Beckham, Miami-Dade talk soccer stadium

Carlos Gimenez and David Beckham
Carlos Gimenez and David Beckham

Miami-Dade County is expected to start negotiating a deal for a Major League Soccer stadium in downtown Miami with soccer legend David Beckham’s investment team today.

The office of Mayor Carlos Gimenez is having a private meeting with representatives of Miami Beckham United to scout as many as 30 potential stadium sites, the Miami Herald reported. That includes the much-discussed location on county-owned land at PortMiami. An announcement on the status of the negotiations could follow as soon as next week.

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Major League Soccer has historically targeted expansion cities that construction soccer stadiums in primary urban areas. While Gimenez has been adamant that the county would not provide stadium funding, Beckham’s team has hired a Tallahassee lobbyist to push for a state sales-tax subsidy.

Beckham’s investment team includes New York real estate developer John Alschuler. [Miami Herald]Eric Kalis