The Miami Herald reports that the David Beckham investor group, twice jilted in its quest for cheap downtown Miami waterfront real estate, is now aiming for greener pasture in nearby Broward County.
EOM criticized the downtown Miami plan for two reasons, entirely independent of the question whether another sports stadium on Biscayne Bay is an appropriate land use given the decades of surrendering public access to commercial developers: 1) traffic access to Biscayne Boulevard is irredeemable screwed up by past land use decisions and 2) soccer supporters who would actually attend games don't live in condo high rises: they live mostly in western suburbs.
That the Beckham group so quickly diverted to a potential location in suburban Broward with excellent highway access affirms critics who argued that the soccer stadium plan in downtown Miami was a fig leaf or merkin whose downside risk was poor attendance but whose upside potential was real estate development. Spokesmen like Neisen Kasden are paid handsomely to mask base motives as something glorious, but eventually -- and in this case only after a few weeks -- the truth will come out.
As for the Beckham group's claim, in the Herald, that an alternative site -- near the Miami Marlin's stadium -- is "spiritually tainted?
We couldn't agree more, even if the site is the best location in Miami-Dade for another sports stadium. Raising the specter of the deal supported by the Miami Herald, taxpayers are on the hook for the worst professional sports stadium compact in US history, to eventually cost more than $3 billion.
But there must be a way for to cleanse the location and its demons.
EOM suggests a voter petition to incumbent county commissioners who voted for the Marlins stadium. Although voters recalled the county mayor, Carlos Alvarez, who shepherded the deal through to completion, the incumbent county commissioners who approved the deal have paid no political price at all at the polls.
So EOM recommends voters to request their elected county commissioners like Javier Souto to pray hard and pray together, lead perhaps by another pro-stadium incumbent Pepe Diaz, calling on a higher power, a muscular presence to remove the stigma and bring Beckham back to Miami.
To bring Beckham back to Miami, we need a superhero. Who could you call on, county commissioners?
EOM criticized the downtown Miami plan for two reasons, entirely independent of the question whether another sports stadium on Biscayne Bay is an appropriate land use given the decades of surrendering public access to commercial developers: 1) traffic access to Biscayne Boulevard is irredeemable screwed up by past land use decisions and 2) soccer supporters who would actually attend games don't live in condo high rises: they live mostly in western suburbs.
That the Beckham group so quickly diverted to a potential location in suburban Broward with excellent highway access affirms critics who argued that the soccer stadium plan in downtown Miami was a fig leaf or merkin whose downside risk was poor attendance but whose upside potential was real estate development. Spokesmen like Neisen Kasden are paid handsomely to mask base motives as something glorious, but eventually -- and in this case only after a few weeks -- the truth will come out.
As for the Beckham group's claim, in the Herald, that an alternative site -- near the Miami Marlin's stadium -- is "spiritually tainted?
We couldn't agree more, even if the site is the best location in Miami-Dade for another sports stadium. Raising the specter of the deal supported by the Miami Herald, taxpayers are on the hook for the worst professional sports stadium compact in US history, to eventually cost more than $3 billion.
But there must be a way for to cleanse the location and its demons.
EOM suggests a voter petition to incumbent county commissioners who voted for the Marlins stadium. Although voters recalled the county mayor, Carlos Alvarez, who shepherded the deal through to completion, the incumbent county commissioners who approved the deal have paid no political price at all at the polls.
So EOM recommends voters to request their elected county commissioners like Javier Souto to pray hard and pray together, lead perhaps by another pro-stadium incumbent Pepe Diaz, calling on a higher power, a muscular presence to remove the stigma and bring Beckham back to Miami.
