There are several other cities in the mix and Vancouver lacks a ready-made stadium, with Nat Bailey too small and B.C. Place no longer baseball friendly<\/p>\n
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Published Apr 14, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0hour ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Mayor Ken Sim floating the idea of bringing a Major League Baseball team to Vancouver<\/a> is a nice, feel-good news story.\u00a0<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account<\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Hold off on setting aside your summer days to watch Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani come to town just yet, though.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has said there\u2019s an appetite to bring in two new teams into his league before January 2029. He\u2019s mentioned Vancouver as a possible expansion site more than once, citing the interest here in the Toronto Blue Jays and the success of the minor-league Vancouver Canadians.<\/p>\n Fact is, he\u2019s mentioned lots of cities as possible sites. And that\u2019s his job. He needs to build the brand. What better way to say how well MLB is doing than to have a long list of cities that would fit with teams?<\/p>\n Among the other cities that got play for potential expansion include Montreal, Nashville, Charlotte, Portland, Salt Lake City and Mexico City.<\/p>\n There\u2019s been talk about going to back to Montreal since the Expos moved to Washington in 2005.\u00a0<\/p>\n There\u2019s been a push for years to bring the majors to Nashville. The group Music City Baseball<\/a> picked Stars in 2023 as the team nickname if they were to get a big-league club as a nod to the Negro League team from the 1940 and 1950s with the same monicker that played in Nashville. Music City Baseball also announced in March 2025 that they were teaming up with a property company to secure a mixed-use development that would include a ready-made stadium.<\/p>\n Canucks Report<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n And there\u2019s Oregon governor Tina Kotek announcing in June 2025<\/a> that she was setting aside $800 million to construct a new stadium in Portland if they were to get a big-league club.<\/p>\n Can Vancouver jump those type of bids? Without a ready-made ballpark?<\/p>\n Nat Bailey Stadium, which is the long-time home of the Canadians, is maxed out. Capacity is 6,500. It doesn\u2019t have any of the amenities like suites you\u2019d expect for big-league action.\u00a0<\/p>\n And while B.C. Place<\/a> had MLB exhibition games in the 1980s and 1990s, a $500-million renovation in 2011 featuring a centre-hung scoreboard severely cut into the facility\u2019s ability to feature baseball.<\/p>\n The Canadians looked at holding games there in 2014, and team president Andy Dunn had UBC Thunderbirds coach Terry McKaig bring some hitters to the downtown dome for batting practice<\/a>. They set up the field as best they could, and with the way the stands are constructed now, right field measured out to 275 feet, or 55 feet shorter than your standard MLB park.<\/p>\n UBC first baseman Bruce Yari hit multiple balls into the second deck in right field that day. The idea of holding exhibition games hasn\u2019t been heard of since.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Dunn has moved on from the Canadians, but he did a outstanding job running the business when he was here. You\u2019d think that MLB exhibitions or even Canadians games at B.C. Place<\/a> would have drawn massive crowds. Dunn would have made them happen if they were remotely feasible.<\/p>\n You can, of course, solve any problem if you have dollars to throw at it, and Sim told Mike Howell at Business in Vancouver<\/a> that a \u201cproponent group has signalled interest in exploring a bid.\u201d<\/p>\n Sim maintains that no taxpayer money is being contemplated in the process.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sim added: \u201cWhat I can tell you is that the credible people that are interested \u2014 and there will be a lot of people interested \u2014 they will bring a network and know-how that understands this process very well.\u201d<\/p>\n Keep in mind that pumping up Vancouver is part of Sim\u2019s job. He needs to promote. It\u2019s good for him to look like he\u2019d adding to the city. There\u2019s a civic election coming in October, too, although Sim maintained to Howell the timing of this MLB interest isn\u2019t tied to his re-election campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re waving the flag right now,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are letting people know through action that we want a Major League Baseball team, and we\u2019re going to help speed up the process. This is just the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"canadians\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/png0410ncanadians-11_302521536.jpg\")
The home opener Nooner at Nat Bailey Stadium as the Vancouver Canadians play the Oregon Emeralds in Vancouver, April 10. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO \/PNGArticle content<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.0.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-vp.svg\"){kind=logo}
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It\u2019s the 75th anniversary season of Nat Bailey Stadium. Photo by Arlen Redekop \/PNG<\/p>\n![\"ken](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/png0304ngranville-01_301830732.jpg\")
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim says: \u2018We\u2019re waving the flag right now. We are letting people know through action that we want a Major League Baseball team, and we\u2019re going to help speed up the process. This is just the beginning.\u2019 Photo by NICK PROCAYLO \/PNG<\/p>\n