The Vancouver Whitecaps are committed to establishing a USL pro team next season – whether it’s in New Westminster or not.
On July 8, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the City of New Westminster announced they had signed a memorandum of understanding to work toward launching a United Soccer Leagues PRO franchise in New Westminster. The Whitecaps are working to a Sept. 15 deadline from the USL to put in an application that would allow the club to launch its first season in March 2015.
Some community members have voiced concerns about the impacts pro soccer would have on Queen’s Park Stadium, the lack of detailed information about the proposal and the short timeline the city has to review the proposal and address residents’ concerns.
“Our intent is to play next year, whether it’s in New West or elsewhere,” Whitecaps president and CEO Bob Lenarduzzi told The Record. “That’s something we will need to monitor as we get closer to that deadline.”
Prior to signing a memorandum of understanding with New Westminster, Lenarduzzi said the Whitecaps were looking at opportunities in British Columbia for establishing a USL team, when former New Westminster resident and Whitecaps’ seasons ticket holder Gary Pooni contacted the soccer club and suggested New Westminster. He said the city has always been aware of the Whitecaps’ timeline for establishing a USL team.
“We decided between the two groups that we would not speak to other municipalities and had signed the MOU to determine if this was something that could work or not,” he said.
Prior to signing a memorandum of understanding with New Westminster, the Whitecaps had been exploring opportunities in other communities.
“There’s interest out there in having us in their municipalities. I don’t want to get into who they are at this point,” Lenarduzzi said. “In the case of the other municipalities, we are probably dealing with venues that don’t require what is required at Queen’s Park. They are different in that regard.”
Queen’s Park Stadium would need to be upgraded and seating would need to be expanded to accommodate a pro soccer team. The Whitecaps affiliate wouldn’t have exclusive use of the facility.
“That facility, it’s much like the arrangement we had at Swangard. We played our games there but we didn’t practise there, and in and around our games there were all sort of events that were taking place. The same would apply at Queen’s Park Stadium,” Lenarduzzi said. “We wouldn’t train there. There would be time in there for the community to utilize it.”
New Westminster city council got an earful about the proposed soccer plan at its Aug. 25 meeting, when people packed council chambers. Twenty-one individuals expressed concerns about the proposal.
Along with concerns about the process and the lack of information, they worried about the impact on baseball teams and community events held in the facility, such as May Day and outdoor movies, and the financial impact on the city.
“We are in the midst of that right now,” Lenarduzzi said. “That is what the whole process entails – can we make it work? That’s what we are doing.”
The City of New Westminster has informed the Whitecaps that provincial legislation prohibits local governments from subsidizing private interests.
“Council and staff will, if in fact there’s a deal to be done, take all of that into consideration,” Lenarduzzi said. “We are still trying to work something out that we think we can proceed with.”
Some residents have compared the proposal to Abbotsford, where the city paid the Calgary Flames’ hockey organization several million dollars when the Abbotsford Heat, its American Hockey League affiliate, left the arena after five seasons.
“I hear the Abbotsford comparison come up quite regularly. In Abbotsford, the commitment was to underwrite all the operational losses. That is not happening here. That would be nice, but that would never happen,” Lenarduzzi said. “The Abbotsford one is an easy one to throw out, but it’s not even close to comparable.”
Dean Gibson, New Westminster’s director of parks, culture and recreation, said city staff are continuing to gather information on many different fronts for council’s consideration.
“The Whitecaps have requested a decision from city council by Sept. 15 as they have indicated that a need to finalize their commitment to the USL PRO league in the days following,” he said in an email to The Record. “Council is meeting on Sept. 8 and 15.”
Anyone wishing to comment on the proposal can email the city at [email protected], call 604-527-4567 or complete a feedback form on the city’s website (www.newwestcity.ca) by Sept. 5. Comments can also be forwarded to the Whitecaps by emailing [email protected].
