Miami Beckham United's proposal to build MLS stadium in danger of falling apart

David Beckham's ownership group, Miami Beckham United (MBU), has hit a roadblock in its quest to build a Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium in Miami.

In an "unusually blunt interview" with the Miami Herald Editorial Board, Tim Leiweke, who is MBU's point man on stadium negotiations in Miami, revealed that he and his partners are bracing for the possibility of land owners blowing up a deal to build a stadium adjacent to Marlins Park.

MBU is racing to meet a deadline to purchase six private properties and negotiate an agreement with two local governments. However, while progress is being made with the city of Miami's government, parallel talks with the land owners of the six private properties have stalled.

"They know what we're doing and unfortunately they've let that create an absolutely unrealistic conversation," Leiweke said. "They can absolutely blow this deal up, and they probably will blow this deal up. We're willing to overpay. We just don't want to be the stupidest guy on the face of the earth."

According to ESPN FC, MBU is looking to finalise the deal by Dec. 5, when it is scheduled to present details to MLS executives. Furthermore, should a deal fail to materialise, the purchase option Beckham exercised in February 2014 for a discounted rate of $25 million would apparently be left in a perilous state.

ESPN FC alleges that three of the land owners "are negotiating and being reasonable, the other three are not."

"If we don't have a deal by that MLS board meeting it's up to the commissioner and the board to decide what happens to this option," Leiweke said. "But I am worried. It's been a long time since this has been discussed and we've been unable to come to them with a viable plan that works. If at the end of the day, whether it be the politics or the greed of the situation we're facing makes this unable to happen ... then I'll let the commissioner decide. But I don't like those odds and it makes me very nervous about MLS in Miami."