Messi’s Inter Miami fans win out over long-promised park in latest Fort Lauderdale deal

Heads up, Lionel Messi fans: Fort Lauderdale is not closing down Chase Stadium’s overflow parking lot. That means you’ll get to continue parking in that lot through the end of the year.

Fort Lauderdale commissioners gave their blessing to the deal on Tuesday, despite appeals from Commissioner John Herbst to let the parking agreement expire on June 30.

Doing that would be a bad move, Vice Mayor Steve Glassman argued during Tuesday night’s commission meeting.

“I just don’t think it’s a smart choice,” Glassman said. “I will tell you that more than 65,000 people just watched the game in New England because of Messi. This man, this team gets attention no matter what you do. I do not want to see the world come down on Fort Lauderdale.”

He predicted there would be a slew of problems if Fort Lauderdale removed parking for the second half of this year.

“I’m just not ready to deal with that,” Glassman said.

Herbst argued that the 20-acre lot that’s currently being used for overflow parking on game days is the city’s only bargaining chip in ongoing mediation sessions with Miami Beckham United.

“We have no hand here,” Herbst said. “This is the only hand we’ve got. Let’s not give it away.”

Herbst, the district commissioner for the neighborhood, is fighting to get Lockhart Park built. Beckham United owners promised to build a park as part of the deal they made with Fort Lauderdale to build a $170 million soccer stadium on taxpayer-owned land.

The park, slated for 20 acres of grassy land just south of the stadium, was supposed to open in 2022 but has yet to break ground.

According to current estimates, the park will cost $30 million.

Fort Lauderdale entered into mediation talks with Beckham United last year to iron out several matters, including a dispute over who should pay a $6 million tab for demolition costs.

The most recent mediation session took place more than two weeks ago, with former Mayor Jack Seiler acting as mediator.

Herbst has been representing the city in those talks.

Herbst has argued in the past that any delays on the part of Beckham United are intentional, a strategy to buy the team more time to use the overflow parking space.

He made that argument again Tuesday night.

Herbst told the commission no progress has been made through mediation and in his opinion they’ve reached an impasse.

Commissioners got a different story from Stephanie Toothaker and Chris Smith, both lobbyists for Inter Miami.

Beckham United is working on a counteroffer, they told the commission.

The issue of the park and the parking are two separate issues, Smith argued.

“The park is going to be built eventually,” Smith said. “And we’re arguing back and forth who’s going to pay what amounts. “We’re here (before the commission) on the second part of it, the parking. And we’re trying to finish out a successful soccer season with one of the biggest stars in the world.”

The city collects a fee from Inter Miami for the use of that overflow parking space, Smith noted.

Fort Lauderdale collected $173,570 in parking fees from Inter Miami between January and April 30, city records show.

Herbst argued that the issue of the park and the team’s use of the land for overflow parking are intertwined.

“The only reason we were able to get to mediation was because we threatened to withhold parking,” Herbst said. “So let’s be honest, the reason we’re at the table now (is) because we’ve got one bargaining chip in this entire conversation. This is a totally one-sided comprehensive agreement, with respect to our ability to enforce any of our options. And so the only thing we really have (as leverage) is parking.”

Herbst urged his colleagues to defer the parking extension for two weeks to give Beckham United time to come back with a counteroffer before the next commission meeting.

In the end, the Fort Lauderdale commission rejected Herbst’s appeals.

Mayor Dean Trantalis argued the city would benefit by extending the parking deal through December.

“The city actually gets money for the parking,” he said. “We get income from it. If we close the parking, we get nothing.”

Herbst told the mayor there’s a reason the mediation sessions have gone nowhere.

Herbst made reference to the fact that Beckham United officials are spending $1 billion to build Miami Freedom Park, where Inter Miami will eventually play home matches.

Miami commissioners approved a 99-year lease deal with Beckham United in 2022, paving the way for the 25,000-seat soccer stadium that will eventually become home base for the Inter Miami team.

“We have not made progress for a reason,” Herbst said. “There’s no incentive for them to make progress because at the end of the day, the longer this gets delayed, the better it is for the team. Their goal is to get this (parking deal) through to 2026 when they are done with Freedom Park (in Miami).”

The mayor asked how that would harm the city.

“Because my park doesn’t get built, mayor,” Herbst said.

Said Trantalis: “Oh no, that’s a whole other issue.”

Herbst’s response: “Oh no, it’s not. It’s all intertwined and if you don’t see that mayor, then you’re being disingenuous.”

The mayor argued that the park is not even fully designed yet.

“The progress of the park is not going to be delayed by extending the parking till the end of the year,” Trantalis said. “We all know that. We’re not going to do the groundbreaking on the park by the end of this year.”

Glassman chimed in.

“I think this would be a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face if we do not extend this parking till December,” Glassman said. “This to me is not just a district issue among (the city’s) four districts. This is a city issue that is also going to impact us around the world. I think it’s just a bad move for us business-wise, community-wise, PR-wise, district-wise, city-wise to withhold this parking at this point in time. It’s going to create a lot more of a problem than it is going to solve any thing.”

Herbst made one more try.

“I still think we should defer this for two weeks,” he said. “Right now they are dragging their feet. I get it. It’s a great tactic. Let’s postpone this (decision) for two weeks.”

Glassman argued it makes sense to extend the parking agreement through the end of this year.

“Plus we get hundreds of thousands of dollars (in parking revenue),” the mayor added.

Herbst’s retort: “All I can say is I’m glad you two are not negotiating on behalf of the city.”

Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan