With the current owners of the Vancouver Whitecaps unable to find a buyer committed to keeping the MLS team in Vancouver, a move to the USA has become more likely than ever. An investor from Las Vegas has reportedly submitted a concrete offer to the league for Thomas Müller’s team.
The potential investor is identified as Las Vegas-based entrepreneur Grant Gustavson. Gustavson’s mother, Tamara, is said to possess a fortune of $8.5 billion. Gustavson is reportedly looking to purchase the Whitecaps and subsequently relocate the team to Las Vegas. If Thomas Müller remains with the Whitecaps, he would then play his home games in the gambling metropolis.
According to The Athletic, as part of his bid, Gustavson is committed to building a dedicated soccer stadium in Las Vegas.
Gustavson’s group stated, «Las Vegas is recognized globally as a welcoming destination for millions of people annually and boasts a growing, passionate community of soccer fans.»
Earlier this week, reports of a meeting among MLS owners regarding a potential relocation of the club sparked a broad movement to save the team and keep it in Vancouver. The current owners of the Whitecaps, the reigning MLS runners-up, subsequently released a statement.
«The club faces well-documented structural challenges related to stadium economics, venue access, and revenue constraints that have made it difficult to find buyers committed to keeping the team in Vancouver,» the statement read. «Over the past 16 months, we have engaged in serious discussions with over 100 interested parties, and to date, no viable offer has been received that would keep the club here. If there is a local ownership group with vision and capital, we urge them to come forward.»
MLS also issued a statement to GOAL earlier this week:
«The Whitecaps ownership has done a great deal for the development of soccer in Vancouver and Canada. However, the stadium situation, scheduling difficulties, and a lack of support from government and business make it challenging to secure a sustainable future for the club,» wrote MLS spokesperson Dan Courtemanche. «We continue to work to support the club in finding a sustainable solution. Our goal is to find a path that allows the Whitecaps to continue to grow and succeed in Vancouver. At the same time, we have a responsibility to ensure the long-term health of the league and its clubs, and we will consider all options, including the interest that other markets and investor groups have expressed in the club.»
This situation could now lead to a move to Las Vegas.