David Beckham in hot water after being accused of backing out of a deal

In 2019 a deal was struck up between the city and Miami Beckham United, the owners of the former England captain’s Major Soccer League team. The deal required the club to build the facilities “in the most expeditious manner” alongside the stadium in return for a 50-year rent-free lease.

Beckham’s soccer club promised to build community sports facilities and a recreational park on public land around its $160m stadium in Fort Lauderdale. But the vice mayor of Ft. Lauderdale Heather Moraitis said Beckham’s team only built its 18,000-capacity state-of-the-art stadium.

Running and walking trails, a public park and playground, a dog park and sports fields for public use were expected to be open by next summer, but it has not happened yet.

Moraitis told the Guardian, the club currently uses the city’s land earmarked for the park as an overflow parking area and has it fenced off, so the taxpayers who own it cannot gain access.

"I’m not even sure David Beckham knows what’s going on. I’d explain to him why my city and my people feel let down and I don’t think he’d support turning his back on a whole community. He’s a dream maker, not a dream killer."

The club’s agreement with the city states that Beckham and Inter Miami’s co-owners Bolivian technology tycoon Marcelo Claure, a Cuban-American entrepreneurs Jorge and Jose Mas, and the Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son would manage and pay for all the construction.