Inter Miami’s New MLS Stadium Site Is Contaminated

The saga surrounding David Beckham’s new Major League Soccer team has been ongoing for quite some time now, with a series of issues and developments leading many to wonder what the future of the project is going to be.

We obviously know that the club, Inter Miami, will be entering the league sooner rather than later, but that’s where the certainties (if that) begin and end. As reported by BBC and The Telegraph, there are even more problems that could delay their progress even further.

The next chapter

The reports suggest that the site for the teams new proposed stadium is contaminated, with arsenic levels that are more than twice the legal limit.

An Inter Miami spokesperson said: “Miami Freedom Park has continued to move forward with the various studies needed for the redevelopment of the site.

“Our legal team and engineers have been meeting with city commissioners and staff about the environmental report our consultants conducted on the city’s land.

“We will be working with the city to implement a remediation plan that is thorough, and provides residents and visitors a destination that is safe for all to enjoy.”

The mayor of Miami has even voiced concerns about the situation, in what was, or still is, going to be a big moment for the development of a new sports franchise in Miami. The plans are for a stadium, shopping mall, public park and hotel all to be built on the site, which will cost in the region of $1 billion in development by the time it has been completed.

Long-term exposure to arsenic chemicals can cause several major health concerns such as skin problems, cancer and cardiovascular problems. This, of course, is just the tip of the iceberg for a club that has so far struggled to make the desired impact in terms of generating hype around the area of Miami.

Time to worry?

Some people are looking forward to seeing what they can do on the big stage, whereas others are happy with their many other pro sports teams that they have in the area.

One thing that nobody can deny is the passion David Beckham has for Inter Miami, as you can imagine. He has spoken about bringing a brand new franchise into the MLS mix for quite some time now, after spending five years of his career with LA Galaxy – where he was able to capture two MLS Cups.

Inter Miami will play in an 18,000-seater stadium in Fort Lauderdale, joining the MLS in 2020 in the process, so they’ve still got some time to fix the lingering issues at hand. With that being said it’s always important to make a strong first impression, and that just isn’t happening right now.

The expansion of Major League Soccer is going to continue whether people like it or not, and David Beckham wants to help drive that.

They may not end up making much of an impression at all in their first few years in terms of on the pitch, but they’ll definitely keep hitting the headlines.