Melreese golf course has to close soon to make way for Beckham soccer complex
The family that operates the only public golf course inside Miami city limits has been notified they have to vacate by mid-March.
The De Luccas have until March 19 to leave Melreese golf course, where they’ve operated International Links Miami for many years under a contract with the city. The golf course was thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when it became the possible site of a future soccer stadium and commercial complex.
After a voter referendum, years of lease negotiations and two City Commission votes, the plan for a billion-dollar redevelopment of the 131-acre property is in motion. Melreese is expected to be transformed into Miami Freedom Park, a massive complex with a 25,000-seat soccer stadium, office park, hotel, retail shops and a 58-acre public park. The stadium will host home games for MLS franchise Inter Miami, which is co-owned by retired soccer star David Beckham and Miami businessmen Jorge and Jose Mas.
In December 2021, while city officials negotiated the terms of a 99-year lease with the Mas brothers, the De Luccas signed a three-year agreement to continue operating the golf course until a soccer complex deal was done. Under the contract, the city has the right to give two months’ notice after the redevelopment plan receives necessary approvals.
Read more: David Beckham’s Miami soccer stadium plan scores key victory with final zoning approval
The developers received a final zoning approval in September. On Jan. 19, Miami Chief Financial Officer Larry Spring sent a letter to the De Luccas telling them it’s time to go.
“Please be advised that effective March 19, 2023, Delucca Enterprises Inc, will need to vacate the premises,” Spring wrote. “As always, we will work with you and your team to ensure a smooth transition.”
Melreese’s supporters were among the first groups to oppose the redevelopment plan. In particular, parents and children in The First Tee youth program rallied against the Miami Freedom Park concept. They wore their signature orange shirts and filled City Hall during a 2018 public hearing before commissioners agreed to hold a voter referendum.
In May 2019, Jorge Mas said he was willing to pay $3 million for the relocation of the First Tee after reaching an agreement with the De Lucca family. It is unclear if that relocation plan has been finalized.
It’s not yet known when the Mas brothers plan to begin cleaning up contaminated land under Melreese. The golf course sits atop a layer of arsenic-laced soil, believed to be caused by toxic ash from an old municipal incinerator. Before a stadium or park can be built, the lease requires the developers to get a remediation plan approved by county regulators and to clean up the property.
This story was originally published January 25, 2023 at 6:50 PM.
