Vancouver's mayor says he is bringing forward a motion in council that aims to bring a Major League Baseball franchise to the city, in light of the league recently broaching the subject of expansion.
Ken Sim says in a statement that the motion scheduled to come before council on April 22 will direct city staff to "launch an expression of interest process to identify a qualified ownership group" capable of advancing a bid.
Sim says the process would need any interested ownership group "to demonstrate financial capacity, experience, and a clear plan to support a successful team," but adds that Vancouver "has a strong sports culture and a proven track record of supporting professional teams."
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told Sportsnet during an interview in October that another Canadian city in the league could work when asked about possibly adding a team in Vancouver.
B.C. Place Stadium hosted several MLB exhibition series between 1984 and 1994 featuring the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners and Montreal Expos. However, a $500-million renovation in 2011 — including a centre-hung scoreboard and a cable-supported retractable roof — made the 54,000-seat stadium less suitable for baseball.
No change can happen to the league's alignment until this December, when the current collective bargaining agreement expires.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
