Spanish soccer giant Real Madrid is kicking off its first U.S. restaurant in downtown Miami.
The Read Madrid Cafe, a 12,000-square-foot restaurant, will open at 340 SE Third St. in the new Met Square tower in early 2018, according to The Miami Herald.
The move is part of an expansion of the organization’s branded eateries, where fans can watch live soccer matches on large screens while drinking and dining. The first restaurant to open outside Spain was in Dubai in 2014.
The two-story Miami restaurant will feature a bar, a VIP lounge and a store selling Real Madrid memorabilia. The soccer team is known for its high-profile players including Cristiano Ronaldo.
David Beckham, who has been working on building a soccer team and stadium in Miami’s Overtown, was also a star player for Real Madrid.
Once completed, the Met Square complex will reportedly have 43 stories and feature high-end movie theaters, restaurants, retail outlets and luxury residential units, according to the website for the developer, MDM Development Group. Met Square was the former home of one of Miami’s first hotels, the Royal Palm Hotel, which railroad magnate Henry Flagler opened in 1897.
Met Square is the final leg of the $1 billion Metropolitan Miami project by the MDM Development Group, which already includes a residential tower, Whole Foods market, Wells Fargo Center, the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel and Hotel Beax Arts Miami in downtown Miami.
Also in Miami, soccer power Real Madrid will be facing its rival FC Barcelona at Hard Rock Stadium on July 29. “El Clasico Miami,” part of the 2017 International Champions Cup, will mark the first meeting between the Spanish rivals in the United States. Other events, including a meet-and-greet, also are planned as part of the festivities.