David Beckham scores soccer stadium deal in Fort Lauderdale

Soccer legend David Beckham won an agreement from Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday night that virtually assures his Major League Soccer team a new stadium in time for the start of the season.

City commissioners unanimously embraced plans to transform the defunct Lockhart Stadium, off Commercial Boulevard and Northwest 12th Avenue, into a professional soccer center.

Beckham’s ultimate goal is to build his team’s home stadium in Miami, and to use the planned Fort Lauderdale stadium as a training hub for cultivating soccer talent. But for at least the first two seasons, starting next March, Beckham’s new Major League Soccer team, Inter Miami CF, will play in Fort Lauderdale.

“This is a really a wonderful turning point in our community,” Mayor Dean Trantalis said. “Congratulations. We’ll be there for the first kick.”

The 18,000-seat Fort Lauderdale stadium and the 25,000-seat Miami stadium would be about an hour apart, by car.

For the public in Fort Lauderdale, the transformation will include sports fields, a city park and a home football field for two high schools — Fort Lauderdale and Stranahan — that currently have none.

City officials said very little Tuesday, and Beckham and his business partners were not present.

Beckham, 44, is one of the best-known former professional soccer players in America. Born in England, he is married to Victoria Beckham, known as “Posh Spice” when she was a member of the pop band Spice Girls. They have four children.

The other owners are successful businessmen: Jorge and Jose Mas, chairman and CEO, respectively, of MasTec engineering and construction company; billionaire businessman Masayoshi Son, founder and executive chairman of SoftBank; and Marcelo Claure, co-founder of Brightstar Corp. and chief operating officer for SoftBank.

Already, Lockhart Stadium and the adjacent Fort Lauderdale Stadium have been demolished.

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The name of the new sports stadium hasn’t been announced.

Commissioner Heather Moraitis said she supports retaining the “Lockhart” name, after former city commissioner H. Y. “Doug” Lockhart. The decision rests on Miami Beckham United, though.

The agreement approved Tuesday says the group can name any portion of the Inter Miami site, including the stadium, without the city’s consent, “provided such name shall not be in bad taste or offensive to the city’s image, or in the reasonable opinion of the City Commission is a source of embarrassment to the Fort Lauderdale community.”

Under the terms of the deal, no money changes hands. In return for use of the property for 50 years, Beckham United will construct sports fields, a trail, playground, and park space on the southern portion of the property, for the community.

The city intends to use some of its $200 million parks bond, approved by voters in November, to enhance the new city park there.

Other terms of the deal:

FOOD, DRINKS: The Inter Miami group can operate concessions, including any restaurant, sports bar or tavern.
COMMUNITY: At least 24 days a year, local high schools will have access to Inter Miami’s turf field for high school football or soccer events. In addition, four days a year, the city can use Inter Miami’s stadium for football, soccer, JROTC, band concerts or other community events.
SPELLING: The agreement says that “Miami Beckham shall endeavor in good faith not to abbreviate the word ‘Fort’ in city’s name in any written promotional materials.”
MONEY: Miami Beckham United will pay the estimated $60 million to construct all improvements. After that, the group will pay to operate and maintain just the Inter Miami portion, which includes a stadium and a 50,000 square foot training facility with locker rooms, weight rooms, classrooms, and dining facilities.
DEADLINE: All the work is to be completed within three years, but if it’s not, the city’s only recourse is to take over construction of the public portion, and bill it to Miami Beckham United.

The group’s progress toward a stadium in Miami has been plodding. But in Fort Lauderdale, even with the appearance of a feisty soccer rival, the Beckham deal came together in just six months.

Miami voters in November agreed the city should negotiate with Beckham and Mas toward a 99-year lease at Melreese Country Club, just east of Miami International Airport.

In other action, Fort Lauderdale commissioners:

SEWAGE: Were briefed on a sewage spill Monday that led the city to issue a no-swim advisory for the Rio Mary Rita Canal, in an “overabundance of prudence and caution.” City officials said an 18-inch sewer force main leaked. It’s on a priority list for replacement but is not funded in the next five years, the city manager said.
PUBLIC ART: Discussed adoption of a public art law, but were advised by the city attorney that in the eyes of the courts, requiring developers to pay for public art is tantamount to a property “taking” and not permissible. City Commissioner Steve Glassman suggested the city promote the idea of voluntary public art installations.