City of Vancouver, B.C. government, First Nations in push to keep Whitecaps in city ‘for generations’
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The City of Vancouver, B.C. government, First Nations and Crown corporation that owns BC Place Stadium say they are working with “private partners” to keep the Whitecaps Major League Soccer team in the city.
The group said in a joint statement Thursday they are also working on improving the “game-day economic model” at the stadium, but it did not identify the private investors.
It also said they were advancing work on a potential new stadium and exploring additional sponsorship opportunities.
“This joint statement demonstrates a unified commitment from all partners to keep the Whitecaps in Vancouver for generations to come,” they said.
The group, which includes the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations and stadium company PavCo, said it was working with the federal government, although it was not listed among those issuing the statement.
“We are doing everything we can to keep the Whitecaps here, and we are committed to building a long-term solution that reflects the scale, ambition and global future of this city,” the group’s statement said.
The Whitecaps did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Whitecaps team has been up for sale since December 2024, and an investor group recently submitted a bid to MLS seeking to buy the club and move it to Las Vegas.
That bid is led by businessman Grant Gustavson and includes plans for a privately financed soccer-specific stadium in Nevada.
Gustavson is the grandson of Public Storage co-founder B. Wayne Hughes and the son of billionaire investor Tamara Gustavson.
The club has cited revenue limitations at BC Place as a hurdle in attracting a local buyer.
British Columbia Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon said last week the government had been approached by a local group that wanted to buy the Vancouver Whitecaps, but he did not identify the group.
The minister said in a statement on social media on Thursday he appreciated the partners coming together to keep the Whitecaps in the city and the groups are aligned on a path forward.
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