Ottawa's bid for professional soccer took a big hit Saturday, as Portland, Ore. was announced as Major League Soccer’s second expansion franchise for 2010.
Earlier this week, the league announced Vancouver as its first new expansion franchise, joining Toronto as Canada’s only two MLS teams.
Ottawa was seeking a team for 2010, but city council has been unable to decide between building a new soccer stadium in Kanata, and renovating Lansdowne Park for a new Canadian Football League team.
Eugene Melnyk, who has led the bid for a new soccer team, says there is still a possibility for an expansion team in Ottawa by either 2012 or 2013.
"Absolutely nothing has changed with respect to the level of effort and resources Senators Sports & Entertainment is placing toward our MLS expansion and stadium efforts in Ottawa," Melnyk said in a statement to the media.
"The main hurdle for us is to gain the city's support for our proposed world-class stadium."
The city isn’t expected to make a decision until April 22, a delay that has affected Melnyk’s soccer bid.