David Beckham's long-planned soccer stadium deal is closer to reality.
Miami voters gave city officials permission on Tuesday to negotiate a no-bid lease deal with Beckham's group, which wants to build a Major League Soccer complex on what has been a public golf course. Beckham's group is also planning to have technology offices, a hotel and retail space on the land, in return for guaranteeing the city about $3.6 million in rent annually.
It's not a done deal: Now the retired soccer star and his partners must negotiate the terms with city officials for the 25,000-seat stadium and transforming the rest of what is now the Melreese Country Club into a 58-acre public park.