Super Bowl committee picks Melreese for golf tourney as MLS stadium plan moves slowly
The host committee for Super Bowl 54 has selected the site for a charity golf tournament and dinner that could host luminaries and NFL alums: Melreese golf course, the city of Miami’s only golf course and proposed location for a massive commercial center and soccer stadium.
Melreese golf course will host a tournament Jan. 16 to benefit The First Tee Miami, a youth golf program, and the Women’s Fund Miami-Dade, a nonprofit that works to empower women and combat human trafficking. Registration, which costs $1,500 per golfer, is open on the tournament’s website. The winning team wins two tickets to the Super Bowl, and another two tickets will be auctioned off. The Super Bowl is scheduled to be played Feb. 2 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
Rodney Barreto, chairman of the Super Bowl host committee, said Melreese and The First Tee made sense because of the organization’s reputation for teaching life skills and golf to youths.
“It’s a great program that turns kids on to golf,” he said.
Barreto commended the leadership of Charles De Lucca Jr., the longtime operator of Melreese and The First Tee, who died in September.
Miami commissioners are scheduled to discuss the future of Melreese at a special meeting Tuesday. The group behind the redevelopment plan, called Miami Freedom Park, includes retired soccer star David Beckham and local businessman Jorge Mas, who are both investors in upcoming Major League Soccer franchise Inter Miami.
Redevelopment doesn’t appear to be imminent — a lease for the proposed mall, hotel, office park and soccer stadium complex is still not finalized. Commissioners will also consider putting Melreese out to bid for redevelopment as an alternative to the Beckham team’s plan.
The commission was supposed to discuss these items Oct. 24. Before the discussion began, Commissioner Manolo Reyes fell while leaving the dais and hit his head and arm, halting the meeting and necessitating a trip to the hospital so he could get checked out. Reyes asked for the Miami Freedom Park items to be discussed later at a special meeting. The commissioner says he is doing better and will attend the special meeting.
Tuesday’s meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Miami City Hall, 3500 Pan American Dr.
This story was originally published November 11, 2019 at 6:41 PM.