MIAMI — Inter Miami FC has begun construction on Miami Freedom Park, the Major League Soccer (MLS) club’s new 131-acre entertainment district, the centerpiece of which will be a 25,000-seat stadium. The project is a redevelopment of the former site of the Melreese Country Club in the city’s Grapeland Heights neighborhood.
In addition to the stadium, Miami Freedom Park will feature a 58-acre public park that will have soccer and youth athletic fields for the community, as well as office, hospitality, retail and restaurant uses. Leasing campaigns for the retail and restaurant components are already underway, as are efforts to cultivate corporate partnerships.
Crews are now performing preliminary earthwork and sitework that will overlap with the start of vertical construction. A formal groundbreaking ceremony will take place later this year, and the development is slated for a 2025 completion. Redevelopment plans were previously approved by voters and the City of Miami Commission.
A major impetus behind the development has been the club’s signing of international superstar Lionel Messi. The Miami Herald reports that the club intends for Messi, who previously signed a 2.5-year, $150 million deal that includes a future ownership stake in the team after he retires, to play at Miami Freedom Park during the 2025 season. Messi is considered by many to be the greatest soccer player of all time, and has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or for the global player of the year a record seven times.
The newspaper also reports that since the arrival of Messi, who has subsequently scored 11 goals in nine matches while leading the club to the U.S. Open Cup final, Inter Miami matches have sold out at larger MLS stadiums in other cities like Nashville, Dallas and Philadelphia. Inter Miami currently plays at DRV PNK Stadium, a 21,000-seat facility in nearby Fort Lauderdale.
Project partners include Miami-based architecture firm Arquitectonica, global arena and stadium design firm Manica and project manager CAA Icon. In addition, earlier this year, Inter Miami hired sports-anchored real estate investment and development veteran Devon McCorkle to lead the project.
“In creating a multi-faceted space, we will set a new standard of what sport complexes can be,” says Jorge Mas, managing owner of Inter Miami. “We look forward to delivering a food and entertainment destination for families to enjoy year-round. I can’t wait to welcome our fans to our state-of-the-art stadium and hear the chants as Messi and your Inter Miami players take the pitch for the first time in 2025.”
“Everyone wants to be part of what we’re creating — a new entertainment district that will be the centerpiece of family activities and experiences in Miami,” adds McCorkle. “We are in discussions with stadium sponsors, hotel brands, major attractions operators, restaurant groups, cultural institutions and many other exciting potential partners. We will deliver an incredible home for them at Miami Freedom Park.”
— Taylor Williams