Tag Archives: Lockhart Stadium

Miami Soccer in Review: Clubs throughout the county position themselves for the next decade

Miami Soccer in Review | In 2019, Inter Miami CF announced a plan to build a stadium to serve as a temporary venue for its Major League Soccer team and a permanent home for a USL League One side. Photo via Inter Miami CF.

Magic City Soccer will take the last 10 days of 2019 to review the last 10 years of Miami-Dade County soccer. Today in Miami Soccer in Review, we take a look back at 2019. As the decade closes, Inter Miami CF, The Miami FC and more prepare for the next decade and beyond.

2019 began with Inter Miami CF targeting Miami Freedom Park and a not-yet-named temporary venue. The Miami FC was preparing for its second season in the National Premier Soccer League. And Miami United FC was gearing up for its sixth season at Ted Hendricks Stadium in Hialeah. By the end of the year, Inter Miami was nearly done building a stadium no one envisioned in January, Miami FC was onto its third league in 12 months, and Miami United moved across the county.

Miami Soccer in Review: The Miami FC struggles on the pitch in its 2016 debut

Miami Soccer in Review | The Miami FC forward Darío Cvitanich celebrates with teammates after scoring the club's first goal in a game against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on April 2, 2016. Photo via The Miami FC.

Magic City Soccer will take the last 10 days of 2019 to review the last 10 years of Miami-Dade County soccer. Today in Miami Soccer in Review, we take a look back at 2016. The Miami FC debuts less than a year after being announced, and struggles to find its footing.

The Miami FC took the field for the first time in 2016, led by Italian giant Alessandro Nesta. In the club’s first match against Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Darío Cvitanich would score the first goal thanks to a penalty and a 10-man side saw out a 1-1 draw at Lockhart Stadium in Broward County. The Strikers, who qualified for the NASL playoffs the prior season, offered a measuring stick with which to compare Miami FC. The next week, the Blues again saw out a 1-1 draw, this time against Tampa Bay Rowdies, a team that came two points behind Fort Lauderdale the previous season. 

It would be the last points Miami FC collected for more than a month.

Miami Soccer in Review: The decade begins with 2010, an Annus Horribilis

Marcelo Claure, now an owner of Inter Miami CF, originally intended to bring a Major League Soccer team to Miami in partnership with Barcelona in 2010. Photo by Patrick Farrell, Miami Herald

Magic City Soccer will take the last 10 days of 2019 to review the last 10 years of Miami-Dade County soccer. Here, we begin our look back at a decade of Miami soccer in review with 2010, an Annus Horribilis.

The decade of the 2010s was supposed to open with a bang for the Miami soccer community. In October 2008, Barcelona announced that it would be partnering with Brightstar Corp. CEO Marcelo Claure to bring an Major League Soccer team to FIU Stadium, possibly as soon as 2010.

If you know anything about soccer in Miami this decade, you know this couldn’t have compared less favorably with what actually happened. In fact, the only constant was Claure, now involved in the ownership of Inter Miami CF.

BREAKING: City of Fort Lauderdale commission gives final approval to Inter Miami CF construction at Lockhart Stadium site

The City of Fort Lauderdale commission Tuesday evening gave approval for Inter Miami CF to construct a new stadium at the previous site of Lockhart Stadium. Photo via mlssoccer.com

Less than six months after the proposal was introduced, and less than two months after demolition began, the City of Fort Lauderdale’s commission Tuesday night gave final approval to the construction of a stadium at the site of Lockhart Stadium for the use of Inter Miami CF.

The vote, which was unanimous and took only a few minutes of deliberation, now guarantees that Inter Miami CF will have a home to play in when it begins its first Major League Soccer campaign.

There are still wrinkles to iron out. Most notably, the Federal Aviation Administration will have say over the construction process, due to the lot’s proximity to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. According to Chris Wittyngham, who spoke to a team official after the vote, the team is ready to start building as soon as that approval is given.

September start?

640 the Hurricane radio host Andy Slater spoke to the team before the vote. A spokesperson stated that they believe the FAA approval could come in September.

The FAA has been a speed bump on construction at the Lockhart Stadium site before. A long-proposed water park next to the stadium was scuttled because of FAA regulations.

Ownership has routinely stated that they expect the stadium to be completed by the start of the 2020 MLS season.

Magic City Soccer podcast Episode 68: Jorge Mas sits down with Magic City Soccer

Inter Miami CF managing partner Jorge Mas sits down with Magic City Soccer. Video by Matthew Bunch and Abel Iraola.

Abel and Matt sit down with Inter Miami CF managing partner Jorge Mas to discuss Lockhart Stadium, Miami Freedom Park and much more. Join us, won’t you?

To subscribe to Magic City Soccer on iTunes, click here. To subscribe to Magic City Soccer on SoundCloud, click here.
To subscribe on Google Play, Listen on Google Play Music

Magic City Soccer podcast Episode 67: Inter Miami CF wins in Fort Lauderdale, struggles in Miami-Dade

Magic City Soccer Podcast. Photographic by Matthew Bunch.

On this episode of the Magic City Soccer podcast, Abel, Matt and Omar focus squarely on Inter Miami CF, after its win in front of the Fort Lauderdale city commission likely means it will play (at least) two years in Broward County. What does the future of the club look like from here? Join us, won’t you?

To subscribe to Magic City Soccer on iTunes, click here. To subscribe to Magic City Soccer on SoundCloud, click here.
To subscribe on Google Play, Listen on Google Play Music