The City of Kelowna has set its sights on a new goal: bringing a professional soccer team to the city by 2028.
On Thursday, Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas and other city officials appeared alongside representatives from the Canadian Premier League (CPL) to share details of the path forward on the project.
Chief among them is finding an ownership group, and investing up to $25 million to upgrade the Apple Bowl, the city's premier multi-sport stadium, to make it suitable for CPL expansion.
"We've seen firsthand what tournaments and major events can do for Kelowna," Dyas said in a prepared release, referencing the city hosting B.C. Lions football games in June and July and the Canadian Hockey League's Memorial Cup in May.
"Today, we're building on that success by advancing long-needed improvements to the Apple Bowl and taking an important step toward welcoming a Canadian Premier League team to Kelowna in 2028."
Proposed improvements to the Apple Bowl include adding a new grandstand capable of seating 3,000, up from the current 2,000, as well as new locker rooms, a scoreboard, a broadcast centre and artificial turf conversion.
Funding for the upgrades would have to be approved in the city's next budget, which will be set after this fall's election. Dyas is running again with declared challengers including businessperson Emily Salsbury and Ron Cannan, a city councillor and former MP.
Established in 2019, the CPL is the top tier of domestic men's soccer in Canada. MLS, which includes the Vancouver Whitecaps, is part of the U.S. soccer league system.
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CPL executive vice-president Marni Dicker said she is pleased to see Kelowna taking steps toward hosting a team, while noting an ownership group would still be a key component.
"Today's announcement reflects our shared ambition to position Kelowna as a future home for the CPL," she said in a written statement. "We look forward to engaging with potential ownership groups interested in the opportunity in Kelowna."
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