Vancouver city councillors have approved a motion that looks to bring a Major League Baseball (MLB) team to the city.
Money, public interest, and how previous sports expansions have faired in Vancouver were all issues raised during the meeting.
Mayor Ken Sim stated that he had expressions of interest to bring an MLB team to Vancouver, but when Councillor Sean Orr asked who these interested parties were, Sim would not clarify.
“Can you declare who that is? Who is the group that has already reach out about a team? Because this motion calls for transparency, but there is no transparency on who’s involved,” said Orr.
“To clarify, Councillor Orr, people expressed an interest. They approached us and so that’s why we’re pushing this motion to have transparency and to have multiple groups, whoever’s interested, to express an interest… to council,” said Sim.
The motion passed with only Orr in opposition.
During the meeting, it was shared that no tax dollars would be involved in constructing a stadium or paying for a team to come to Vancouver.
Orr brought up Vancouver’s loss of the NBA team, The Grizzlies, the uncertain future of the Whitecaps, and his concerns about what would happen to the Canadians baseball team in his arguments against the motion.
Several people called in to be heard on the motion, with most being positive about the idea.
The motion passed with Councillors Pete Fry and Peter Meiszner absent.