Leaders working with 'private partners' to save Whitecaps

The City of Vancouver, the government of British Columbia, First Nations leaders and the owners of BC Place are working together with "private partners" to try and save the Whitecaps.

They issued a joint statement on Thursday updating their efforts to keep the MLS team from relocating, perhaps to Las Vegas. The private partners were not identified.

Their goals include "improving the game day economic model at BC Place, exploring additional sponsorship opportunities, and advancing work on potential sites for a new stadium and development."

"Let's be clear: Vancouver is open for business. 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," read their joint statement.

On May 1, The Athletic reported that there was a formal offer on the table to purchase the Whitecaps and move the team to Las Vegas.

An investor group led by Grant Gustavson, the son of Kentucky billionaire Tamara Gustavson and grandson of Public Storage founder B. Wayne Hughes, submitted a bid to the league office.

The Whitecaps originally were founded in 1974 as a member of the North American Soccer League and were later revived as an MLS franchise in 2009.

The team has been up for sale since December 2024.

Fans in Vancouver have engaged in a "Save The Caps" movement in an attempt to keep the club in British Columbia. The Whitecaps are one of three MLS clubs in Canada along with Toronto FC and CF Montreal.

--Field Level Media