The City of Vancouver and Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced Thursday that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enter an exclusive negotiation period through 2026 to explore a new stadium and entertainment district at Hastings Park.
Through Dec. 31 of 2026, the city and Whitecaps FC will work to negotiate terms for a ground lease, including the stadium’s design, financial terms and community benefits for the proposed development.
“After an incredible year that saw the Whitecaps reach the MLS Cup Final for the first time in club history, it’s clear just how much this team means to our city, and we’re incredibly excited to be taking the next step forward,” said Mayor Ken Sim in a statement. “This MOU demonstrates a firm commitment by both the City and the Whitecaps to advance work towards a new stadium here in Vancouver.
“The partnership we are building today has the potential to create jobs, boost our local economy, and transform Hastings Park into an even more vibrant destination for sports, concerts, and community events.”
“We’re grateful for the City’s partnership and look forward to working together to determine whether Hastings Park can become the location for a future home of our club,” added Whitecaps FC CEO Axel Schuster in a statement. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, but this is a positive step forward, and we hope many more will follow as we work to secure a permanent home that will allow us to compete with long-term stability in Major League Soccer.”
The proposed lease area is within the current Hastings Racecourse footprint, which includes space recently used for racecourse and casino operations. The City will retain ownership of the land and both parties also recognize the Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s agreement to purchase the casino business currently operating on the site.
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber has gone on record saying that the Whitecaps’ lease agreement with the provincial government, which owns BC Place, is “untenable” and a new stadium is needed.
Whitecaps ownership announced earlier this year that they had been in discussions with the city about constructing a new, purpose-built stadium in East Vancouver.
The North American Soccer League incarnation of the Whitecaps played their matches at the old Empire Stadium on the PNE grounds in the 1970s and early ’80s, before BC Place was completed in 1983.
