There’s one place on earth where sports fans can watch both Lionel Messi and Lewis Hamilton – two of the greatest athletes in history – at the top of their game this weekend: Miami.

The South Florida city, once renowned for the chaos of its Spring Break party scene, has emerged as one of the sporting capitals of the world.

Formula 1 is set to host the third Miami Grand Prix at Hard Rock Stadium Sunday, while Messi will take the pitch with the David Beckham-backed Inter Miami CF Saturday.

The Hard Rock, which is already home to one of the NFL’s most exciting teams, will host the Copa America final this summer and seven World Cup games in 2026.

It comes on the heels of the Miami Open, the 2020 Super Bowl and the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, all of which were held at the world-class Miami Gardens stadium.

Just this week, billionaire Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reportedly turned down a $10bn offer to purchase the team, opting to keep control in his family.

The deal, which would have marked the biggest sale in NFL history, also would have included Hard Rock Stadium and the F1 race.

‘When I first came here in 2013, this was a 28-year-old stadium with a bunch of empty parking lots,’ Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel told DailyMail.com.

‘Now it’s truly a global entertainment destination (and) Formula 1 has only raised Miami to new heights,’ he added.

‘Combining the prestige of Formula 1 and with the culture of Miami has created an event that people across the landscape of business and entertainment want to come to year after year.’

The historically Europe-centric sport, which now has three American races on the calendar (Austin and Las Vegas take place later in the year), is finally capitalizing on the $83.1billion American sports market. And they’re going all-in.

Up to 90,000 F1 fans will descend on South Florida this weekend, ranging from F1 die-hards to cashed-up punters in town to sip champagne and enjoy the spectacle.

The ultra-exclusive paddock club, which can set guests back more than $10,000 per ticket, was so successful in the race’s inaugural year that a new structure was built from the ground up.

The facility, which would normally take up to 24 months to construct, was designed and completed in just seven months in time to serve top-shelf liquor and five-star fare to the highest-paying attendees at the 2023 race.

However, luxury drips from all corners of the track at Miami. Guests can party at the Hard Rock Beach Club while Steve Aoki mixes tunes on the DJ decks, or toast champagne aboard a yacht on the MIA Marina, which features a sheet of aquamarine plastic designed to look like real water.

Even the general admission areas have a carnival-like atmosphere, 30-year-old Connecticut resident Molly Bierce told the Mail.

‘I only started watching F1 a few years ago but we’re making a whole weekend of it down here in Miami … coming to the track on Friday then going to the Inter Miami game on Saturday,’ she explained.

‘Having a big soccer team here that David Beckham owns makes it even more of an enticing trip,’ she added. ‘This is the most beautiful part of Florida- we’re spending time at the beach, eating at lovely restaurants – it’s brilliant.’

It’s not just attendees who are reveling in the Florida sunshine.

‘I love being here,’ Hamilton told reporters this week. ‘I get to go in the water, the weather is great.’

Sport has quickly become one of the driving forces behind the South Florida economy.

Inter Miami, which is constructing a new billion-dollar facility, is regularly selling out the 19,1000-seat Chase Stadium, with average ticket prices increasing by 459% to $850 after announcing Messi’s signing.

Restaurateur David Grutman, who counts Beckham and Messi, along with the Kardashians and several other A-listers as close pals, described the palpable ‘Messi effect’ when the Argentina captain joined the once-struggling Major League Soccer team.

‘It reminded me of when the “big three” played here,’ he told the Mail, referencing LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh’s time playing for the Miami Heat.

‘But this is on an even more international scale. I’m getting calls from people all over the world who are coming to Miami and wanting to go to a game or visit one of our restaurants.’

While some of the world’s best footballers – Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba – now call Miami home, NFL stars Tyreek Hill, Braxton Berrios and Jalen Ramsey have also taken up residence.

Morale is high within the Dolphins organization, a once-floundering franchise which is now among the league’s most exciting teams.

Miami finished the 2023 season ranked first in offensive yards per game, while Hill became the team’s first player to lead the NFL in receiving yards.

Away from the field, the Dolphins were the top-ranked team in a player survey about facilities, food, the locker room, training staff and head coach.

That is thanks, in no small part, to Ross’ investment in the team. And this week’s race is another glittering symbol of a sporting city reborn.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal