Advertisement

City of Vancouver pulls the plug on proposed ‘Jurassic Park West’ for NBA Finals

Toronto Raptors fans react as they watch game six of NBA Eastern Conference Final basketball action between the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks on a screen outside the Scotiabank Arena, in Toronto on Saturday, May 25, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Just days after a Vancouver city councillor floated a possible free, public viewing area for residents to watch the Toronto Raptors play in the NBA Finals, the city has poured cold water on the idea.

In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, the city said it would not be hosting or providing funding for an NBA Finals viewing event.

Story continues below advertisement

“Events of this nature require adequate lead time to plan and execute successfully, and while we reviewed plans for a potential viewing event, we were not able to identify a location that was suitable and available for a series of up to seven games,” reads the statement.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

WATCH: Raptors fans hope Vancouver will get its own ‘Jurassic Park’

Click to play video: 'Raptors fans hope Vancouver will get its own ‘Jurassic Park’'
Raptors fans hope Vancouver will get its own ‘Jurassic Park’

“The City of Vancouver celebrates the excitement around basketball in our community and we look forward to working with partners to develop and inspire local sport development.”

Earlier this week, Vancouver Green Coun. Michael Wiebe publicly pitched the idea of a “Jurassic Park West,” potentially in  šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square (the Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza), but had said the city was still in discussion with the NBA and other stakeholders.

Story continues below advertisement

The NBA finals kick off in Toronto on Thursday, when the Toronto Raptors face the Golden State Warriors.

Sponsored content

AdChoices