To bring Beckham back to Miami, we need a superhero. Who could you call on, county commissioners?
 |
| http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2013/01/23/recalled-miami-mayor-flexes-for-camera-as-bodybuilding-champion/ |
13 comments:
Beckam's behaving like a teenage school girl who wants attention from a guy she likes at school by flirting with one of his rivals. The danger with that is that she might end up with the rival, and fat and pregnant, living in a double wide. That's the tactic that Beckham seems to be using on us. Not getting what he wants (prime waterfront property), he's off to be wooed by the polyester clad politicians in Broward. But watch how he does it. Like the coquettish drama queen, he'll be looking over his shoulder watching our reaction. This play speaks more to Beckham's real intent. Is he looking for a venue for his team to play in a a large market? Or is he seeking a stylish waterfront "venue"? He may be offered an area on Hollywood Beach, but if he accepts it, he might find out that Hollywood Beach ain't nothing like South Beach. I'll echo the words sung by Queen Elsa in "Frozen": "Let him go, let him go."
Would love to have Alvarez back! NOW
Alvarez was bad, but were we ever wrong in electing Gimenez!
I don't want Beckham Back. Let him bother poor Lee Feldman. Lee: Hang tough. He wants your prime waterfront. Put him on the riverfront near the failed shopping center by Michael Swerdlow.
If he can get prime waterfront land in Broward for free, then good for him. Everyone doesnot need to be here. We have to control our growth and destiny. Next year there will be another group of con men looking for our waterfront and parkland for free. We need to feel comfortable with turning them down, and watching them find other suckers.
"I'll echo the words sung by Queen Elsa in "Frozen": "Let him go, let him go."
Thanks anon #1. I agree.
Last anon, there's a group of con men working on our waterfront land right now which I've deemed the Guinness book of records biggest nail clipper! And, they've thrown a bone to Liberty City too. At least they one upped Beckham.
Last anon, good comment. We need real planning in Miami Dade. Enough of this patchwork stuff and toying with our CDMP whenever for whatever reason. We need to stick with it and change it as needed during the census periods.
Smart people are saying spokesmodel Beckham and his handlers are NOT serious. They only want prime taxpayer owned waterfront land AND they refuse to pay. There are lots of privately owned parcels BUT they refuse to bid on those. Good riddance. Maybe Broward politicians are stupid enough or corrupt enough to give land away to foreign scammers?
Disgraced / Recalled ex-Mayor Carlos Alvarez is a sad joke on Miami-Dade County. He spends his retirement body building while collecting a $201,000 per year pension and the taxpayers get stuck paying $3 Billion for the Marlins Stadium and Garage.
Oh no!!! I thought I had seen the last of that body. Yikes!
He sure as hell didn't look like that when I worked for him. Of course, the ego was there, just waiting for the opportunity to be free of the bondage of being elected.
Maybe beckham can promise Alvarez a suite in the stadium if he comes back to help. I wonder whar the tats are on his shoulders.
Putting a soccer stadium next to Marlims park actually improves the financial viability of both stadiums..
Actually they should play IN Marlins stadium .. A facility that is already owned by the county .. Has parking ..great view of downtown and a roof when it rains .. 25 games would not negatively impact Marlims stadium.. .. But they won't go there because : Gimenez's does NOT want to improve the finances of marlins stadium ..because then he would have nothing to bitch about ..given his lack of leadership on every other real issue bitching about the stadium deal is all he has.. But the main reason is not that it's spiritually tainted but because the Beckham stadium was never about soccer..do the math .. $250 million for a stadium,, at least $2m for land lease (that was his last offer)!'then expenses for the players.. Administration etc.. And they are going to pay for this and make a profit on 25 games a year.. ..?
The Beckman stadium by any other name is a casino.. Or some other non soccer
use..concerts.. Shows ..all competing with already owned county facilities..... you can not pencil out the projected costs at 25 games a year..
You have hit the nail on the head..however in that the lobbyists like Kasdin..Lopez .. Little Gimenez.. Balasara.. Etc.. All looking to parlay into another payday ..,
If Beckham wiling to consider non waterfront site in Broward it only underscores that his duplicitous statements to our elected officials here was a ruse..
The commission is hopeless ..Gimenez will listen to whatever Lopez and the lobbyists tell him.. Time to move on and save libraries and 450 police officers.. Not worry about Beckham and the lobbyists.
Jeff Loria and his lapdog Davey Samson get 100% of ALL REVENUES at Marlins Stadium. The taxpayers pay 99.6% of all the expenses and Loria gets 100% of all revenues.
Post a Comment