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MONDAY, MAY 5, 2014 SPORTS Beckham’s Miami stadium plan hits stormy waters MIAMI: David Beckham’s dream of on Friday a stadium would be a “poor already slated for commercial develop- as backers of the alliance. Other key although no timetable has been set for a building a futuristic waterfront stadium use of (Miami’s) only port,” arguing it ment by the port’s own master plan, he players have remained silent, including vote. Beckham along with his partners in Miami that would house his own pro- would disrupt cargo and cruise opera- said. Located half a mile (about 1 km) the two other major cruise lines at the Simon Fuller, the founder of American fessional soccer team has turned into a tions by adding at least 6,000 cars and from the port entrance, the stadium port, Carnival Cruise Lines and Idol, and Bolivian-born cellular phone “not in my backyard” clash, pitting the 30,000 people to the downtown area. would cause no problem for cruise ship Norwegian Cruise Line. services company billionaire Marcelo retired English superstar against one of John Fox, president of the Miami or freight cargo operations, Kasdin Claure, unveiled plans in March to build the world’s top cruise lines. Seaport Alliance, who until recently added, noting games would be played MAYOR WITH OPPONENTS the $250 million privately-financed sta- Royal Caribbean Cruises is at the fore- headed government relations for Royal mostly on Saturday evenings. The mayor of Miami Beach, located dium on land leased from the county. front of efforts to block Beckham’s plans Caribbean in Washington, accused “It’s not a place you want to have out near the port, has joined those opposed The plan includes shopping plazas, to build a 25,000 seat open-air stadium Beckham of a “land grab” this week, say- in the suburbs,” said Kasdin. “It’s great for to a stadium near the port. Mayor Philip offices and hotels on the island port with next to the port of Miami. ing he suspected the stadium was a the downtown life of a city.” The port is Levine is chief executive of Royal Media sweeping views of downtown Miami. The cruise line is spearheading a shoehorn for a much larger develop- currently undergoing $2 billion in capital Partners, a media company that handles Claure accused the Seaport Alliance group called the Miami Seaport Alliance, ment plan on real estate close to the improvements including deepening its all publications for Royal Caribbean and of poisoning the stadium debate. “I am which has paid for full-page newspaper port entrance. “We just don’t think they main channel and construction of a port its subsidiaries. personally saddened that they have cho- ads and TV and radio spots opposing (Beckham’s group) are being honest with tunnel and rail link, allowing it to handle Levine told Reuters he saw no conflict sen to substitute constructive dialogue Beckham’s plans. The alliance says a sta- this community,” Fox said on Wednesday a new generation of larger container of interest in his stand. “We love soccer, with attack ads.” dium would threaten the 200,000 jobs during a public debate in which he vessels set to begin using the expanded but this is all about traffic,” he said, He accused Royal Caribbean of being generated by the port, which is owned questioned how Beckham’s team could Panama Canal in 2016. adding the planned site would cause selfish and said the selected site was cur- and operated by Miami-Dade County. make money from soccer alone with While the Seaport Alliance says it is “horrible” congestion on a major cause- rently under-used as it serves mainly as a The port, built on a landfill island close only 25 scheduled games a year. supported by an array of local business way that links downtown Miami to the car park for cruise line employees. If an to downtown, calls itself the “cruise cap- groups and mayors, some of its sup- popular tourist hotel district in the independent traffic study showed the ital of the world,” handling more than 4 WATERFRONT SETTING posed backers told Reuters the alliance southern part of Miami Beach. port stadium could disrupt cruise and million passengers in 2013. Formally Beckham’s group, Beckham Miami misrepresented their position. Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos freight operations, Beckham’s group known as PortMiami, it is also a large United, insists the stadium must be An attorney representing two chap- Gimenez, in an opinion piece in the would look at other sites, he said. “Our cargo container facility. located in a waterfront downtown set- ters of the International Longshoreman’s Miami Herald on Friday, urged both goal is not to create chaos, but to create “A soccer stadium at PortMiami is ting, likening it to other franchises in Association in Miami said his members sides to temper their remarks, saying it happiness,” Claure said. downright nutty,” according to one ad by Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, were “neutral” on the stadium proposal, was premature to judge the issue until The sport’s controlling body in the the alliance. “We cannot jeopardize well- Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Neisen Kasdin, contradicting statements by the Seaport county officials review the stadium United States, Major League Soccer, is paying jobs, like crane operators, long- a land use attorney with the Akerman Alliance. The influential Miami impact, including a traffic study. supporting Beckham’s bid to form a shore workers, and mechanics, for low- law firm who represents Beckham’s Association of Realtors and the Florida “We will not jeopardize any of the team in Miami, but has yet to award paying stadium jobs, such as concession group, called the alliance’s attacks “false Customs Brokers and Forwarders jobs our port provides,” he wrote. the franchise. MLS has made a down- sales,” it adds. and misleading.” Association, also said they have yet to Ultimately, the decision will rest with town stadium location a condition of Royal Caribbean said in a statement The proposed stadium site is on land take sides, despite being named by Fox Miami-Dade County commissioners, any deal. —Reuters Juve secure League title as Roma crash at Catania MILAN: Juventus secured the 2014 Serie A title with three games to spare yesterday after closest challengers Roma were stunned 4-1 away to rel- egation-haunted Catania. It is the Turin giants’ 30th official title in Italy’s top flight and third in succession under coach Antonio Conte. Juventus remain on course to become the first team in Serie A to finish with at least 100 points. After hosting Atalanta on Monday, Juve travel to Roma next week and close out the season at home to Cagliari. Juventus had congregated at a hotel in Turin yesterday to watch Roma’s upset on television and immediately after the final whistle the celebrations began. Several players, among them striker Pablo ITALY: Napoli’s Marek Hamsik (top center) lifts the trophy as he celebrates with his Daniel Osvaldo, posted brief messages on teammates after winning the Italian Cup final match against Fiorentina. —AP Twitter: “Campioni !!!!” “We are the champions, we are the champions,” read another from the Napoli clinch Italian Cup club’s official Twitter feed alongside pictures of the players dressed in identical black t-shirts ROME: The problems caused by Italian authorities how we could ensure the game making reference to the club’s belief they have football fans could drive players out of the would go ahead, as otherwise it would’ve won 32 titles. country, Fiorentina coach Vincenzo been a defeat for all of Italian football,” he Juventus were stripped of two Serie A titles, Montella said on Saturday after three fans said after the match. which they won in 2005 and 2006, following were shot near Rome’s Olympic Stadium, “We resolved the problem also with the their demotion to Serie B for their role in the forcing the Italian Cup final to kick off 45 help of the two ultras groups, who were Calciopoli match-fixing scandal. minutes late. very understanding and co-operative.” De Defender Leonardo Bonucci made reference Napoli beat Fiorentina 3-1 to win their Laurentiis then praised the fans’ display of when he posted a message on Twitter which fifth Italian Cup thanks to a first-half brace “civility” in the face of bad organisation on read: “Champions 32.” “I’m very happy, we’ve won ITALY: Juventus players celebrate after winning the League overall soccer title, in a Turin hotel, from Lorenzo Insigne and a late strike from the part of the authorities. the title and I’m really happy for everyone at the yesterday. Juventus clinched its third straight and 30th title without even playing. —AP Dries Mertens but the match looked in dan- “Why is it that the Ministry of the club,” Juve striker Carlos Tevez told reporters. ger of being cancelled as news of the Interior still hasn’t worked out how to Roma had emerged as Juve’s only real chal- Elsewhere, Torino and Parma boosted their Milan are a point further adrift in 10th place hopes of European football next season with 1-0 but will be back in Europa League contention if shooting filtered through. organise a football match, which should be lengers this season after setting a new Serie A and 2-0 wins over Chievo and Sampdoria respec- they prevail over Inter in the city derby late yes- “It’s not the first time this has happened child’s play, in a proper manner?” he said in record of 10 opening wins under French coach tively.