Inter Miami CF Stadium
Inter Miami CF Stadium is a soccer stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida built on the site of the former Lockhart Stadium.[1] The 18,000-seat stadium is the temporary home of Inter Miami CF of Major League Soccer until the completion of Miami Freedom Park in Miami and the permanent home of the club's USL League One reserve side Fort Lauderdale CF.[2][3] The stadium is oriented north–south for soccer configuration, so the sun is not in the eyes of the goalkeepers.[4] The stadium is the primary headquarters for the team and its youth academy in addition to further training grounds.[4]
| |
| Address | 1350 NW 55th Street |
|---|---|
| Location | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| Coordinates | 26°11′35″N 80°9′40″W |
| Public transit |  Cypress Creek |
| Owner | City of Fort Lauderdale |
| Operator | Inter Miami CF |
| Capacity | 18,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | May 8, 2019 |
| Opened | July 18, 2020 |
| Construction cost | $60 million |
| Architect | Manica Architecture |
| Tenants | |
| Inter Miami CF (MLS) 2020–present Fort Lauderdale CF (USL1) 2020–present | |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
History
The Fort Lauderdale Strikers announced in 2016 that they were moving out of Lockhart Stadium,[5] after which the stadium fell into a state of disrepair.[6] In January 2019, Major League Soccer expansion team Inter Miami CF announced its intentions to pursue the Lockhart Stadium site to serve as the club's training ground for its first team, youth academy, and future United Soccer League (USL) team Fort Lauderdale CF. The Fort Lauderdale city council unanimously approved Inter Miami's bid for the Lockhart Stadium site in March 2019. In April, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission cleared Inter Miami to begin the demolition process.[6][2] On July 9, 2019, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission unanimously approved a 50-year lease agreement for the Lockhart Stadium site with Inter Miami; under the terms of the agreement, the city of Fort Lauderdale will retain ownership of the property while Inter Miami will be responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the new facilities.[7]
On November 13, 2019, Inter Miami CF announced that the club's inaugural home match was scheduled for March 14, 2020, against the LA Galaxy.[8] The first match was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic[9] to August 22, 2020.
The first soccer match played at the stadium was played behind closed doors on July 18, 2020. The match featured Inter Miami's reserve team, Fort Lauderdale CF, who hosted the Greenville Triumph SC in a USL League One match. Fort Lauderdale lost the match 0–2.
On December 9, 2020, the stadium hosted its first international match between the United States and El Salvador. Which resulted in a 6–0 win for the United States.
References
- "Inter Miami CF To Make Historic MLS Home Debut on March 14, 2020". InterMiamiCF.com. November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- "Demolition Of Fort Lauderdale's Lockhart Underway". WFOR-TV. May 8, 2019.
- Kaufman, Michelle (March 1, 2020). "MLS commissioner Don Garber on Inter Miami: "They will not stay in Fort Lauderdale"". Miami Herald.
- Bandell, Brian (March 14, 2019). "David Beckham wants MLS team to play initial seasons in Fort Lauderdale at Lockhart Stadium". South Florida Business Journal. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
- Barszewski, Larry; Heizer, Pedro (July 14, 2016). "Strikers leaving longtime home at Lockhart". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
- Boehm, Charles (April 3, 2019). "Inter Miami cleared to begin demolition of old Lockhart Stadium". MLS Soccer. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- Boehm, Charles (July 10, 2019). "City of Fort Lauderdale approves Inter Miami stadium, training facility". MLS Soccer. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
- Borgya, Andrew (November 13, 2019). "Beckham's Inter Miami soccer stadium taking shape in Fort Lauderdale". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
- Kaufman, Michelle (March 12, 2020). "The Inter Miami home opener is on hold as MLS suspends season due to the coronavirus". Miami Herald. Retrieved March 18, 2020.