David Beckham and Co. are one step closer to bringing MLS back to Miami.
Miami Beckham United announced Thursday that it has purchased two parcels of private land in the Miami neighborhood of Overtown, as the ownership group led by the former England captain looks to build a soccer-specific stadium in South Florida.
"We have the right site, the right ownership group, and a loyal base of fans counting down the days until our first match," investor Marcelo Claure said in a news release. "We're all in on Overtown, and we couldn't be more excited about moving forward with plans to deliver the most responsible stadium in Miami history."
MLS announced in February 2014 that Beckham had exercised the option from his LA Galaxy contract to launch an expansion franchise, choosing Miami as the location. But the expansion team is contingent on the club reaching an agreement to build a stadium, with Miami Beckham United pursuing several sites over the past two years before committing to Overtown.
Beckham's group now must purchase government-owned land and secure zoning approval before MLS will move forward with the expansion team.
The league previously featured a South Florida franchise — the Miami Fusion — from 1998 to 2001 before the team was contracted.
