David Beckham's plans to bring Major League Soccer (MLS) back to Miami has hit a few snags as he and his investors continue to look for a location for a soccer-specific stadium for his expansion team.

Beckham, who originally wanted to build the a new venue next to AmericanAirlines Arena -- home of the Miami Heat -- located on the city's waterfront with a view of downtown Miami and a capacity for 25,000 fans, must make alternative plans after Miami-Dade County commissioners voted 11-1 against a new stadium on the publicly-owned plot of land.

The vote was held during an unscheduled hearing, with the Miami Herald reporting it was orchestrated by the Miami Seaport Alliance -- led by Royal Caribbean Cruises, who is opposed to a new stadium in the area. Royal Caribbean Cruises was adamant about not having a new sports facility sitting on the world's busiest cruise-ship port, with the company also not keen about moving their headquarters -- which includes an employee parking lot, daycare center, and employee gym -- to make space for Beckham's project.

"That location should be utilized as a port," said billionaire car dealer and former Philadelphia Eagles owner Norman Braman, who is a member of the Miami Seaport Alliance. "Tourism and shipping is what the Port of Miami is for."

Beckham did not have representatives at the last-minute hearing and has begun planning to build on a downtown location that is currently a deep-water boat slip. Beckham and his investors -- known as the Miami Beckham United, which includes "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller and CEO of Brightstar Corporation Marcelo Claure (who also owns Bolivar, one of Bolivia's top clubs), will still need city approval to fill the water basin to build the new stadium between AmericanAirlines Arena and Museum Park next to Biscayne Boulevard.

"Our goal has always been to build a great stadium along the waterfront," said John Alschuler, Beckham's real-estate adviser. "We view this as a meaningful step in the right direction."

But Beckham's "Plan B" is already facing opposition. Environmental activists and city leaders, such as former Miami mayor Manny Diaz, claim that the water basin is part of the Biscayne Bay Aquifer Preserve and is protected by state law.

"It was always meant to be parkland. To me, that was huge. It's a park that all people will be able to enjoy. It's quiet. It's open to the south. It's a peaceful environment," said Dalia Lagoa of the Downtown Neighborhood Alliance to the Miami Herald. "The most appealing thing about the park is that you can take a stroll down Biscayne Boulevard and there's trees and grass and benches and water right there, not hidden behind some monstrosity. I can't imagine Beckham going to the mayor of London and asking to put a soccer stadium in Kensington Park, in James Park or in Hyde Park. He'd get run out of town."

Beckham is also facing push-back from city officials regarding "rent" -- County Mayor Carlos Gimenez says Beckham and his investors will be required to pay a combination of rent and a payment in lieu of taxes that would be turned over to Miami for parks maintenance and operations around the city.

Miami Beckham United has suggested paying $500,000 a year. The city of Miami has not sent a counter-offer, but City Manager Daniel Alfonso told the Miami Herald $12 million to $14 million was more appropriate and has called off city consultants spending money on an official assessment of a potential deal, saying he did not want to spend money on a formal study until he can better gauge how much Beckham's investors are willing to pay.

"We're just too far apart," said Alfonso.

Beckham has personally lobbied Florida Gov. Rick Scott on behalf of his franchise and the Orlando City Soccer Lions (owned by Flávio Augusto da Silva, founder of the Wise Up ESL program) for tax subsidies that the state provides for National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) teams that call Florida home.

"We want to be treated like every other franchise," said the former Manchester United, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Los Angeles Galaxy star during the presser after visiting with Gov. Scott. "We're not asking for anything more or anything less."

Should "Plan B" fall through, as the Miami Beckham United group navigates through Miami's political machine, the team may decide to just move on and look for a more palatable deal elsewhere.

"No stadium downtown," said Claure, "no team in Miami."