Inter Miami has expanded its temporary stadium ahead of Lionel Messi's landmark arrival, with the Argentina icon's unveiling imminent.
The World Cup winner jetted into Fort Lauderdale earlier this week after spending the beginning of the month on holiday with his wife and their three children in the Caribbean. However, duty now calls for the 36-year-old as he begins a new chapter in MLS after spending the previous years of his career in Europe with Barcelona and PSG.
An official welcoming ceremony is set to take place at DRV PNK Stadium on July 16, in a spectacle that is set to involve performances from entertainers and speeches. In fact, the powers-that-be at the Vice City outfit are lining up pop superstar Shakira, as well as rapper Bad Bunny to perform at the event, according to reports.
The milestone reception will be free to season ticket holders, with the event also potentially set to be broadcast during half time of the CONCACAF Gold Cup final. Now, the Floridan franchise's owners have added bleachers to the corners of their stadium, to increase the capacity by some 3,000 seats.
Herons goalkeeper Nick Marsman has previously admitted his concerns that the 18,000 seater venue may not be suitable to cope with the extra demands that the arrival player of Messi's stature will bring. Speaking to ESPN, the 32-year-old stopper said: "I personally think that this club is not ready for Messi's arrival."
Detailing some of the infrastructural shortcomings of the arena, he added: "We have a temporary stadium, people can just walk on the pitch, there are no gates. We also leave for the stadium without security. I think they aren't ready."
According to NBC Miami, the new stands were brought to the Fort Lauderdale stadium from an F1 facility at Hard Rock Stadium in nearby Miami Gardens. Plans are already afoot for the club to eventually move into a new state-of-the-art facility but that will not be ready until the 2025 MLS season, as it stands.
Announced by co-owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas back in 2018, the new 25,000 seater stadium will form part of an extensive project. The development will also include a hotel, office park, and a commercial campus and is set to be built across some 73 acres.
The fanfare surrounding the diminutive superstar's transfer to the South Beach outfit has reached fever pitch in recent days. So-called "Messi Mania" has swept the country after it emerged that he had snubbed a return to Camp Nou and the riches of the Saudi Pro League to move to Florida.
Tickets to see the forward in action for his new employers sold out last month within a day of the star's admission that he would be relocating to the US. On top of this, second-hand seats have even been listed on StubHub for re-sale for as much as $20k (£16k) in the past month.
Messi is expected to make his debut for his new club later this month in a Leagues Cup clash versus Mexican outfit Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium. He will likely be joined by fellow incoming superstar Sergio Busquets in making his bow for the Herons in the knockout tie.
