August 21 – The proposed stadium site for David Beckham’s Inter Miami franchise in the MLS has arsenic contamination levels more than twice the legal limit, according to an environmental report.
As well as the arsenic, environmental firm EE&G, commissioned by Inter Miami, found barium and lead levels also exceeded legal limits. The site used to be a waste site for incinerator ash.
Plans are in place to build a stadium, shopping mall, hotel and public park on the site as part of a $1 billion development. “This obviously causes great concerns,” Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said.
“Basically, the site has significantly more contamination than is commercially reasonable,” Suarez added in an interview with the Miami Herald.
Inter Miami are set to join the MLS in 2020 as a new franchise and will initially play in an 18,000-seat arena in Fort Lauderdale.
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.”
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