(CNN Español) — So well Miami is widely known for its beaches, for the different sports and cultural events it hosts, for the entertainment, the fiesta and the joy it represents and for the multiculturalism it welcomes, football is not, no looking for, part of its map presentation before the world.
But all this changed on June 7, when we got to know the news that Lionel Messi, the Argentine star, current champion of the world and former ganador of the Balón de Oro, would join the city team to play. The football planet has been completely revolutionized, as much as many resort to the internet to get the slightest detail of your new team, the MiamiInterand where “La Pulga” Messi’s new home will be, the Drive Pink stadium.
Antes, Estadio Lockhart
An Inter team hotel in Miami is not located in this city, up to 40 kilometers north of there, in nearby Fort Lauderdale.
El Stadium, originally called Lockhart, was built in 1959 to house football skills and local secondary school athletics. It wasn’t until 1977 when he started his connection with football that he became the home of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers team of the NASL (North American Soccer League) and no one had the greatest figure.
After 20 years, Lockhart Stadium has come into the sights of reconfirmed soccer fans from MLS (Major League Soccer) team Miami Fusion, including Colombian player Carlos “El Pibe” Valderrama. His bargaining would attract the public and allow fans, especially of Hispanic origin, to delude themselves with the team. Sin embargo, la dicha no duraría mucho y el Fusion solo jugaría cuatro temporadas, hasta 2001.
Between 2003 and 2016 the stadium had various uses, between carnivals and American football matches. During unos años it was home to Miami FC, a second division professional soccer team, which currently plays in the USL (United Soccer League).
Hello, Estadio Drive Pink
Having been virtually abandoned and in very bad shape, the group that owns the inaugurated Inter Miami football team led by the infamous English player David Beckham received a 50-year contract from the world, including Lockhart, as como Permission to create a training academy with six fields and a modular stadium, located exactly where the front stadium is.
In May 2019, Inter Miami started the process of demolishing the old stadium and started the construction of Drive Pink. A career against the clock since the debut of the team in the MLS was scheduled for March 2020. But there were no major problems, some elements of the project were introduced before the end of the season and the stadium was scheduled for March 11th. Without the embargo, the covid-19 pandemic caused an all-time deployment of MLS, which took place until 22 August this year for Inter’s home debut in Miami.
The Drive Pink, number that was given at the stadium, was selected in support of the Drive Pink initiative of AutoNation, which collects and donates funds to support cancer research and treatment. From ahí una de las razones del rosado, como parte de los colores del equipo. The other race keeps a close eye on the Art Deco culture of the city of Miami.
In addition to the MLS team, the Club has the MLS NEXT Pro Inter Miami CF II team and a youth academy for schools up to 12 and up to 17, as part of the MLS NEXT program.
The stadium of the pueblo
The initial modular stage concept is streamlined and optimized to work in conjunction with the stable timing of shadow entry. Designed by Manica Architects, the stadium is divided into numerous independent elements, which can be easily prefabricated and are no longer dependent on each other.
The complex includes fields and other installations for the first team and the Inter academy, as well as public park spaces that include senders for correr y caminar, a children’s park, others for children, an artificial field and other fields and installations.
The stadium was calculated from four rectangular graderías for a capacity that was initially seen by 18,000 spectators and eventually ended up accommodating 19,100 spectators. The gradas, fully modular and easy to disassemble, are not connected to other elements.
In los lados este y oeste se construyeron dos estructuras with a height of 27 meters each, to give support to the techo of the stadium. One of the grandstands was not built at ground level up to a building of a single level of 4,600 square meters, which provides everything necessary for players and referees, while incorporating 23 premium stages at field level and associated services. One of the esquinas of the stadium has a modular pabellón which includes a VIP terrace.
The future, with or without Messi
Long before Messi’s surprising bargaining passed, the team’s dueños, fans and general popularity made it clear that Inter Milan’s final home in Miami was not in this stadium.
In November 2018, through a referendum, citizenship voted in favor of the construction of Miami Freedom Park, a recreational destination with 58 hectares of public parks, green spaces, various canchas de fútbol that can be used by youth teams in the area, a technology center, restaurants and a stadium with a capacity of 25,000, which will be the new hangar for Beckham’s team.
Located next to Miami International Airport and 100% privately funded, it is the next host to Messi’s new team. The current stadium and sus alrededores will be the future full lineup of the team and El Fort Lauderdale CF, playing at USL One level, will become the main tenant of the DRV PNK stadium.
While there is no exact fecha for the draft entry, it is calculated that it could be the slate for the 2025 MLS temporada.
