Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced a grant for the Miami Freedom Park, while Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas gave a different planned capacity for the stadium than previously known. There was also controversy sparked by a photo of politicians with Leo Messi.

$8 million to change Miami

On Friday, August 9, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on X that he would commit $8 million to construct an arterial roadway at the Miami Freedom Park. In the speech, he stated that the Miami Freedom Park Stadium project would economically fuel the region. Today, I am proud to say that we have an opportunity to make an impact, to help this project from an infrastructure perspective, DeSantis said.

The governor was followed by Jorge Mas, co-owner of Inter Miami, who said it was an extremely important announcement, as the project will transform Miami and create 13,000 new jobs. As he pointed out, the Miami Freedom Park will not only be a stadium, but also the largest park in the city, with hotels, offices and businesses that will generate $40 million a year in tax revenue for the state and local government.

© Inter Miami CF

Delay, revised capacity and Messi photo scandal

Mas also assured that the new venue will be ready in the fall of the next year. We will be opening our 2026 season in that stadium, he assured, thus confirming between the lines the delay in the project, to which Inter were due to move in 2025. Moments later, however, he stated that the project is going amazingly well, although in fact only preparatory work has been carried out to date and construction has not yet begun.

Interestingly, Mas also said that the stadium would have a capacity of 26,700. Meanwhile, all previous information, and the current information provided on Inter Miami's website, states a figure of 25,000 seats. It seems that the American businessman has inadvertently revealed that the project has been modified.

© Inter Miami CF

However, the most controversy was caused not by words, but by photos taken during the visit to Inter Miami's current stadium. Prior to the conference, Governor Ron DeSantis, Vice Governor Jeanette Núñez and the Mas brothers posed for a photo with Lionel Messi. This provoked a negative reaction from some internet users, who protested against mixing politics with sport and gaining support through photos with the Argentine star.