Soccer star David Beckham plans to visit Miami this week to scout prospective locations for a new MLS soccer team, Reuters reported.
He is slated to meet with Bolivian billionaire and Miami resident Marcelo Claure. Beckham, who played for L.A. Galaxy, has an option to develop a franchise for the North American league. Claure and Beckham hoped to attend the Miami Heat’s NBA playoff game against the Indiana Pacers tomorrow, the news service said.
The Fort Lauderdale-based Miami Fusion joined the league in 1998. MLS shut the team down after four seasons, along with the Tampa Bay Mutiny.
MLS commissioner Don Garber has often expressed interest in returning to the southeastern U.S. and has discussed with possible ownership groups in Orlando and Atlanta.
The addition of a new MLS franchise in Miami could boost the current trend of rising property values in areas such as Doral, Miami Lakes, Hialeah, and Kendall.