THE LEGEND
MSL team’s players will no doubt live when the team launches in two years.
Last week the glaring contrast was highlighted at a public meeting in Overtown’s Reeves Park community centre.
More than 100 locals flocked to the meeting after organisers played a trick on them – boosting attendance by distributing flyers suggesting it was a protest against evictions.
Bishop James Adams of St John Institutional Missionary Baptist Church, who is leading the fight, apologised to the crowd for the ruse saying: “It was to get your attention.”
He said the stadium plan was by no means “a done deal”, telling residents: “When there are drastic situations, we’ve got to take drastic measures.”
The developers, Miami Beckham United, have so far promised around 50 employment positions.
But campaigner Kimmi Saunders told the meeting: “Guys, we have to stand up. A multi-million dollar stadium and they offer 50 jobs. They are going to make money we can’t even imagine but they’re giving us nothing.”
However a few locals hold out hope the project could lead to the area being gentrified and finding new civic pride.
Estylin Harrison, 30, said: “This area needs change, it needs progress.”
chris.bucktin@mirror.co.uk