File this under, been there, done that, not likely to happen.


According to this story, the Vancouver Whitecaps want to rush into MLS but without a soccer specific stadium, which would mean they would be playing here:

Jim Jamieson, The Province
Published: Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Concerned about being shut out of the dwindling prospects for a Major League Soccer expansion franchise, the Vancouver Whitecaps have opened the door a crack to the possibility of playing at a revamped B.C. Place Stadium -- on an interim basis.

Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi said Tuesday the club is still 100 per cent committed to building a soccer-specific, natural grass stadium on the Vancouver waterfront, but would consider B.C. Place as a temporary venue if major renos are announced shortly as expected.

"Our priority is still the waterfront stadium, but given that it's taking as long as it has, we need to have alternatives if the opportunity to move to a higher level is available," said Lenarduzzi.
"It would be a short-term solution, as we're looking at the waterfront stadium being our permanent solution but of course we're mired in that process right now."

The Whitecaps have been fighting their way through red tape and negotiations with local and federal government since owner Greg Kerfoot purchased land on the waterfront adjacent to Gastown in 2005."

Hello and welcome to 1998.

Which is why the league will likely look elsewhere (Portland, Montreal, New York City, Miami). MLS Commissioner Don Garber has made it clear that any new clubs will have to begin play in a soccer-specific stadium. He called it the Toronto model, and it seems to work. Seattle was allowed in because a) Qwest Field was built partially on the promise that MLS would come and in many ways it is actually a large soccer specific stadium. This BC dome clearly is not.