Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, aka InterMiami CF, the Major League Soccer expansion franchise David Beckham has been fighting for 5 years to realize, has finally unleashed its grand vision. Being built atop the Melreese Country Club (read: golf course) at the crux of Miami International Airport and westbound 836, Miami Freedom Park & Soccer Village will be 58 acres of much-needed public green space and attractions, bathed in that special brand of relentless epileptic seizure turbo-glitter Miamians live and die for. Check out the sizzle reel.
At first blush, the project appears to be part Vegas-like VIP skylounge where mojitos and bubbly will flow; part outdoor shopping mall where merch will flow; and part waterpark where water will flow. There’s also a 26,000 seat stadium for professional match play, 10 soccer practice fields, 4 baseball diamonds, meandering lakes, and plenty of space for child’s play. All these ambitious features add up to what the developers hope will become a year round community-oriented destination, where families can gather, frolic and compete in sports (mostly) for free. Maybe that’s the “Freedom” part of the name. The stadium itself seems to be channeling a Zaha Hadid-ish amorphic, ribbed spaceship design, and looks pretty spectacular.
Beckham, along with local partners Jorge and Jose Mas and Marcelo Claure, keep proudly stressing that the $966 million project is 100% privately financed, desperate to avoid the reputation- and brand-killing stench still lingering in Little Havana from the Miami Marlins stadium debacle.
Photos and screengrabs: InterMiami CF
WOW, the look is absolutely magnificent