Here is a little more space to vent on the Beckham stadium deal proposed for PortMiami by a former soccer star fronting for real estate development interests. The Miami Herald -- loves sports stadiums! -- reported "David Beckham makes case to reshape PortMiami with soccer stadium".
"At a morning press briefing, Beckham aide John Alschuler, a top real estate consultant in New York, revealed selected details from a traffic study he said is the most comprehensive ever performed at the port. He declined to release it, saying the final version would be made public in about a month." Oh boy.
Beware developers who quote reports that aren't ready to be released. Why do they do this? Because they are afraid that the report would become the story. Too bad the Herald doesn't say so.
The presentation worth quoting but not revealing showed "a stadium heavily reliant on parking in downtown Miami, with thousands of fans walking a pedestrian bridge to the island port". What the report would have done is kindle exactly the sort of criticism that Eye On Miami levels: access to downtown Miami is severely constricted, causing outrageous traffic jams, lengthy delays, parking does not currently exist to serve existing traffic demands not to mention added ones, and -- last but not least -- raise your hand if you will brave the gauntlet of driving to downtown Miami, parking, walking to a bridge, crossing Biscayne Bay on foot, to see a soccer game?
On face value, the plan to put a soccer stadium at PortMiami is ridiculous. I write this as someone who loves soccer more than any of our other sports. Given the ease with which Miami and Miami-Dade commissioners approve ridiculous projects, why wouldn't they again?
To the Herald, the developer's representative is quoted, "We are open to any process that creates a kind of public realm and unity of the site." OMG. "Public realm"? "Unit of site". I thought Museum Row was our public realm. Or the Performing Arsht Center. I thought the campus at FIU was the public realm. The Miami Marlins stadium: wasn't that the public realm?
Up next in downtown Miami: snake oil to cure intestinal worms. It really works!
"At a morning press briefing, Beckham aide John Alschuler, a top real estate consultant in New York, revealed selected details from a traffic study he said is the most comprehensive ever performed at the port. He declined to release it, saying the final version would be made public in about a month." Oh boy.
Beware developers who quote reports that aren't ready to be released. Why do they do this? Because they are afraid that the report would become the story. Too bad the Herald doesn't say so.
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| Beckham soccer stadium enthusiasts seek to persuade Miami of their concern for "the public realm" |
On face value, the plan to put a soccer stadium at PortMiami is ridiculous. I write this as someone who loves soccer more than any of our other sports. Given the ease with which Miami and Miami-Dade commissioners approve ridiculous projects, why wouldn't they again?
To the Herald, the developer's representative is quoted, "We are open to any process that creates a kind of public realm and unity of the site." OMG. "Public realm"? "Unit of site". I thought Museum Row was our public realm. Or the Performing Arsht Center. I thought the campus at FIU was the public realm. The Miami Marlins stadium: wasn't that the public realm?
Up next in downtown Miami: snake oil to cure intestinal worms. It really works!
21 comments:
I would go downtown if the "walkers" were there. Love that show.
We should believe the celebrities and lobbyists when they pitch this great plan for Miami. Just like when the Heat promised to share revenues at the AA Arena, and build a pedestrian bridge to Bayside and provide public soccer fields at the arena, not to mention new requests for taxpayer assistance to now renovate, or when the Marlins said their poor financials, which they refused to disclose, prevented them from funding their stadium without massive taxpayer expense. Or the forever disappointing Dolphins from seeking tax benefits for their renovations. Yes, stadiums should be the top priority for our tax dollars, they are so beneficial to us. Look at the renderings for the proposed stadium, notice the scale compared to the existing Royal Caribbean offices which themselves are large. This will be a monstrous eyesore smack in the middle of our downtown waterfront. Traffic and parking-impossible.
I noticed the overheads of this monster and the hotel which isn't a soccer stadium but no views from street level because it will block the water from the public.
Miami Dade County - you have the dumbest commissioners around - David Samson even said so!
I cannot believe how Beckham is being used like he is. It's legal prostitution!
The county just issued another $200,000,000 in port bonds. We are paying two directors about $500k per year plus the slush fund from them pays for our commissioners/mayor vacation all over the world!
This is a land grab, pure and simple. IF they really want to bring soccer to Miami, they'd build something where the fans are or easily accessible - next to Marlins park where the infrastructue is or on West Dade where the fans are.
