https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2019/04/02/miami-seeks-expert-to-negotiate-with-david-beckham-team/
Miami seeks expert to negotiate with David Beckham team
Miami commissioners have agreed to hire a third party to assist city administrators in their negotiations with the David Beckham group for a long-term lease of city-owned property adjacent to Miami International Airport.
The deal, if approved, would turn the Melreese Golf Course into a sweeping commercial development anchored by a Major League Soccer stadium.
The controversial matter has led some commissioners to put the squeeze on city administrators in an effort to get the best deal and the ability to vote on the final lease before November’s election.
Commissioner Manolo Reyes is up for re-election and says he wants to be able to vote on the proposal, which thus far he has opposed.
On a move by Mr. Reyes, commissioners on March 14 directed the city manager to report on the status of negotiations for the proposed ground lease at the March 28 commission meeting, and to deliver a finished proposed lease for review and approval by the Sept. 12 meeting.
City Manager Emilio González and City Attorney Victoria Mendez prepared a resolution for March 28 for the commissioners to hire Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP as legal consultants, to provide subject matter expertise on negotiations between the city and Miami Freedom Park LLC (the Beckham group).
Mr. González said he worked with the city attorney to find the most appropriate consulting firm that specializes in sports facilities, and they agreed to retain the Hunton firm “as we enter greater negotiations.”
Mr. Reyes immediately questioned the firm’s expertise in large commercial ventures.
He said the issue isn’t really a plan for a soccer stadium. “Let’s tell the public what it really is. It’s building a massive commercial project on Melreese,” said Mr. Reyes. He asked what type of experience the company had negotiating massive real estate developments.
Mr. González responded: “All stadiums are real estate deals.”
Mr. Reyes then cited state statutes and city resolutions that prohibit the city from spending tax dollars on any company that does business with Cuba.
“I think it precludes them,” he said.
Commissioner Wifredo “Willy” Gort agreed it’s not just a stadium proposal, it’s “a completely different deal” with offices, hotels, a shopping center and more.
Commissioner Joe Carollo agreed, saying: “The bulk of what the project is, is commercial in nature… the main revenue to the city would come from a mall, hotel, office space and parking. The very smallest portion of revenue is (from) the stadium.”
Mr. Carollo continued, “I do not feel comfortable bringing in a firm whose expertise is not in major commercial real estate. This doesn’t impress me. It’s not what we need here.”
He finally added, “We have an obligation to put this out to bid,” in reference to hiring the most qualified consultants. Recognizing the tight deadline the commission imposed on the administration, he suggested a quick request for proposals be issued.
Mr. Carollo suggested the request be very specific and emphasize the city wants a firm with experience negotiating major commercial developments, and that those services include advising the city on the best deal and providing a full analysis of what is proposed to be built on the site and the market rate value of those additions.
“We need real numbers,” said Mr. Carollo. He and other commissioners have lately been expressing dissatisfaction with existing city leases which they feel do not bring in the amount of revenue they should.
“I agree with the commissioner,” said Mr. Reyes. “My first concern is that this is not a stadium deal. This is a major commercial development.”
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, headquartered in Richmond, VA, established a Miami office in 1999. A representative of the firm said it doesn’t do any business with Cuba.
Mark Arnold, from the firm, said Hunton specializes in stadium developments. He said the firm worked on a large commercial project in New York that included a hockey stadium and significant retail, similar to what is proposed at Miami Freedom Park.
Mr. Arnold said the firm has experience handling deals that have included convention centers, hotels and more. He said it represented local governments in 14 stadium transactions.
Chairman Ken Russell was looking for a deferral of the resolution to hire the Hunton firm.
After advice from Ms. Mendez, commissioners agreed to direct her office to immediately prepare a request for letters of interest from firms nationwide with expertise on major stadium and commercial ventures.
They approved a quick turnaround, with 15 days for companies to submit letters of interest.
Mr. Carollo said he wants each commissioner to have up to three days to review all of the letters, and suggested a special meeting in April to make the hire.
The commission approved this on a unanimous vote. It then voted to withdraw the resolution regarding the Hunton firm. It was noted that the Hunton firm is not prohibited from submitting a letter of interest.
Melreese Golf Course is on about 131 city-owned acres at 1400 NW 37th Ave.
City voters in 2018 approved a proposal authorizing the city to negotiate and execute a 99-year lease with Miami Freedom Park LLC, for about 73 acres, waiving bidding, and converting Melreese to a soccer stadium, at least 1 million square feet office, retail, commercial uses, 750 hotel rooms and more, and a 58-acre public park.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-ne-beckham-soccer-next-step-20190402-story.html
David Beckham has wrecking ball ready for Lockhart Stadium
The David Beckham soccer era in Fort Lauderdale will begin soon, starting with the demolition of two sports stadiums that hosted decades of community memories.
The soccer legend won the unanimous go-ahead Tuesday night to tear down Lockhart Stadium and the adjacent Fort Lauderdale Stadium in the next six months.
