention that is not involving people stranded at seas should be welcomed.

    The gagillion dollar tunnel they are constructing for the actual Port should be sufficient enough for all the shipping containers from China to be easily dispersed from the Port when the games occur. From what is looks like this tunnel will bypass the part of the port where the stadium would be sitting.

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    • I was thinking that as well, but didn’t remember which cruise line that happened to. In any case, the renderings look amazing…

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    • Less enthusiastic after hearing Beckham is going to Tallahassee with hat in hand looking fro subsidies. this was suppose to be a 100% privately funded stadium.

      As excited as I am about this whole thing I can easily – along with most of Dade county be quickly put off by any public funding of this stadium.

      The attendance – or lack there of – for Marlin’s games is definitely effected by the way that stadium’s financing was handled. I have never and will probably never step foot in that stadium.

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  14. I think the idea is to attract more of the foot traffic. When you go to south Florida you try not to drive when you can. Those living in the area would probably just take a cab downtown, have some drinks at one or more bars, and then walk to the stadium. People travelling from far away could get a hotel with car service, or a beachfront hotel within walking/boating distance.

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    • The Light Pollution is Horrible! They killed the stars!

      Seriously it looks like its covered in glitter. But does look good.

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      • I was expecting the usual “The stadium will be underwater from the massive rise in ocean levels any day now, as predicted in 1985” routine that broke out last time.

      • So your evidence that islands ARE disappearing is an article that states that one atoll MAY disappear by the end of the century? I’m guessing you never did well on your research papers, and probably never understood why either.

      • Your lack of reading comprehension (intentional?) is astonishing.

        32 of the 33 islands will be entirely underwater by the end of the century.

        The article was simply about the long-term disaster they are currently facing.

        You shouldn’t embarrass yourself like this, it isn’t good for you.

        “though a loss of land to the sea has also provided a push.

        “The outer island communities have been affected, we have a village which has gone, we have a number of communities where the sea water has broken through into the freshwater pond and is now affecting the food crops,” says Kiribati’s president, Anote Tong.”

        http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-25086963

        On one of Kiribati’s remote outer islands, Abaiang, there’s an empty sandbar that shows how vulnerable the islands are to changes in the sea. It was once an entire village, called Tebunginako. Now there’s nothing but dead coconut trees and a crumbling sea wall. It feels like an ancient ruin.

        The village of Tebunginako, on one of Kiribati’s remote outer islands, Abaiang. Residents were forced to relocate after the sea inundated the village.

        Brian Reed for NPR
        Aata Maroieta used to live there, along with several hundred neighbors. About 35 years ago, he says, the sea began to inundate the village. It ruined their crops and their drinking water. Eventually, a large storm came and tore away their houses.

        Maroieta points to the lagoon. Through an interpreter, he explains that the maneaba, the large meetinghouse found in every Kiribatian village, used to be nearly 30 feet offshore. Today, there’s nothing but water. Some of the villagers have rebuilt farther inland, and others have scattered for good.

        http://www.npr.org/2011/02/16/133650679/climate-change-and-faith-collide-in-kiribati

        But I appreciate your lame, fact-less attempt to dismiss the heartache and terror these people deal with losing the literal land they live on.

      • Yeah that’s right they are dumb. Yeah dummy head dummies, those so-called scientists. Obama supporters probably.

  15. The Port would be the best location then Near Marlins park would be the next best option. I think they need to go all in on the port. Traffic concerns aside that location is probably the best thing that will ever happen to an MLS franchise aside from a stadium in New York, New York.

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    • The problem with this great idea is there are no MLS fans in downtown Miami. This has MLS urban cookie cutter plan FAIL written all over it.

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      • Yes, such a cookie cutter plan. It will be just like all the other downtown waterfront stadiums built on port authority land in one of the largest cities in the country.

      • Yes, I go to Miami all the time on business. There are no MLS fans in downtown Miami. This is whole MLS Miami urban idea is a pipe dream. Apparently, US Soccer agrees and just put the big send off match in JAX over South FL.

        Unless Beckham signs CR7 this stadium will be empty. I doubt they get the waterfront land anyway. Retail/Hotel/Offices will all be preferred over MLS even with Beckham.

      • Well, then there must be no MLS fans in Seattle either, b/c the USMNT passed them over to give the final game to Jacksonville. Ditto LA, Houston, Columbus and pretty much every MLS market except NJ and maybe San Jose.

        “No MLS fans in downtown Miami.” You say this with absolute certainty. Can you cite a study that confirms your claim? I have a friend who lives in Brickell, owns at least 4 MLS jerseys that I’ve seen, and he’s been to several exhibition games in Miami. Last I checked, 1>0, but maybe the rules of basic math have changed.

      • There’s not many NFL fans in Alabama, but there are a ton of football fans. There may not be many US Soccer fans in Miami, and there may not be many MLS fans in Miami yet, but I can guarantee that there are a ton of soccer fans there.

    • Agreed. That’s how you create a stadium that A. embodies the area and B. adds to it, turning it into a piece of art.

      The emphasis on building a community center also makes sense. The Miami market is tough to break into so providing a night out where soccer isn’t the only activity makes sense. The locale would also be beneficial for player recruitment.

      Hopefully with talent they have in their ownership group, Miami can push this through.

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      • Makes you think of some of the great European stadiums. They are built into the community.

        Even the older stadiums in England, they’re so organic propped up next to small townhomes.

      • Except that it’s not really built into any true “community”. Downtown Miami is a work destination and they *are* trying to make it more livable. It’s easy to get to for Miamians and all that jazz. But frankly, I doubt that any business could really flourish there bc there isn’t that much foot traffic, but then again, I don’t really know b/c I’m not there ever during the day. I once picked up a friend from Greyhound bus terminal, and there seemed to be a lot of businesses open, so maybe other Miamians more familiar with that area could chime in

        Downtown Miami is connected via some monorail type system that links up with the metro. It’s all pedestrian friendly, but you have to hop on and off to get around. Whenever we go to a concert or what have you, we always, always, always take the metro b/c parking and traffic are a nightmare. I can’t imagine the traffic of 10,000 cars battling it out over 5,000 spots.

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