After very little public comment, a pep talk about trust and courage from the mayor, a long and fiery homeland-type sales pitch from the developer, hours of haggling by Miami city commissioners and what looked like near fisticuffs between two of the electeds, the owners of the InterMiami soccer team got the green light to build the controversial Miami Freedom Park, a massive real estate complex disguised as a soccer stadium on the largest piece of public land in the city.

City Hall was packed mostly with attorneys and team boosters who seemed summoned to the meeting by the proponents, who called this an “unprecedented” deal. (And didn’t we hear that about the multiple Joe Robbie stadium proposals?) There were a few speakers opposed to the deal, but not in the numbers expected. The room erupted in cheers and applause after the agreement — modified “on the fly” — was approved 4-1, with Commissioner Manolo Reyes voting no.

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Everybody wants something.

While there may be a discussion Thursday, the Miami city commission vote on the Miami Freedom Park real estate giveaway is likely a ways off, as commissioners still have not had a chance yet to make their public asks (which are different from campaign contributions).

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Take if from former Miami Marlins President David Samson — because he knows a bad deal when he sees one.

Samson is the narrator of a new mini documentary video about the Miami Freedom Park deal, a 99-year, no-bid lease of the city of Miami’s largest public park for a real estate complex of stores, restaurants, offices and a hotel all disguised as a soccer stadium which may come before the city commission next week — if it’s not delayed yet again because it’s still not ready.

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Sources say Art Noriega could join the Inter Miami Freedom Park team

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Time-out.

More than three years after a voter referendum gave the Miami commission the green light to negotiate a lease for a real estate complex disguised as a soccer stadium on the city’s Melreese golf course, the Miami Freedom Park team is still not ready to play.

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Readers of Political Cortadito are going to get sick of the city of Miami this week. That’s because the commission has four back-to-back meetings over three days — including the much-anticipated no-bid, 99-year deal for development of the Melreese golf course.

The dates on the dais begin Wednesday with a special meeting to establish the Miami Baywalk Greenway along Biscayne Bay. It passed last month on first reading with only Commissioner Manolo Reyes dissenting.

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