The two stadiums have seen baseball home runs, soccer goals and football touchdowns dating back to the 1950s. Two professional soccer teams called Lockhart home, and two professional baseball teams honed their skills at the Fort Lauderdale Stadium during Spring Training. Local high schools fueled football rivalries at Lockhart for years.
In recent years, the stadiums fell into disrepair, overgrown and abandoned.
Next up: Inter Miami CF, a new Major League Soccer team owned by Beckham and his business partners.
Beckham plans a “soccer-centric community destination” at the 64-acre Lockhart site. After the stadium is torn down, a new, canopied, 18,000-seat replacement will go up. And Inter Miami will play its first two seasons there. In addition, the property will serve as Inter Miami’s training hub for the next 50 years, under the tentative agreement with the city.
Fort Lauderdale city commissioners inked an interim agreement Tuesday night with Beckham, so his group can get started remaking the public property next to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), north of Commercial Boulevard and west of Interstate 95. The agreement allows Beckham’s group to test soil, assess environmental damage, tear down the stadiums, salvage Lockhart bleachers if possible, and begin planning and designing the proposed new soccer complex.
Beckham and his business partners are on a relatively short time line to get a new stadium constructed at Lockhart by next February.
Under Beckham’s proposal, the city will contribute no money toward the new stadium, but would allow use of the city land for 50 years.
Mayor Dean Trantalis raised a concern with Lockhart’s demolition, worrying that if Beckham should “walk away from the deal,” the city couldn’t move to the second-ranked rival bidder for the city acreage. That bidder, FXE Futbol, proposed renovating Lockhart Stadium to host a Division 2 soccer team.
Beckham’s lawyer-lobbyist Stephanie Toothaker said the stadiums likely couldn’t be rehabilitated, and demolition will be costly, because they contain asbestos.
“Even if all we did was demolish, that’s actually a great benefit to the city of Fort Lauderdale,” Toothaker said.
Others on the commission said they didn’t mind having the stadium torn down and the property cleared, or had faith in the deal.
“I’m optimistic about this deal going forward,” Commissioner Robert McKinzie said. “We know we cannot use the stadium in its current condition.”
City Manager Chris Lagerbloom said he likes to protect the city from risk also. But he didn’t advise delaying the Beckham stadium based on worst-case scenario, as the mayor proposed.
"We’re both going to travel with a little bit of risk if this project is going to open in 2020," he said.
Toothaker, said she’d return with some assurance for the city. Trantalis said he’d like a performance bond to be posted, so the city could recoup money if the deal breaks down after the stadium is removed.
“I feel the city is left exposed. If we find ourselves with a stadium that has been scrapped and the other side walks away, the city is left holding the bag — in this case, an empty bag,” Trantalis said.
Inter Miami eventually is expected to play in a new stadium in Miami, at the city’s Melreese Country Club golf course. But facing delays there, Beckham recently announced the team would play its first two seasons at Lockhart.
“The whole purpose of this agreement is to keep us on track with timing,” Toothaker said, acknowledging there are still many issues to hammer out.
When Inter Miami moves to Miami-Dade County, the Lockhart site will remain the team’s training hub, where soccer talent is developed. Beckham will field a USL League One farm team at Lockhart, as well as a youth soccer academy. Beckham also would build a parking garage, and 30,000-square foot training center with gym, classrooms, dining facilities, medical and rehab space for his professional and farm teams.
For the public, four regulation size soccer fields that can be used for other sports will be built, as well as a dog park, a running trail, field maintenance building, playground and public park space. There would be space for a community center, but Beckham proposes the city pay for it.
Miami Beckham United’s partners are David and Victoria Beckham, brothers Jorge and Jose Mas of MasTec, a $7 billion engineering and construction company; Marcelo Claure and Masayoshi Son of SoftBank Group, and Simon Fuller, a TV producer and talent manager.
A final deal still must be approved by the City Commission.
The deal will bring a new public park — and possibly a community center — to the city’s northern end. A newly approved parks bond issue could provide money for the city to develop the park portion of the acreage, though commissioners haven’t agreed on details.
City Commissioner Heather Moraitis, whose district includes the Lockhart site, said she’s holding community meetings to find out what people want to see on the portions of the acreage that will be public parks or sports fields. A meeting Monday night was well attended, she said.
“Everyone’s super excited about it,” she said.
Fort Lauderdale and Stranahan high school officials said they hope to be included in the plans. Their football teams since 2012 have had to play elsewhere, usually outside city limits.
Civic activists beseeched the city in March not to forge an agreement with Beckham unless it allows use of the new stadium for local high school football games. Toothaker had said the group couldn’t commit to specific dates until the Major League Soccer schedule is issued. But she agreed Tuesday to add the football games as “aspirational” goals, and promised to work with school district officials.
