Nobody seems to know what the future looks like for the Vancouver Whitecaps beyond the 2026 season. <\/p>\n
What does Whitecaps ownership want from the B.C. government in order to stay in Vancouver? <\/p>\n
If B.C. Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth Ravi Kahlon doesn\u2019t know the answer, how are fans of the team supposed to understand? Kahlon spoke exclusively to Daily Hive on Friday.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s see a proposal<\/p>\n
In order to take over management of BC Place from PavCo, the way that Toronto FC manages BMO Field and Portland operates Providence Park, the Whitecaps would need to present a plan that shows a commitment to running the day-to-day operations of BC Place.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there is a proposal where they do want to take over the lease or have a lease structure it starts with a proposal so that we can have the numbers in front of us,\u201d Kahlon told Daily Hive. \u201cIt would need obviously assurances that they\u2019re staying and they\u2019ll do the basic maintenance of the facility. We don\u2019t want to be in a situation at all where the public is stuck with all the costs of fixing up the venue and a private entity is making the profits.\u201d<\/p>\n
The debt servicing associated with BC Place would be a part of any lease the Whitecaps signed if they decide to operate the stadium. How much and what percent of the debt would be taken on is unclear. Kahlon would only say the debt is in the millions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe message is simple,\u201d Kahlon said. \u201cIf that\u2019s something that they believe is critically important, they just need to understand that there are costs associated with it and they\u2019ve seen our books. We have opened up our books to them, so they\u2019ll have an understanding of what that looks like.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
If Whitecaps ownership and MLS decide to go the route of managing BC Place on the regular, they can thank the thousands of Whitecaps fans for their unwavering support. The idea of a proposal to manage BC Place hasn\u2019t come from the Whitecaps or the government.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is something really we\u2019re hearing from fans who really want to see the team here,\u201d Kahlon said. \u201cIf it\u2019s something from the team, we\u2019ll have to look at it when that happens.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hail Mary<\/p>\n
The Delta North MLA has not spoken to Whitecaps majority owner Greg Kerfoot since sometime last year. The B.C. government\u2019s management team has held conversations with Whitecaps CEO and Sporting Director Axel Schuster and his management team.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter hearing about the meeting with the commissioner, my hope is that the commissioner is genuine in wanting to find a pathway to keep the Whitecaps here. I certainly hope that this is not a decision that was made a long time ago and that we\u2019re only hearing about it now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou become sceptical in this work after many, many years of doing it,\u201d Kahlon said. \u201cI\u2019ve stood in those stands, chanting we believe we will win when the team wasn\u2019t doing well. We didn\u2019t really believe the team was going to win, but we all chanted it, giving them hope because we believed in the team. The Caps as well as the league owe it to the fans to give it a good honest try to find a pathway for the team to stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n
#VWFC<\/a>\u2019s Axel Schuster today.<\/p>\n \u201cThe club remains focused on finding solutions in Vancouver. As discussions are ongoing, we will refrain from commenting further at this time.\u201d#SaveTheCaps<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/zf8HByFqHr<\/a><\/p>\n