County Commissioner Suarez against stadium plan
Our District County Commissioner, Xavier L. Suarez, issued a statement on Friday regarding the FEC slip/Major League Soccer proposal. He's against the boat slip being filled in and turned into land for a soccer stadium so that soccer star David Beckham and his pals can have bragging rights.
Suarez does want soccer in Miami and feels that Miami is a world-class city and he says he admires the fact that David Beckham and his group only prefer Miami for their stadium since it is such a great and world class place. I see it as Miami being the only city in the US that is foolish enough to hand over millions of dollars worth of land by starstruck officials. I'm sure Beckham and his buddies knew this from the start. Imagine them trying this in other major cities.
David Beckham's wife Victoria already has declared that she would never live in Miami, so David probably won't be paling around the city on a full time basis. He did try sucking up to the crowd at the Little Havana Gallery Walk the other night, perhaps he was eyeing the former Orange Bowl site or Marlins Stadium.
From Commissioner Suarez: "From day one, I have tried my hardest to make each site that is proposed work for the citizens of my county. I struggled to understand the logic of a stadium in the port; when that idea was voted down by the county commission, I struggled to understand the logic of a waterfront venue, even if it meant going back on two decades of planning in which Miami officials, following my own legacy (1985-93) endeavored to keep the FEC Slip as open space, with waterfront access for all Miamians."
Regarding the space, after all the time, money and planning, Museum Park is going to be opened next week. Should it now be torn apart for a soccer stadium?
More from Suarez: "After discussions with Miami officials (past and present), residents of the area and a host of planners and activists, I have concluded that the FEC slip is not a desirable site for the stadium. As a venue for sports or entertainment, it adds nothing to the existing AAA arena - except another concrete wall that visually separates pedestrians and motorists from the waterfront. I also worry about parking and the kinds of traffic nightmares that would have to be endured by the burgeoning downtown community of residents, already numbering in the range of 15,000."
Suarez does go on to say that annoying the neighbors and affected businesses in the area, who are against the soccer stadium, is not a good way to start the project. Commissioner Suarez suggests the former Orange Bowl site, near Marlins Stadium as a suitable place for the soccer stadium. He says, "It has substantial parking; access from four corners; nearness to rapid transit. Most importantly it is a site that can accommodate other uses, without doing harm to the residential community. A stadium that can accommodate up to 40,000 people can be used for Hurricane football. It can also be a venue for open-air concerts and, in conjunction with the Marlins Stadium, for international competition, requiring more than one facility to be in use simultaneously."
Suarez does want soccer in Miami and feels that Miami is a world-class city and he says he admires the fact that David Beckham and his group only prefer Miami for their stadium since it is such a great and world class place. I see it as Miami being the only city in the US that is foolish enough to hand over millions of dollars worth of land by starstruck officials. I'm sure Beckham and his buddies knew this from the start. Imagine them trying this in other major cities.
David Beckham's wife Victoria already has declared that she would never live in Miami, so David probably won't be paling around the city on a full time basis. He did try sucking up to the crowd at the Little Havana Gallery Walk the other night, perhaps he was eyeing the former Orange Bowl site or Marlins Stadium.
From Commissioner Suarez: "From day one, I have tried my hardest to make each site that is proposed work for the citizens of my county. I struggled to understand the logic of a stadium in the port; when that idea was voted down by the county commission, I struggled to understand the logic of a waterfront venue, even if it meant going back on two decades of planning in which Miami officials, following my own legacy (1985-93) endeavored to keep the FEC Slip as open space, with waterfront access for all Miamians."
Regarding the space, after all the time, money and planning, Museum Park is going to be opened next week. Should it now be torn apart for a soccer stadium?
More from Suarez: "After discussions with Miami officials (past and present), residents of the area and a host of planners and activists, I have concluded that the FEC slip is not a desirable site for the stadium. As a venue for sports or entertainment, it adds nothing to the existing AAA arena - except another concrete wall that visually separates pedestrians and motorists from the waterfront. I also worry about parking and the kinds of traffic nightmares that would have to be endured by the burgeoning downtown community of residents, already numbering in the range of 15,000."
Suarez does go on to say that annoying the neighbors and affected businesses in the area, who are against the soccer stadium, is not a good way to start the project. Commissioner Suarez suggests the former Orange Bowl site, near Marlins Stadium as a suitable place for the soccer stadium. He says, "It has substantial parking; access from four corners; nearness to rapid transit. Most importantly it is a site that can accommodate other uses, without doing harm to the residential community. A stadium that can accommodate up to 40,000 people can be used for Hurricane football. It can also be a venue for open-air concerts and, in conjunction with the Marlins Stadium, for international competition, requiring more than one facility to be in use simultaneously."
posted by Tom Falco at 5:00 AM
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7 Comments:
Commissioner Sarnoff, you could have been the one to make a statement like that, now everyone knows you are the GR$$N commissioner.
Suarez is right on point here, good on him.
We don't need several new stadiums - let's just do one - Canes and Soccer - that will get it a lot of use and revenue, and keep us from footing the bill.
There is not one reason why we need a another stadium on ANY public ground im Miami, that should be a Park!
I'm tired of Miami paying for investments that will never pay off. Our city (or any city) should never be in the investment business. Thank heaven a vote of the citizens would be necessary.
Steven Dloogooff
tobers2012@gmail.com
Agreed with the others. I love soccer. But a quick trip to Kennedy Park on the weekend demonstrates what we really need are green space...
If you live downtown (which is booming) where do you go to walk a dog, ride a bike, let your child pedal a tricycle?
DKF
Suarez for Mayor!! Suarez for Mayor! Right on point. Thanks you for being the last sane politician in South Florida.
Good move by Suarez and I give him five stars for that but would not vote for him ONLY because in a real democracy there is no room for family run politics. Same goes for all other Miami politicians with family ties in multiple official or elected positions.
Xavier Suarez was the first politician to come out against demolishing Bicentennial Park. Sarnoff was waiting for Mr Gr$$n.
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