Mas said that Overtown is a possibility but gave a strong indication that the team is starting freshGETTY IMAGES
Miami Beckham United co-Owner Jorge Mas confirmed the ownership group "now is considering multiple locations" for its MLS stadium site, and the list "includes the grounds of the Hialeah Park casino," according to sources cited by Jackson, Hanks & Flechas of the MIAMI HERALD. Mas said, "We're actively looking at five or so sites." The development "amplifies what's been obvious for weeks: that the Mas brothers want the 25,000-seat stadium built somewhere other than Overtown, the Miami neighborhood that has been the Beckham group's announced site" since late '15. Mas said that Overtown "remains a possibility." Sources said that among the other sites the group is considering is "land near Jackson Memorial Hospital." A source said that the group is "looking at roughly 20 acres of city-owned land." Jackson, Hanks & Flechas note similar to the city-owned Melreese golf course, another potential site, the land near Jackson Memorial is "close to one of Miami's main east-west thoroughfares, the Dolphin Expressway." The public speculation about sites other than Melreese also comes as Miami "could be racing to meet an April deadline to get a stadium ballot measure crafted and approved in time for the city's primary election in August" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/22).
CAUSING CONFUSION: In Cincinnati, Sparling & Wartman write for a deal that is "supposedly dead, there sure are a lot of votes" on the proposed MLS stadium in the West End neighborhood. The Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education yesterday "voted 7 to 0 to approve a resolution in favor of a land-swap deal" with USL club FC Cincinnati. All this comes after the club stated this past week that the West End is "off the table and the club is moving on to options in Newport and Oakley." But Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune said that he "spoke to team officials" yesterday. Portune said, "I don't think you can say the West End is out" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 3/22). Also in Cincinnati, Cameron Knight noted the West End's community council on Tuesday also voted on "whether it would welcome a soccer stadium." The answer was a "resounding 'no'" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 3/21).
GETTING A MAKEOVER: In Charlotte, Erik Spanberg reported Mecklenburg County on Tuesday took a "decisive step ... toward renovating Memorial Stadium," voting to spend $3M this year and fully fund a $32M "overall commitment while also approving the framework of a 10-year lease" with the USL Charlotte Independence. The renovated stadium is "scheduled to open" in March '21. Design and construction is "anticipated to take 34 months." Both the Independence and the MLL Charlotte Hounds will "play at Memorial under terms outlined Tuesday to the commissioners board" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/21).
