It’s been a while since David Beckham’s Inter Miami stadium plans have appeared cursed, with the franchise moving ahead on both a temporary new stadium in Fort Lauderdale and a permanent one in Miami. The balance of nature requires that this state of affairs cannot last, however, so it’s about time for, hmm, how about the discovery of massive toxic contamination on the Miami stadium site?
The proposed site for a Major League Soccer stadium and mall in Miami is far more toxic than previously expected, with arsenic contamination levels reaching more than twice the legal limit and surface-level soil samples containing debris that poses a “physical hazard.”…
A report by a consultant paints an ugly picture of what lies beneath the golf course — and in some spots, the contamination is right near the surface, as shallow as a half-foot deep. Nearly the entire site is sullied by ash from an old municipal incinerator that was shut down decades ago.
There’s been speculation previously that the Melreese golf course site might have pollution problems, but this report — which prompted the Miami Herald to refer to the contaminants as “crud” and “grimy,” which must’ve been fun for the reporters — still has to qualify as alarming: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said it “obviously causes great concerns.” Inter Miami officials have promised that they won’t seek public funds for cleanup of the site, but given that the city is still negotiating the terms of the golf course lease with the team, it could conceivably affect Beckham’s proposed $3.5 million a year ground lease price for the site, which would effectively mean taking money from taxpayers’ pockets. Stay very much tuned, in other words.
Tell David Beckham and his wife VictoriaA I A POSH SPICE to go back to their country and quit trying to give Americans cancer with the stupid soccer field
So, I’m confused a little here… everyone is concerned that the site might be “too” contaminated for use as a professional (ok, ok…) soccer facility, but no-one is at all concerned that it has been just as contaminated all during the time that school kids and golfers were playing on it?
Are we to draw from this it is somehow ok to poison school kids but not professional athletes (and or the Beckhams and Mas’ families)?
Just curious, regardless of whether a stadium is built on the site or not, shouldn’t they be cleaning it up anyway? I’m not a scientist but arsenic in the ground sounds bad.
Absolutely. It not only can become windborne and thus be inhaled (assuming it is at surface level or can mix in with surface level soil), rain will leach it out of the soil (no matter how deep it is buried) and into aquifers. Or, you know, water hazards.
And it rains “fairly often” in Florida (in many places, you can set your watch by it).
It would be stunning to me if Melreese hadn’t been required to submit water and soil samples for testing over it’s lifetime. Everyone involved in it’s creation and annual operation knew what was under there… that’s why the land wasn’t sold for commercial or residential development.