DAVID BECKHAM’S NEW SOCCER STADIUM
23 Apr 2014
A bowl-shaped soccer stadium in Port Miami is expected to transform and energise the entire area, and create an unparalleled experience of soccer in the US.
David Beckham and his ownership group Miami Beckham United are planning to establish a bowl-shaped stadium on a 14.5 hectare site in Port Miami.
The project will be designed by Miami firms Arquitectonica and 360 Architecture and would offer spectators an impressive view of the downtown Miami skyline as well as transform the entire look of the port area and Bayside.
“It will create an unparalleled experience in soccer in the United States, perhaps an unparalleled experience anywhere in the world,” said Beckham in a statement. “The port of Miami is the right place because it will create a great stadium, it will energise downtown and it will create jobs and economic value.”
The former Manchester United and LA Galaxy footballer, who retired as a player last May, will fund the stadium privately. He also plans to open a series of accompanying facilities that would include shops, restaurants, a nightclub, an outdoor screening venue and a possible football museum. A bridge would also be added to connect the site with the mainland.
The stadium would be a dream come true for the city’s anticipant soccer supporters, but there are still a daunting number of challenges for the former England midfielder to overcome before it becomes a reality. Beckham needs to convince Miami-Dade county to let out a significant plot of some of the most valuable real estate in the United States. If the site is given over to Beckham, the building could be up and running as soon as 2018.