Local developer chosen to spearhead Vancouver MLB expansion bid | Daily Hive

Local developer, backed by global sports experts, chosen to spearhead Vancouver MLB expansion effort

Summer 2025 construction process on the expansion and renovation of Nat Bailey Stadium, home of the Vancouver Canadians. (Vancouver Canadians)

The City of Vancouver announced today it has selected a preferred private sector partner to lead its push for a Major League Baseball (MLB) expansion franchise, moving the ambitious effort into its next stage.

The Show Vancouver (TSV), a group founded by local real estate developer Zack Ross and backed by a team of globally recognized sports industry specialists, has been formally chosen by Vancouver City Council to put the city’s best foot forward in its bid to land an MLB team.

Ross is president of Cape Group, a multigenerational Vancouver-based real estate development company.

The selection follows the competitive procurement process launched by the municipal government in April 2026, right after Vancouver City Council approved Mayor Ken Sim’s member motion directing City staff to find a qualified potential ownership group capable of spearheading and financing an MLB expansion bid — the multibillion-dollar costs associated with building a new MLB stadium and covering league expansion fees, as well as other major startup costs for a new franchise.

Sim’s motion was triggered by Ross’ unsolicited proposal to the City, which has been a work in progress for quite some time.

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The City’s procurement process closed on June 19, with the City previously indicating it intended to evaluate the submissions and select a preferred proponent before the end of July. The range of information requested from prospective bidders was highly extensive for the purposes of due diligence.

Prospective groups were also expected to outline potential stadium locations and requirements, an initial stadium design concept, and a business plan demonstrating the financial feasibility of both the franchise and ballpark. Importantly, the City’s procurement documents made clear that the selected private sector proponent would be expected to finance the design, construction, and operation of any new baseball stadium.

In a news release this afternoon to supplement the City’s brief announcement, TSV highlights that its vision centres on a new MLB franchise anchored by a landmark ballpark and an adjacent mixed-use real estate development at what it describes as an “iconic site.” However, neither TSV nor the City has disclosed a potential stadium location in today’s announcement.

“Vancouver is my home, and it is one of the great cities in the world, and we deserve a Major League Baseball team,” said Ross in a statement.

“Our vision is a world-class MLB franchise anchored by a landmark ballpark and mixed-use real estate development at an iconic site, creating a destination that generates economic activity, civic pride, and community benefit for generations. This is a significant moment in the process to successfully bring an MLB team to Vancouver, and we thank the City for the effort they put into this selection process.”

“We have brought onto the team key best-in-class partners”

The subsequent disclosure of the local developer spearheading and leading the effort and the high-profile team of sports industry experts assembled around the bid provides a major boost in confidence and credibility. Up until now, there had been significant public and media speculation over the identity and legitimacy of the group behind Vancouver’s MLB push, as well as the overall viability of the idea.

TSV has assembled a team with very extensive proven experience in acquiring and developing professional sports franchises and designing major stadiums.

Cape Group is joined by BRS Sports, whose three principals are Jac Sperling, Ray Baker, and Tim Romani.

Sperling has helped launch three North American professional sports expansion franchises and advised on the purchase or sale of 14 teams across leagues and organizations, including the NHL, NBA, MLB, MLS, English Premier League, esports, and NASCAR. He has also been involved in the construction or renovation of eight professional sports facilities.

He has also served on the NHL and NBA boards of governors and as a special advisor to the NBA commissioner, and has been alternate governor of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning since 2017. One of his more recent major successes involves helping Seattle secure its NHL team, the Seattle Kraken.

Baker brings direct experience with MLB stadium development. He served on the board of the Denver Metropolitan Major League Baseball Stadium District, the public entity responsible for financing and building Coors Field and leasing the ballpark to the Colorado Rockies. He also served on the Metropolitan Football Stadium District, which oversaw the financing and construction of Empower Field at Mile High for the NFL’s Denver Broncos.

Romani founded Icon Venue Group, which was later acquired by Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and became CAA Icon. According to TSV, he has been involved in more than $20 billion worth of sports and entertainment venue development. This includes recent venues such as the Kraken’s Climate Pledge Arena project and the new Intuit Dome for the NBA’s LA Clippers, as well as the new MLB ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip and the NHL’s Calgary Flames’ future new home venue of Scotia Place, which are both under construction. CAA Icon would serve as the owner’s representative for the Vancouver project.

Populous, one of the world’s best-known sports venue architecture firms, has been selected as the ballpark architect. Populous is behind the design of MLB ballparks such as the Atlanta Braves’ 2017-built Truist Park, the Miami Marlins’ 2012-built IoanDepot Park, the Minnesota Twins’ 2010-built Target Field, the New York Mets’ 2009-built Citi Field, and the New York Yankees’ 2009-built Yankee Stadium.

Truist Park, home of the MLB’s Atlanta Braves. (Populous)

Populous is also behind other globally renowned sports venues such as London’s Wembley Stadium and London Stadium (2012 Olympic Stadium), Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park, Sydney’s Accor Stadium (2000 Olympic Stadium), and Climate Pledge Arena. As well, the firm designed BMO Centre, Calgary’s new convention centre.

Gensler, one of the world’s largest architecture and design firms, has also been brought on to plan and design the mixed-use real estate development envisioned next to the Vancouver MLB stadium.

