In meetings with city, county and school board officials early this week, reps of Miami Beckham United "discussed a swift-moving proposal" that would give the group or a wholly owned subsidiary "permission to build a 30,000-seat stadium," according to a front-page piece by Smiley, Hanks & Veiga of the MIAMI HERALD. The 10.5 acres of land belongs to "the city, county and a few private property owners." David Beckham and his partners under the deal would "pay the city a 'management fee' of $850,000 a year over 60 years." In exchange for the payments, the city would "possibly transfer its land to the Miami-Dade School Board to spare the team from paying property taxes on its stadium and to create partnerships with local schools -- a new wrinkle that removes Miami-Dade County as a major partner on the stadium property." Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado "hopes to put an agreement before Miami city commissioners in December, or at the very least present referendum language that would need to be approved by the end of the year so a referendum could be placed on the presidential primary ballot in March." Otherwise, with the mayor "adamant that the public get a vote on any stadium deal, the city might have to pay" about $2M to host a stand-alone election. For months, Regalado and Miami’s city manager have "negotiated with Beckham’s team," which recently tapped MLSE President & CEO Tim Leiweke, to "head talks in Miami." The expectation has been that the city "would enter into an agreement" with the MLS franchise to "sell its land and transfer ownership to the county, which has tax-exempt status." But Miami Beckham United recently "began to consider a partnership with the Miami-Dade School Board, which also has tax-exempt status, and can offer partnerships with schools as well" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/22).
