Vancouver city council has directed staff to start seeking possible owners for a Major League Baseball franchise expansion in the city.
The expression of interest process invites interested parties to submit proposals demonstrating financial capacity, expertise and a feasible approach to supporting a potential MLB bid.
The proposal deadline is June 19 at 3 p.m. After that, staff will evaluate submissions and report back to council with recommended next steps.
Mayor Ken Sim introduced the motion on Wednesday (April 22), calling Vancouver a “sports city full of Canucks fans, Lions fans, Goldeneyes and Rise fans and, of course, Whitecaps fans.”
“It’s also a city of baseball fans who spend their spring, summer, and fall all watching the Blue Jays, watching the (Seattle) Mariners and visiting Nat Bailey stadium to cheer on our hometown Vancouver Canadians.”
Sim said the MLB “will potentially add two new expansion teams in the next few years,” adding league commissioner Rob Manfred is looking to add a team in the west.
He added that this presents a “once-in-a-generational” opportunity.
The motion, he said, “did not come out of left field.” Sim said his office has already been approached by “serious” proponents for a potential bid.
An information bulletin from the city says its role is to protect the public interest while “running a fair and transparent process to assess whether a suitable ownership group exists.”
It adds that this is an early-stage step and the city’s isn’t approving a stadium, selecting a site, or committing to a team.
There is also no commitment of public funding.
Any future proposal would require Vancouver council approval and would be subject to full regulatory processes, including public consultation.
“Vancouver has a strong and established baseball community, including the Vancouver Canadians, who continue to draw strong support at Nat Bailey Stadium,” the bulletin reads.
The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball team and a High-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays are the only Canadian team in the MLB.