The chance of Miami getting a Major League Soccer team may depend on a couple of landowners.
David Beckham's group, Miami Beckham United, has been trying to solidify a location for a new soccer stadium in order to bring a professional team to the city. Potential sites along the water in downtown to Sun Life Stadium to Florida International University have been floated.
The one that has the best chance, and the one the group is pushing for, is the one next to Marlins Park.
The Beckham group is negotiating with numerous groups. These include the city and county as well as Miami-Dade Schools.
Along with those, the other group in the mix is the Miami Marlins. They're involved because the land being proposed for a stadium is next to their stadium, and in their deal with the county, they have the power to make or break a soccer stadium agreement. They're also likely to take the larger piece of the parking revenue from a soccer stadium, according to Tim Leiweke, of the Beckham group.
Most of these groups seem to be on board. The concern are the landowners on the block between Marlins Way and NW 17th Avenue.
Will they accept what Leiweke says is above-market payments for those properties? The Miami Herald reports that not all the owners have come to an agreement and one may be holding out.
This may be the final opportunity for Miami to land an MLS team. The league's board meets in December and Leiweke will have to present a plan at that time. If the commissioner is not satisfied, then the Beckham group will have to come up with an alternative. But a possible alternative site is remaining a secret at this time. Leiweke is concerned that the future of an MLS team in Miami is in serious doubt.
Difficulty in finding a site for a stadium is not unique to Miami. Minneapolis fans also went through their challenges. But the reality is there's only room for one more team. And other cities like San Antonio, St Louis and Sacramento want to get into the MLS.
Would you sell your land if a professional team made an offer? Do you believe an MLS team will help revitalize that region of the city?
