CTV has learned that the British Columbia government has decided to put a retractable roof on Vancouver's B.C. Place stadium, a move that is expected be confirmed at a news conference on Friday.

However, the new structure will not be ready for the 2010 Olympic Games, sources say.

The public has been left wondering just what was in store for B.C. Place ever since the dramatic collapse of the stadium roof on Jan. 5, 2007.

And that was a year after a report on the stadium's Teflon, air-supported roof said the iconic symbol on Vancouver's skyline was at the end of its quarter-century lifespan.

Options for the roof had included replacing the aging inflatable roof with a high-tech fabric, at a cost of $20 million.

But Premier Gordon Campbell is expected to announce on Friday that the province will fund the retractable roof at ten times the cost -- about $250-million.

There had been much debate about whether the retractable roof would be ready in time for the Games, and whether the roof as it is now is in a state to welcome the world for the 2010 Olympics.

Instead, the province wants to refurbish the existing inflatable dome, and have that in place for the Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies.

Construction of the retractable roof is expected to begin once the Games are over.

Whitecaps could move to B.C. Place

The Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team will also be at the press conference tomorrow, where it's expected that they will announce their new home at the stadium.

It could be part of the team's plan to expand to Major League Soccer by 2011. The League wants to bring the league to 18 teams by 2012.

Seattle is the 15th team, expected to join in 2009, and Philadelphia is the 16th team, expected to join in 2010.

According to reports, St. Louis is the front-runner to be the 17th team -- but after that, it's tough competition between a whole list of teams: Vancouver, Montreal, Portland, Atlanta, Detroit, San Diego, Miami, and possibly a second team in New York City.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Mike Killeen and Perry Solkowski