David Beckham once wished to build a soccer stadium in a largely undeveloped plot at PortMiami. Now, the county officials reportedly wanted to transform the property into a busy terminal for ferries that are running between Miami and Cuba.
The land is now poised to test how much Cuban politics have changed in Miami, according to Miami Herald. The plan is said to make Miami as the prime jumping-off point for a growing ferry industry, which could give affordable transportation and shipping options between the longtime enemies.
The publication noted that the plan, if it pushes through, will mark a milestone for the administration of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez. Until today, the city administration has not openly pursued economic opportunities with Cuba.
"We need to be prepared for when the situation is here, when the business is ready to launch," port director Juan Kuryla said. "We anticipate it's going to be a flourishing business here in Miami."
PortMiami is not the only port in Florida that is interested in Cuba ferry service amid growing commerce and warming diplomacy between the U.S. and Cuba. Ferry companies also have discussed the launching of Florida-Cuba ferries from Key West Point, Port Everglades and Port Manatee on the state's west coast.
While the PortMiami initiative for Miami-Cuba ferries could bring benefits to the two counties, some local officials think otherwise. A report from Sun Times revealed that the talk of a possible ferry service from PortMiami to Cuba has agitated local politics. Gimenez recently held a press conference and played down the concept of his administration pushing a commercial link with the island nation.
"We don't do business with countries. We just do business with carriers," the Miami-Dade mayor said at the start of the conference. His statement came just a day after the Miami Herald report.
Meanwhile, Beckham's request to build a soccer stadium was turned down in 2014, when the Royal Caribbean led the way in cutting off the plans to develop it into an entertainment center right beside the cruise company's port headquarters.
