With Messi goal, Inter Miami open new stadium with dream moment

 For months, Inter Miami advertised Nu Stadium with one simple message: "We're coming home.'" On Saturday, in a 2-2 draw with Austin FC that was the first official game at the stadium, the club finally made good on its promise the only way it knows how. 

The arena was covered with pink lights before the match, while a tifo in the stands read "Aquí empieza una nueva eraqui," meaning "Today starts a new era." In the center of the pitch, Lionel Messi got the game underway and within 10 minutes, he scored the club's first goal there in front of a stand that bears his name. 

"To see this stadium come to life after years and years of trying to get this stadium up and running in Miami, is something that's very special," club co-owner and founder David Beckham said. "I came to America and the MLS 20 years ago, and I made a lot of promises. Twelve years ago, I made a lot of promises again, announcing that I was coming to Miami. Today, it's just a dream come true for us... Today I stand in our new home, we are champions of MLS and have the best player in the history of the game playing in Miami."

 Beckham's first bid targeted land next to the Kaseya Center, the Miami Heat's home, with views of Biscayne Bay and Downtown, but his initial efforts were quickly shut down by the city, forcing him to unsuccessfully chase leads in Little Havana and Overtown. 

By 2018, Jorge and Jose Mas, founders of the Miami-based construction and engineering company MasTec, joined Inter Miami's ownership and the search for a venue. With no lease agreement in sight and the team's MLS debut fast approaching, the new ownership group decided to remodel Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale as a temporary solution. 

After an almost $100 million facelift that included a training facility, several practice fields and a redone 20-000 seat stadium, Inter Miami prepared to debut at the then-newly named DRV PNK stadium.