(BDCi) — As expected, David Beckham has exercised his option to buy a Major League Soccer franchise and plans to bring his team to Miami, contingent on a viable privately-funded stadium pan, according to sources familiar with negotiations.
Beckham, his investment group and MLS commissioner Rob Garber will be in Miami on Tuesday and Wednesday, drumming up support from community leaders and youth soccer clubs.
There is an invitation-only reception planned Tuesday night at the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall downtown and a press conference Wednesday morning at the new waterfront Perez Art Museum.
Wednesday afternoon, youth soccer players have been invited for a meet and greet with Beckham at the Kendall Soccer Park.
Beckham is in negotiations with Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and the commission to lease county-owned land for a 25,000 seat stadium. His preferred lot is a waterfront lot on the southwest corner of Port Miami.
MLS has not yet awarded Miami a team because a stadium plan is still pending, but all indications are a deal will be reached sometime in the next few months, at which point a Miami team could be a reality.
The team would likely begin play in the 2017 season, possibly 2016.
Source: miamiherald.com