A developer want public owned land, our last sliver of it iom the water because the county cannot help but give away every last inch of it. This has cost us billions of dollars which no revenue in sight, a downgrade of our bonds and it just keeps getting worse.
This is a real estate deal for the benefit of a private investor who hired a celebrity who doesn't know any better as a front man.
PT Barnum lives! Balancing a ball on the back of his neck …
If they release the lease terms and revenue projections I will be more than happy to send them to top real estate experts outside of Florida. That will be an easy story for the Herald.
ESPN offerers free streaming of soccer games.
The parking scam allowed venues to be built without enough onsite parking. Area lots are now condos, and more are soon to be lost to more condos.
Legal Prostitution is an excellent term. The commissioners and mayor ok the soccer-port plan with all the traffic problems, because THEY would not mind walking to the game, since they are the "legal streetwalkers".
For real! The reasoning behind building the tunnel below Biscayne Bay was to eliminate traffic tie ups caused by the commercial activity at the Port of Miami. Traffic is why I moved away from my home town "Miami" and is why many people no longer drive to South Beach. Increasing the traffic flow will only cause more problems for the people who live and pay the taxes of Miami Dade County!
The Frontman formerly known as David Beckham
What about putting it in Hialeah? That's a location full of fans....
I find it very interesting that none of the rendering of the stadium, which is supposed to have a view of our beutiful skyline, feature the Berkowitz monstrocity. If (when) that thing is built, it will monopolize the landscape and that is all you will be able to see from the stadium and the port. I dont know which of the two projects I hate more. Probably the tower because it will undoubtedly feature Britto crap. Berkowitz LOVES that shite.
"Frontman" and his handlers. Traffic study? What traffic study? Bernie Madoff and his team is cooking it up "as we speak". Just how dumb are Carlos Gimenez and the Commissioners? How corrupt?
Notice how dull and dim the city lights in the background of the rendering are, as if this stadium will save our city from the dull mundane life of political crime.
It's too bad that Miami doesn't already have a soccer team so its owner could threaten to move the team to the civic embarrassment of the valiant public officials.
Latest is that port director is being punished for standing up for port and not supporting soccer like Mayor wanted him to. This Mayor would rather give land away for a Stadium than support a port that creates jobs. Not very smart but not surprising.
PortMiami is supposed to be one of the County's two (or three) primary jobs generators. How come Gimenez is so quick to give away the Port's future?
Beckham's shill for the Port site is former Beach Mayor Kasdin, who also is running game for the downtown commercial office developments - as part of his DDA position. He is concerned about office space competition from the planned Port developments. If the Commission falls for this...the ratings agencies will crap all over the Port bonds. Morons.
More out-of-state carpetbaggers here preying on weak stupid and corrupt elected officials. The slicksters can always buy local lobbyists who will lie for a fee. (Some just lie). Who stands up for the hapless taxpayers?
Former Beach Mayor Neisen Kasden also represents Jeff Berkowitz, the man who installed four illegal LED billboards on the Children's Museum on Watson Island. Berkowitz also hired Kasden to talk elected officials to let him install a 1,000' tall tower on taxpayer owned waterfront land. Berkowitz wants the land and he wants taxpayers to help pay for construction. Doesn't Kasden know PortMiami is supposed to be used for Port business?
I've posted this elsewhere but it bears repeating, if I do say so myself. ;-)
Here's the sensible approach to bringing MLS soccer to Miami: Try it for a season or two at the existing FIU football stadium. Yes, that field is wide enough to accommodate soccer.
If the team draws fans after a trial run then start looking for a suitable site for a stadium near the downtown area. But not a soccer-only stadium.
Instead build a mid-sized (like 35k seats) multi-purpose facility with adjustable seating configurations to accommodate both MLS soccer and American football. Then it can be used by the MLS team as well as by the UM Hurricanes, and can also host high-profile high school football games like the Soul Bowl and state playoffs.
In other words, a replacement for the Orange Bowl that does double duty as an MLS stadium. And let UM kick in on the cost.
I know, I know. The problem with this idea is it makes WAY too much sense.
Great idea. Is FIU ready and willing to let MLS soccer play 12-16 games at FIU? Very smart idea. A new stadium would take 2-4 years to build anyway.
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