Gov. Ron DeSantis, despite opposing public funds for private stadiums, allocated $8 million for infrastructure benefiting Miami Freedom Park, owned by political donors Jorge and Jose Mas, raising concerns about potential political favoritism.
Despite Gov. Ron DeSantis’ longstanding opposition to using public funds for private stadiums, his administration allocated $8 million in taxpayer dollars this month from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to Miami-Dade County for infrastructure improvements directly benefiting Miami Freedom Park—a private development owned by political donors Jorge Mas and Jose Mas.
Miami Freedom Park is a $1 billion project that will feature a 25,000-seat stadium for Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF, along with a technology hub, hotel, and park spaces. The development, situated on a former city-owned golf course near Miami International Airport, is promoted as being privately funded, with nearly $1.5 billion in private investment committed by Miami Freedom Park, LLC.
The $8 million grant is earmarked for the construction of Miami Freedom Park Drive, a road intended to ease traffic and improve access to the stadium and adjacent facilities. While the road will be publicly owned, it will be privately maintained by Miami Freedom Park, LLC, according to the grant proposal, thereby raising questions about whether the grant primarily serves the public interest or benefits the private development.
At a press conference announcing the grant, DeSantis defended the allocation by claiming that the funds are for infrastructure, not the stadium itself. However, the road’s purpose in facilitating access to the stadium complicates the distinction between public infrastructure and the private project it supports.
“We just don’t believe that we should give money to build a sports stadium,” DeSantis stated during the event. “Our role as state government is not to give money to a team, but to create an environment where everyone can be successful.”
The Mas brothers, majority owners of Inter Miami and Miami Freedom Park, have donated $300,000 to DeSantis since 2021 through their company, MasTec, including a $250,000 donation in October 2022, shortly before DeSantis’s re-election. While no direct evidence of quid pro quo exists, the timing of the donations relative to the grant approval raises concerns about potential political influence.
When asked whether there was any coordination between the Governor’s office, Miami-Dade County, and the Mas brothers regarding the grant, the Executive Office of the Governor (EOG) directed inquiries to an official press release and the press conference, declining to provide further details. The Capitolist also reached out to the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, all 13 County Commissioners, and Inter Miami representatives, none of whom responded to requests for comment.
The press release claims that the funding will “help expand business opportunities in the park and create more than 1,800 jobs.” It also notes that all proposals to the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund are reviewed by FloridaCommerce and selected by DeSantis to “meet the demands for workforce training or infrastructure needs in communities around the state.” The press conference, held at Chase Stadium, Inter Miami’s current home, featured Jorge Mas, intensifying concerns about potential political favoritism.
While DeSantis maintains that the taxpayer funds are allocated for infrastructure rather than the stadium itself, the road is integral to the stadium’s operation, blurring the lines between public and private benefit. This grant also stands out when compared to other awards from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund during the 2023-24 funding cycle, which have largely supported educational and municipal projects, including a $17.5 million grant for a multi-use semiconductor lab at NeoCity.