By RYAN TOLMICH
After weeks of negotiations, initial talks between representatives from David Beckham’s Miami franchise and the city of Miami over a potential stadium on a boat slip in downtown Miami have stalled due to a disagreement in annual rent.
According to The Miami Herald, Miami City Manager Daniel Alfonso said Monday that the two sides should “take a breather” from negotiating after Beckham’s group offered to pay a reported $500,000 a year in annual rent. The City of Miami is reportedly looking for more, and it is estimated that the figure is closer to $12-14 million.
“We’re just too far apart,” Alfonso said.
Alfonso also called off a request to investigate a potential site in an area known as the Florida East Coast Railway slip until the city gets a better understanding of how much the franchise is willing to offer. It is, however, in the city’s political interest to play coy during these negotiations given its much-maligned deal for MLB’s Miami Marlins’ ballpark in Little Havana.
Beckham’s group has proposed to privately fund to fill the boat slip, landscape the land and construct the stadium in a project that would cost roughly $250 million. The venture would also see the franchise create a new park for the city, while also seeing the group seek a subsidy and tax breaks from the city.
In exchange, the city has called for an annual payment in lieu of the taxes to be used for park maintenance and operations for the city of Miami. Beckham’s group has stated that it cannot afford privately purchasing the land and constructing the stadium due to Miami’s property values.
Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado has suggested that reaching an agreement will be an “uphill battle”, while also backing the idea of building a stadium near Marlins Park. Beckham’s group is keen on the boat slip location, however.
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