AP Photo/Luca Bruno
David Beckham's dream of bringing Major League Soccer to Miami has made massive strides in recent days after sweeping periods of turbulence, with the league's governing board approving the proposed Overtown stadium site over the weekend. Beckham's group has about nine acres of land under contract from private owners in Miami-Dade county.
"We are very supportive of Miami Beckham United's plans to locate their stadium in the City of Miami's Overtown neighborhood," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. "Their vision for a world-class venue within the urban core that is accessible by mass transportation is impressive, and we believe it will be an important part of the continued revitalization of the area. We look forward to working with David and his partners to finalize plans to bring Major League Soccer to Miami."
Assuming the franchise becomes a reality at the Overtown site, a huge benefit for fans will be its location. Not only is it centrally located just off I-95 and 836 expressways, it's a mere five-minute walk from the closest Metrorail station (Culmer).
The plan for Beckham's franchise is to enter the league in 2018, along three other expansion franchises in Atlanta, Los Angeles and Minnesota. The league further has a vision of expanding to 28 teams down the road, which would feature just two less franchises than the thriving NBA.
· MLS Approves Miami-Beckham United Expansion [SFBJ]
· MLS Looking to Expand to 28 Teams [Oregon Live]
· Miami Beckham United coverage [Curbed Miami]