Potential buyer submits bid for Vancouver Whitecaps with intention of moving team to Las Vegas

Reports emerged that MLS owners have met to discuss potential relocation, causing a broad movement on social media to save the team and keep the club in Vancouver. The club issued a statement about those discussions on Monday, while additional talks have been held between MLS and local government officials.

“The club has faced well-documented structural challenges around stadium economics, venue access, and revenue limitations that have made it difficult to attract buyers committed to keeping the team in Vancouver," the club said in that statement on Monday. "Over the past 16 months, we have had serious conversations with more than 100 parties, and to date, no viable offer has emerged that would keep the club here. … If there is a local ownership group with the vision and resources to chart a path forward, we urge them to come forward.”

MLS also issued a statement to GOAL earlier this week:

"The Whitecaps’ ownership group has played a significant role in growing the game in Vancouver and across Canada. However, stadium economics, scheduling restrictions, and a lack of government and corporate support have created ongoing structural challenges that make it difficult to establish a viable path forward for the club," MLS spokesperson Dan Courtemanche wrote.

"We remain focused on supporting the club in identifying a sustainable long-term solution, and our preference 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 evaluate all options, including interest that has been expressed in the club from other markets and investor groups."

Gustavson, 30, is the grandson of B. Wayne Hughes, founder of Public Storage. Forbes estimates his mother Tamara's net worth to be around $8.5 billion.

According to the Athletic, Gustavson has committed to building a soccer-specific stadium in Las Vegas as part of the bid. The 30-year-old lives in Las Vegas and has been involved with the Name, Image, and Likeness program at his alma mater, the University of Southern California.

 “Las Vegas is known the world over as a welcoming destination for millions of people each year and has a growing, passionate community of soccer fans," Gustavson's group said in a statement. "An investor group, led by Grant Gustavson, submitted a bid for consideration to the MLS League Office.

“The investment group will privately finance this endeavor and is not connected to any of the recently announced arena ideas in Las Vegas. In the coming weeks and months, we look forward to the opportunity to share more, however, out of respect for the league’s deliberations and community stakeholders, we are refraining from sharing details of our proposal. We look forward to continuing to work for a positive outcome for the game, the fans, the league and Las Vegas.”

On the field, the Whitecaps are currentlty second in the Western Conference after reaching the MLS Cup final last year. They'll face the LA Galaxy in Southern California on Saturday.