What to Know
- Jorge Mas posted a video teaser, along with a photo rendering, on his Twitter page over the weekend of the proposed site.
- Mas, along with his brother Jose, joined with David Beckham and CEO Marcelo Claure in announcing earlier this year in announcing the team.
With a meeting schedule later this week, the powers behind Miami’s future Major League Soccer team is making a push to promote a state-of-the-art complex that would house a future stadium and technology hub on the site of a longtime golf course.
Businessman Jorge Mas posted a video to Twitter on Tuesday of soccer legend – one of the men behind the effort, along with Mas, to land the franchise – encouraging supporters to show up at Miami City Hall on Thursday to support the project dubbed Miami Freedom Park.
Mas posted a video teaser, along with a photo rendering, on his Twitter page over the weekend of the proposed site - featuring 110 acres of permanent green space and 23 acres of youth soccer fields - which will be open to the public on the site of the current Melreese Country Club, located off NW 37th Avenue and the Dolphin Expressway near Miami International Airport.
The park is said to bring in $40 million worth of annual tax revenue, and the group will donate $20 million to the city to help activate the park while creating 11,000 jobs over the next three years.
Mas, along with his brother Jose, joined with Beckham and Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure in announcing earlier this year that a MLS expansion team would be coming to Miami-Dade with a goal of starting play in the 2020 season.
The effort to bring a team to the area has gone on for the better part of five years, with efforts to secure land for a stadium at locations including Port Miami as well as near both Marlins Park and the AmericanAirlines Arena falling apart. The group reached a deal for land in Overtown to build a stadium, but it has been met with legal battles from some in the community.
When Beckham and Mas’ team does kick things off, it will be the second time the MLS has had a team in South Florida. The Miami Fusion played their games at Fort Lauderdale’s Lockhart Stadium starting in 1998 after a deal to play at the former Orange Bowl stadium fell through. The team ceased operations after the 2001 season.
