Plans for Saskatoon pro soccer team put on ice

The plan to bring a professional soccer team to Saskatoon has been put on ice.

In a joint news release issued on Tuesday, Prairieland Park Corporation and Living Sky Sports announced they will "adjourn" the quest to bring a pro team to the city.

"With ventures of this magnitude, it is important to adjust to constantly changing economic factors," Prairieland Park CEO Dan Kemppainen said in the news release.

"As we progressed with the project plans, we have had to make the decision to attend to competing financial priorities."

In 2021, Prarieland Park announced it would wind down its horse racing operation and instead work with Living Sky to bring a Canadian Premier League (CPL) team to the city.

Last year, the consortium revealed plans for a new $28 million stadium.

Earlier this year, a former partner launched a $10 million lawsuit alleging Living Sky and Prarireland Park had effectively cut him out the deal to bring a CPL team to the city.

The man who launched the lawsuit, Joseph Belan, declined to comment when reached by CTV News on Tuesday.

A CPL spkesperson told CTV News the league was "disappointed" upon learning the plan would be scrapped.

"Our plan to expand into Saskatoon was always contingent upon having the appropriate facility and ownership group to showcase the Canadian Premier League to the community in a professional manner," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

However, the league is still interested in expanding to the province "when the circumstances are right."

The spokesperson said while the CPL has "great respect" for Living Sky's efforts, "any exclusivity granted to this group has lapsed."

"We continue to have discussions with interested parties to align the elements necessary for launching a successful CPL franchise in the province," the spokesperson said.

--With files from CTV News' Matt Young