A New Sports Stadium is Coming to Miami

Major League Soccer fans living in Miami have something worth celebrating. It has been four years since David Beckham first announced his plans to build an enormous, multi-million dollar MLS stadium in Miami that will launch a Miami-based MLS team and it looks like his dream is finally becoming a reality.

Beckham’s ownership group, Miami Beckham United, just got approval from Miami-Dade commissioners to purchase the last three acres of land needed to erect Beckham’s vision of a 25,000-seat open-air venue in Overton for $9 million. The entire stadium is estimated to cost at least $175 million, but some of that money will go back into the community with the creation of 50 full-time jobs.

Miami Beckham United has two final hoops to jump through before the deal is officially sealed; it must first obtain the approval of the city of Miami before attaining approval from the MLS- the latter being more of a formality than a requirement. Beckham hopes to achieve these final milestones by the end of June.

While a few final pieces remain to be put into place, there is no longer any question that Beckham’s MLS stadium will be coming to Miami, with the goal of entering the league before the 2019 season. “I firmly believe that the sale of this property, as well as the subsequent soccer stadium, will leave a lasting positive impact on the community,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.

The Mayor did note in his official statement that Miami Beckham United will have to work with the city of Miami before the contract is binding and construction begins. The reason the process of finalizing the plans has been so long and drawn-out is because the stadium is being built with private funds and will have a direct positive impact on the community, so it pays to take the time to get it right.

The Mayor is confident in the future of the MLS stadium, looking forward to the day when the Miami MLS team can join the ranks of the Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins, and Miami Heat. If you’re a Miami sports fan, it is almost a guarantee that you have  something to look forward to as well.

from Bryan Lockley and Sports http://ift.tt/2sZaNA7

A New Sports Stadium is Coming to Miami

Major League Soccer fans living in Miami have something worth celebrating. It has been four years since David Beckham first announced his plans to build an enormous, multi-million dollar MLS stadium in Miami that will launch a Miami-based MLS team and it looks like his dream is finally becoming a reality.

Beckham’s ownership group, Miami Beckham United, just got approval from Miami-Dade commissioners to purchase the last three acres of land needed to erect Beckham’s vision of a 25,000-seat open-air venue in Overton for $9 million. The entire stadium is estimated to cost at least $175 million, but some of that money will go back into the community with the creation of 50 full-time jobs.

Miami Beckham United has two final hoops to jump through before the deal is officially sealed; it must first obtain the approval of the city of Miami before attaining approval from the MLS- the latter being more of a formality than a requirement. Beckham hopes to achieve these final milestones by the end of June.

While a few final pieces remain to be put into place, there is no longer any question that Beckham’s MLS stadium will be coming to Miami, with the goal of entering the league before the 2019 season. “I firmly believe that the sale of this property, as well as the subsequent soccer stadium, will leave a lasting positive impact on the community,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.

The Mayor did note in his official statement that Miami Beckham United will have to work with the city of Miami before the contract is binding and construction begins. The reason the process of finalizing the plans has been so long and drawn-out is because the stadium is being built with private funds and will have a direct positive impact on the community, so it pays to take the time to get it right.

The Mayor is confident in the future of the MLS stadium, looking forward to the day when the Miami MLS team can join the ranks of the Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins, and Miami Heat. If you’re a Miami sports fan, it is almost a guarantee that you have  something to look forward to as well.

from Bryan Lockley and Sports http://ift.tt/2sZaNA7

I’ve a Feeling We’re Not in Disney Anymore: Abandoned Places in Florida

 

Ask anyone who’s not from Florida to describe the state in one word and you’ll probably get some similar answers: sunny, warm, happy, beaches…maybe something about alligators or the amount of retirees would make it’s way in there, but my point is that Florida is generally a happy place. It’s home to Disney World, “the happiest place on Earth,” after all.

Florida is also home to a startling number of creepy, abandoned places antithetical to the ebullient, care-free vibes of Disney World. There are abandoned places all over the country but Florida, in particular, is a hotspot for them. If you’re driven by a curious, adventurous spirit and the thought of empty, decaying structures doesn’t scare you, then you may want to check out one of these four places during your next visit to Florida for an unconventional travel experience.

• River Country Water Park

Disney is not very forthcoming about its abandoned water park, River Country, and for good reason: the park, which was themed to look like a natural swimming hole, opened to visitors in 1976 and was once a thriving attraction for guests of the Walt Disney World Resort. The park closed after 25 years of operation, however, due to safety concerns surrounding a deadly amoeba found in the natural water and a new Florida law requiring that the water supply for all pools be potable, as well as competition from Disney’s other two waterparks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, which were much larger. Now, the park remains as a decaying ghost town overtaken by weeds and moss. A photographer, Seph Lawless, who captured images of the abandoned park, feels that Disney should restore the area. “No corporation should be powerful enough to hide the truth and not clean up their mess,” he said.

• Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park

While this famous military fort, built after the War of 1812 to defend America’s coastlines, remains open to the public for guided tours as part of Dry Tortugas National Park, it ceased operating as a fortress in 1888 when it was decided that the upkeep was too expensive for the facility to continue operating as a defensive fortification. It was turned into a bird sanctuary in 1908, devoid of prisoners or soldiers for more than a hundred years.

• Stiltsville, Miami-Dade

Stiltsville, in Miami-Dade country, is exactly what it sounds like: a mini town on stilts off the coast. A man by the name of Eddie Walker constructed the buildings during the prohibition era to conduct bootlegging operations. Other stories say the buildings were already there when Walker moved his business there, but his motivation is that the area was outside the territory of United States jurisdiction. Today, the stilted buildings make up a certifiable ghost town maintained by the Stiltsville Trust.

• Kerr City

Established in 1884, Kerr City was once a small functioning village, but crop-destroying weather in 1894 and 1895 left the town all but abandoned. As of 2013, only one resident remained and the town is rumored to be haunted.

Originally published on BryanLockley.com