Jose Mas said recently that if salvaged bleachers are placed around one of the play fields, a “mini stadium” could be created for the local schools. That might not work for high school football games, because of security requirements, high school sports officials say.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dcunited/fort-lauderdale-says-beckham-can-demolish-lockhart-stadium/2019/04/02/4c8ba000-55b0-11e9-aa83-504f086bf5d6_story.html
Fort Lauderdale says Beckham can demolish Lockhart Stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2019/04/02/sac-republic-fc-releases-new-mls-stadium.html
Sac Republic FC releases new MLS stadium renderings (Slideshow)
New renderings for a Major League Soccer stadium in the Railyards development suggest local momentum is building again toward a potential expansion team.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://smartseries.sportspromedia.com/news/usl-opta-data-partnership-dazn-ott
USL expand Opta data partnership
US third-tier soccer league will now also be covered by deal.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/joe-cole-explains-why-he-rejected-tottenham-favour-liverpool-2010
Joe Cole explains why he rejected Tottenham in favour of Liverpool in 2010
Cole, who also turned out for Lille, Aston Villa and Coventry before calling time on his playing career with the Tampa Bay Rowdies last November, also admits that Chelsea were the club he enjoyed playing for the most, and now hopes to inspire the next generation as a coach with the west London outfit.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2019/04/01/high-five-cosmos-sign-blanchette-corke-falanga-barone-ledula/
HIGH FIVE: Cosmos sign Blanchette, Corke, Falanga, Barone, Ledula
(Follow link for full article.)
https://detroit.curbed.com/2019/4/1/18289449/detroit-city-fc-ultimate-guide-keyworth-stadium
Detroit City FC: The ultimate guide to Detroit’s soccer team
Everything you need to know about Le Rouge, from the history of the club to attending a match
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/bc-soc--inter-miami-fort-lauderdale/article_177dcce6-0a5b-5c95-9e29-4aab1a35b1b9.html
BC-SOC--Inter Miami-Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale says Beckham can demolish Lockhart Stadium
David Beckham's planned Major League Soccer stadium in South Florida is another step closer to reality. The Fort Lauderdale City Commission voted to enter into an interim agreement with Beckham's group, one that will allow the MLS club to demolish Lockhart Stadium as a precursor to building a stadium of its own on that plot of land. Beckham's group plans to have a stadium in place on the Lockhart site in time to begin an inaugural MLS season in March 2020.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://socceresq.com/2019/03/28/the-socceresq-podcast-ep-13-the-miami-experiment-with-neil-blackmon-and-kartik-krishnaiyer/
The Socceresq Podcast (Ep. 13): The Miami Experiment with Neil Blackmon and Kartik Krishnaiyer
We just recently passed the five-year anniversary of David Beckham’s announcement that he was exercising his options purchase a MLS team, and announcing where he’d like to play.
To celebrate, I decided to call up a couple of colleagues to chat about all things Miami: Neil Blackmon and Kartik Krishnaiyer. We talk a little about the history of soccer in South Florida, the rise (and fall) of the Miami Fusion and Ft. Lauderdale Strikers, and why it’s been so difficult for Beckham to find a place to play.
Check it out on YouTube, if you want to see our smiling faces.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUoQEJ__UfU
The Miami Experiment with Neil Blackmon, Kartik Krishnaiyer and Miki Turner
Miki Turner
A discussion on all things Miami soccer with three reporters covering the story.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-republic-fc-new-mls-stadium/27023961
Sacramento Republic FC releases new stadium renderings
The Sacramento Republic FC released a new set of renderings Tuesday -- the most detailed to date -- as the team and the city continues to press for a bid to become home to a Major League Soccer team.
Team management pointed out some key refinements in their plans to build the stadium in the downtown railyards east of 7th Street.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3815074/mls-inter-miami-dispute-inter-milans-us-trademark-application
MLS, Inter Miami dispute Inter Milan's U.S. trademark application
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/2019/04/02/vancouver-whitecaps-field-momentum/
Vancouver Whitecaps leading the field in new-fan momentum
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.statesman.com/sports/20190402/soccer-notebook-austin-bold-fc-sellout-crowd-amazing-to-see
Soccer notebook: Austin Bold FC sellout crowd ‘amazing to see’
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.newwestrecord.ca/vancouver-whitecaps-leading-the-field-in-new-fan-momentum-1.23777336
Vancouver Whitecaps leading the field in new-fan momentum
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.calciomercato.com/en/news/inter-decide-to-sue-beckham-s-inter-miami-franchise-85456
Inter decide to sue Beckham's Inter Miami franchise
(Follow link for full article.)
https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2019/04/01/watch-orlando-city-fools-with-beckhams-miami-via-blair-witch-spoof/
WATCH: Orlando City ‘fools’ with Beckham’s Miami via Blair Witch spoof
(Follow link for full article.)
https://wsvn.com/sports/fort-lauderdale-commissioners-unanimously-approve-demolition-of-disused-soccer-stadium/
Fort Lauderdale commissioners unanimously approve demolition of disused soccer stadium
No comments:
Post a Comment