By DREW COHEN

David Beckham, famed English soccer legend and businessman, was faced with another tough challenge this week. After four years of gaining capital and increasing support, the City of Miami and David Beckham were granted their very own MLS soccer club.

In 2017, Beckham and investors purchased a plot of land in the Overtown neighborhood and had plans to start up the franchise by 2020. The 25,000-seat stadium was meticulously designed with state of the art design; however, one problem might alter these plans.

A report by The Miami Herald states that an appeal has been filed against Beckham and his investors. Bruce Matheson, a real estate investor, filed the appeal and is willing to pay more for the site. Many Overtown residents have also fired back at the idea of building a stadium in their town due to fears of traffic congestion and noise.

“Our motto is, it’s not a done deal,” said Amanda Hand, a Spring Garden resident who has helped spearhead neighborhood opposition to the stadium in collaboration with some Overtown residents. “That we will challenge it at every step is absolutely true. There is potentially nothing that will change our neighborhoods more than a 25,000-seat open-air stadium with 40 events a year, including lots of concerts.”

Personally, I would love Miami to have its own MLS team. Miami is such a diverse community and soccer is a diverse sport. I think the match would boost local business and create a greater following for the game in South Florida.