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Judge dismisses suit challenging Beckham land sale
Ruling is a win for Beckham and partners
A Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge threw out a lawsuit challenging the sale of county-owned land in Overtown to Miami Beckham United.
Activist and wealthy landowner Bruce Matheson filed the suit earlier this year, alleging the county’s land deal with Beckham breaks state law because it wasn’t offered to other bidders, and said he would buy the 3-acre property under the same terms and for the same $9 million price tag. Miami-Dade County lawyers argued Florida’s economic development law protects the county because it gives municipalities the authority to sell property if it benefits the economy, the Miami Herald reported.
Judge Rodolfo Ruiz expects his ruling to be appealed given the complexity of the law.
The county approved the $9 million land sale in June. The deal requires Beckham spend at least $175 million on construction of the 25,000-square-foot stadium in Overtown.
In August, David Beckham pitched his stadium plan and partnership structure to MLS owners in Chicago.
Some owners were critical of the discounted $25 million expansion fee he will pay, which pales in comparison to the $150 million the soccer league now requires. [Miami Herald] – Katherine Kallergis