With 30 days remaining until FIFA announces the host nations for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup™, the MIAMI Host City Bid Committee, led by its Chairman, Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz, and Executive Director, Mike Sophia, announced today its initiative to gather 30,000 petition signatures in the next 30 days leading up to the announcement.
The goal of this initiative is to gather 30,000 signature or votes via the online petition at www.gousabid.com/miami, or by texting the word MIAMI to 22442 (standard message and data rates may apply) leading up to the announcement on December 2nd.
“We were the first city to reach 50,000 signatures, so why not be the first to reach 100,000?,” said Commissioner Diaz, “I think Miami has shown how much we want to host the World Cup and how much we love soccer.”
FIFA will select the host countries for both the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup™ on December 2, 2010. The United States, who recently withdrew its bid for the 2018 games to focus solely on its 2022 bid, are joined by Australia, Japan, Qatar and South Korea for the 2022 bid, while the 2018 bid includes England, Netherlands-Belgium, Portugal-Spain, and Russia.
Miami is among 18 cities included in the U.S. bid. It is expected that 12-15 of those cities would ultimately be selected to host a portion of the 64 matches to be played as a part of the FIFA World Cup™. If the United States wins the bid, it is expected that the final list of host cities would be determined approximately five years prior to the event.
“Miami is the best soccer city in the Nation,” said Mike Sophia, Executive Director of the Miami-Dade Sports Commission and the MIAMI Host City Bid Committee, “What better way to show our support than to end this process leading the way for all 18 U.S. bid cities.”
The online petition drive has been an important element in the local effort to show support for the United States bid to host the FIFA World Cup™.
ABOUT MIAMI-DADE SPORTS COMMISSION
The Miami-Dade Sports Commission was created by the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners in 2003, and opened for business in April of 2004. The Sports Commission promotes sports in Miami-Dade County, and works to secure sports events that will generate economic impact for the community.
For more information about the Miami-Dade Sports Commission, please visit www.MiamiSports.org.
ABOUT MIAMI/HOST CITY BID COMMITTEE
As a part of and in support of the USA Bid Committee’s effort to bring the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup™ to the United States, and Miami, the Miami-Dade Sports Commission created the MIAMI Host City Bid Committee to lead the local bid efforts. Under the leadership of the organization’s Chairman, County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz, the Sports Commission assembled its own “dream team” to mirror the prestigious group selected to lead the USA Bid Committee. Members of the committee include:
Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz – Chair, Miami-Dade Sports Commission and MIAMI Host City Bid Committee
Facundo Bacardi, Chairman of the Board, Bacardi Limited
Marcelo Claure, Chairman, President & CEO, Brightstar
Teofilo “Nene” Cubillas, Soccer Legend
Mike Dee, CEO, Miami Dolphins/Dolphins Enterprises
Peter Dolara, Senior Vice President, American Airlines
Emilio Estefan, Grammy Award Winning Producer & Songwriter
George Feldenkreis, Chairman/CEO, Perry Ellis International
Alonzo Mourning, NBA Legend / Chairman, Alonzo Mourning Charities
Jorge Perez, Chairman, The Related Group
Stephen Ross, Founder/Chairman/Owner, The Related Companies and Owner, Miami Dolphins/Dolphins Enterprises
William Talbert, CEO, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
Harvey Ruvin, Clerk of Courts and Chairman of the County’s Climate Change Advisory Task Force (CCATF)
Tony Villamil, Principal Advisor for the Washington Economics Group (WEG)
Mike Sophia – Executive Director, Miami-Dade Sports Commission and MIAMI Host City Bid Committee