“We’re building a ballpark this city can be proud of for generations to come”

“TSV’s approach is built on a simple principle: do things right and in the right order. This is how Ray, Tim and I have always operated. And we have brought onto the team key best-in-class partners: the world’s leading ballpark architects (Populous), owner’s representative (CAA Icon), and real estate development architects (Gensler),” said Sperling in a statement.

“Because of his understanding of complex real estate developments, infectious enthusiasm, and love for his city and baseball, Zack Ross is the right person at the right time for this once-in-a-generation opportunity for Vancouver, Western Canada, and the country.”

The group’s selection does not mean Vancouver has secured an MLB team, nor has MLB formally awarded the city an expansion franchise. Instead, the City and TSV are now expected to work toward a memorandum of understanding (MOU) setting out how they would cooperate on the effort. The proponent must also conduct further due diligence on whether a Vancouver franchise and stadium are financially viable before any eventual bid to MLB.

Any proposed stadium development would also remain subject to the City’s normal regulatory and approval processes.

“We’re building a ballpark this city can be proud of for generations to come — one that’s present and engaged in the community 365 days a year, not just on game days,” said Ross.

When asked this afternoon to provide further details on the stadium and mixed-use development component of the effort to bring MLB to Vancouver, TSV provided the following supplemental statement to Daily Hive Urbanized: “Today’s announcement is an exciting and necessary moment in the process to bring Major League Baseball to Vancouver. Identifying a world-class site — in partnership with the City — for the ballpark is a crucial step in the process. We look forward to working with the city to identify a site that speaks to Vancouver’s beauty and dynamism.”

TSV is also covering all costs and financial risks with preparing and advancing its MLB bid.

Furthermore, the City’s announcement today states that “any future project agreements, site selection, land use decisions, development proposals, lease arrangements or other related matters would be subject to future Council consideration and approval.”

Citi Field, home of the MLB’s New York Mets. (Populous)

Ioan Depot, home of the MLB’s Miami Marlins. (Populous)

“MLB in Vancouver will showcase our city’s global character to the world”

Today’s timing is significant.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly indicated that he wants the league to begin the process of expanding from its current 30 teams to 32 before he retires in January 2029. Over the years, Manfred has also repeatedly publicly identified Vancouver as a city that could potentially support an MLB franchise and has suggested the league could accommodate a second Canadian team alongside the Toronto Blue Jays.

The league has not expanded in nearly three decades. Its most recent expansion franchises, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays, were awarded in 1995 and began playing in 1998.

When Sim first brought the idea of MLB to City Council this past spring, he emphasized that the push was not simply a speculative exercise. He said the City had already been approached through an unsolicited proposal by “serious proponents,” whom he described as “incredibly credible.” During City Council deliberations at the time, City Manager Donny van Dyk similarly indicated that the unsolicited interest was substantial enough to warrant a formal competitive procurement process rather than the City dealing exclusively with the group that initially approached it.

The process was designed to give Vancouver the strongest possible footing if MLB formally opens an expansion round, while determining whether there is a credible ownership group capable of financing a franchise and stadium.

TSV intends to position the potential franchise as a broader community asset, including through investment in youth baseball and connections between Vancouver and Asia.

“MLB in Vancouver will showcase our city’s global character to the world. But first and foremost, this is a community asset, and we will always act as its steward,” continued Ross.

“We’re committed to working with the city and our community partners to ensure the franchise and the development reflect Vancouver’s values around reconciliation, affordable housing, sustainability, local employment, and accessibility for the youth of British Columbia and Western Canada.”

Nat Bailey Stadium. (Vancouver Canadians)

The effort has also attracted support from members of Metro Vancouver’s business community.

Greater Vancouver Board of Trade president and CEO Bridgitte Anderson said the selection represents another step toward determining what an MLB franchise could mean economically for the region.

“The selection of a preferred bid team marks an important step in exploring the potential for Major League Baseball in Vancouver,” said Anderson.

“Major sports franchises can serve as significant economic drivers, generating investment, attracting visitors, supporting local businesses, and creating opportunities across a wide range of sectors. They also contribute to the overall vitality and competitiveness of a region by enhancing its profile as a destination to live, work, visit, and invest. We look forward to seeing this work continue and to learning more about the opportunities a potential MLB franchise could create for Vancouver and the broader regional economy.”

TSV also points to polling by Research Co. this past spring showing more than seven in 10 British Columbians would welcome an MLB team in Vancouver, while fewer than one in 10 believe having a team would be a bad idea.

The group’s initiative has also received a letter of support signed by about 150 B.C. leaders.

Former Vancouver mayor and B.C. premier Mike Harcourt has also thrown his support behind the effort, comparing its potential long-term significance with major city-building initiatives undertaken during his time in office.

“As the mayor who oversaw a transformative period of our city’s history, including Expo 86, the revitalization of the False Creek lands and the first SkyTrain project, I wholeheartedly support TSV’s efforts to bring a Major League Baseball (MLB) team to Vancouver,” said Harcourt.

“Being named preferred partner of the City is the first step in building on these legacy projects to further transform our city for a new generation and further enhance Vancouver’s reputation as one of the most livable cities in the world.”

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