A new poll shows that David Beckham "enjoys broad support from Miami-Dade voters for his plan to use private money to build a soccer stadium on land that his partners want to buy from the county," according to Douglas Hanks of the MIAMI HERALD. Almost 60% of Miami-Dade voters said that they "support the plan." In the Bendixen & Amandi Int'l poll of 600 registered Miami-Dade voters, 57% of respondents "supported the soccer plan." Another 35% "opposed," while 8% "had no opinion." Bendixen "conducted the survey May 1-4 in Spanish and English for the Miami Herald, el Nuevo Herald, WLRN and Univision 23" (MIAMI HERALD, 5/11).
GAINING SUPPORT: In St. Paul, Andy Greder reported the Minnesota Senate Tax Committee on Tuesday "passed a tax-related measure, including property tax exemptions" for Minnesota United's proposed MLS stadium. The club and State Sen. Sandy Pappas also "have requested sales tax breaks on construction materials, but that request was not added before the Senate committee’s vote." Pappas said that she "has been assured that the sales tax breaks for the stadium will be inserted into the bill during conference committee." The club's third request, a liquor license at the stadium, is scheduled to be "part of a bill set for a House floor vote" today. Minnesota United "considers the three requests vital in order to build a glass-encased, 21,500-seat stadium in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 5/11).
