For those that question Traffic's commit- ment when it comes to Miami FC, The Sun Sentinel wrote an interesting piece about the Ft Lauderdale Baseball Stadium, the one that the Baltimore Orioles used to use as a Spring training facility. (Next door to Lockhart Stadium)The report indicates talks between Traffic and Ft Lauderdale have been going on for sometime.
Sarah Talalay writes:
Earlier this month, Traffic Sports, which owns and operates the Miami FC soccer team, made a pitch to city commissioners to operate the stadium and redevelop it as a soccer academy that could be used by the pro team and the community.Full article with video HERE
Aaron Davidson, Traffic vice president of sales and marketing and Miami FC president, said Traffic would fully fund the transition of the baseball stadium and surrounding practice fields for soccer. He reminded commissioners of the history of soccer at the complex. Next door Lockhart Stadium is the former home of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Miami Fusion, and Miami FC played half its games there last year. The team is in discussions about playing all its 2010 games at Lockhart.
"In pro soccer, you usually look to develop your players from the youth up in the same venue or near the same venue as your team practices," Davidson said. "Depending on where the FAA wants to go with that land, there might be an opportunity to develop a much larger complex with Lockhart."
The idea appeals to city officials because of the need for soccer fields.
"We've got soccer programs throughout the city looking for more field space," Seiler said.
Could this mean Soccer is here to stay in South Florida? Perhaps this is the reason for the slow start with Miami FC? Will the Strikers name be revived? Is Lockhart Stadium part of the deal? We hope to get more information on this in the days to come.
