The City of Vancouver has received “submissions” from parties interested in bringing a Major League Baseball (MLB) team to Vancouver.

But the city will not provide details on number of submissions, names of potential proponents or how viable the bid or bids are for what would be an expensive venture for a group pursuing an expansion team.

“The city is now completing its intake and review process, including confirming what was received and what can be disclosed at this stage,” said the city’s communications department in an email Friday, June 19.

“We are not commenting on the number, status or details of submissions while that process is underway. The city will provide an update when there is information we can share publicly.”

The deadline for potential ownership groups to submit a proposal via the city’s “expression of interest” posting was June 19 at 3 p.m. Bids were to be submitted via the city’s electronic procurement portal, which is closed to the public.

Mayor Ken Sim is the reason the city launched a request for “expressions of interest” to seek what the city’s bid page described as “proponents with capability, expertise and know-how to pursue and secure a Major League Baseball expansion franchise in Vancouver.”

Business in Vancouver contacted Sim’s office to ask the same questions posed to the city’s communications department. The response from Sim’s staff was equally vague about whether a viable bid was received.

“This is a staff-led process, and the mayor’s office is not involved in the review or evaluation of submissions,” said a member of Sim’s staff in an email. “Questions regarding the process should be directed to city staff and the communications team. We look forward to receiving any recommendations that emerge from their work.”

‘A lot of people interested’

BIV reported April 14 that Sim was making a pitch to land an MLB team in Vancouver. At the time, the mayor indicated there was genuine interest from parties in working with the city on a bid.

“What I can tell you is that the credible people that are interested—and there will be a lot of people interested—they will bring a network and know-how that understands this process very well,” he said.

The mayor’s interest in requesting the city launch a request for potential backers of a team is based on the MLB wanting to expand, as well as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s comments about a potential Vancouver franchise.

In an interview on Sportsnet radio prior to the 2025 World Series, Manfred said that “another city in Canada clearly could work for us.”  

“Vancouver’s a great city,” he added.

The commissioner said he visited Western Canada last summer and noted the support for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Manfred said he was “absolutely blown away by the Blue Jay gear, the talk about the Blue Jays, how into it [the people] are.”

He also remarked on the number of Blue Jays fans from Canada who regularly attend Jays’ games in the annual series against the Mariners in Seattle.

Sim said in the April interview with BIV that no taxpayer money is contemplated in the process to land a team, explaining that council’s role is simply to get behind a bid from potential owners to strengthen the chances of a group bringing a franchise to Vancouver.

Council decision in July?

The bid document says that if a group comes forward with a proposal—and then is approved by an evaluation panel—that city staff will “make a recommendation for city council consideration before the end of July.”

“The city expects to enter into a memorandum of understanding [MOU] with the successful proponent, which would include, among other things, the terms upon which the parties would cooperate to bring Major League Baseball to Vancouver,” the document said.

The bid document included a question-and-answer section and indicated that building a stadium to play baseball would be the responsibility of the potential ownership group.

“No decision has been made on a stadium,” the document said. “Proponents would be expected to finance the development, including design, construction and operations of any such stadium. The proponent would need to include in their proposed business model all assumptions regarding and expectations of the city.”

Whether a potential stadium would include the city contributing land or any other subsidy would need to be proposed by the proponent and would be subject to detailed analysis, public process and council approval, the document said.

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