MIAMI, Fla. (October 22, 2019) —
Yesterday, Inter Miami CF Managing Owner Jorge Mas was interviewed on the radio show Cada Tarde with Carinés Moncada and Agustín Acosta on Actualidad 1040AM in Miami. This interview came as the City of Miami Commissioners take up the issue of Miami Freedom Park once again this Thursday, October 24, 2019 at Miami City Hall (3500 Pan American Dr, Miami, FL 33133). Supporters are encouraged to email their city commissioners and show up to demonstrate their support as early as 8:00 a.m.
“We’re going to establish something extraordinarily positive for our city.”
The complete interview (en españo) is available on YouTube and linked here:
The half-hour long interview touched on many points. Here are some of the points that came out:
The reception Inter Miami has experienced in South Florida has been amazing. Ticket sales have been very strong with almost all of the season tickets for the first season already sold. The first home game will be March 14, 2020 at the new Inter Miami temporary home stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
On the issue of the value of the land where Miami Freedom Park is to be constructed, Mas said: “From day one, we have always said we are disposed to pay [rent] based on the fair market value of the land.” He added, “The value of the land is the value of the land. When the professional appraisers determine what the land is worth, that’s the value. We have to leave it to the processional appraisers to determine that. I’m not interested in negotiating their figure.”
On the stigma left behind by the taxpayer-financed Marlins Park deal which has been a frequent rallying cry for those opposed to Miami Freedom Park, Mas had this to say: “What happened with the Marlins stadium, we cannot penalize this project and the aspirations to bring soccer to Miami. This project is totally different from the Marlins. Here, the city is not contributing one cent.”
On the issue of why the land at Melreese should not be put out for a request for proposals as has been suggested by Commissioner Carollo, Jorge Mas said “During the last seventeen months, and all the discussion about why not put the land out for bidding, there was no solicitation process when I brought this project forward, not even an idea for one. At the same time, during these seventeen months any developer anywhere in the world could have gone to the City of Miami with a better idea for this Melreese golf course, and no one came forward.” Mas said that this shows that there has to be a public bid is not true. Here any person can make an unsolicited bid for city property.”
“I want this franchise to play in Miami. It’s our city. We deserve this team. I’ve seen the passion for fútbol (soccer) around the world. The passion exists in Miami. I can say without any doubt that I believe that Inter Miami will become the most popular team in our city in three, four, or five years, but not longer than that.” Mas stressed this will be due to the type of team and players that Inter Miami is going to have, the type of fans that already exist, for the type of international teams that are going to visit and play here, for the type of tournaments we can have here. He also cited the impact that the team is going to have on young players with its academy, mentioning that the Inter Miami Academy has already played in an international tournament in South Korea, and the impact that the team will have on the community. He mentioned that Inter Miami will also probably incorporate a women’s professional team in a few years also. “We’re going to establish something extraordinarily positive for our city.”
