David Beckham: We're 'close to announcing' news about MLS in Miami
David Beckham is close to releasing positive news about a deal to build an MLS stadium in Miami, Beckham told EOnline in an interview published on Thursday.
Beckham was given the option to start an MLS team as part of his deal as an MLS player. He announced plans to bring an MLS franchise to Miami in February 2014, but the expansion plan stalled when MLS said it would not approve a new team in Miami until a stadium deal had been completed.
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The former English player appeared optimistic despite the challenges to the new team's creation.
"We're pretty close to announcing certain things and then the stadium will come after that," Beckham said. "You can't build a stadium over night, so finding the right place in Miami is important for us."
"But it wall all start coming together pretty quickly and everything will start happening pretty soon. I'm really excited about that."
The statement is similar to comments made by a spokesperson for Beckham in early December 2014 after MLS commissioner Don Garber said the search for a stadium in Miami "can't go on forever."
A stadium near Marlins Park was initially considered but eventually discarded because Beckham's partner opposed it. Since that location fell through, two more sites have been considered, but failed to work out because of opposition from the local community.
Garber said last July that a location in downtown Miami was still the league's priority, and the league has said that it hopes to expand to 24 teams by 2020.
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New York City FC, slated to play its home games in Yankee Stadium during its inaugural season in 2015, and Orlando City SC will bring the league to 21 teams this year. Garber has also mentioned St. Louis, Las Vegas, Sacramento and Minneapolis as cities interested in hosting new MLS teams.
Beckham's team was originally hoped to kick off during the 2017 season.
- Christopher Woody
