Ottawa got it’s chance to shine for Major League Soccer today.

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk met with league brass today to attempt to sway the league’s decision to the Canadian capital. He laid on a series of meetings for MLS commissioner Don Garber and president Mark Abbott with all three levels of Canadian government.

Ottawa is the final expansion candidate to be visited by Garber and Abbott as they attempt to choose two cities to be awarded the two MLS expansion bids in 2011. St. Louis, Portland, Vancouver and Miami are the other four remaining candidates.

MLS is expected to choose the winning bids by mid-March.

Garber’s only comment on the Ottawa situation was not a bad one but not a great one either.

“The only drawback at present is that there is no stadium.”

Take that for what you will. Ottawa is still a big long-shot in this race but definitely a dark horse in some minds out there. Could they really sneak in and get one of the two spots? I still doubt it but its a never say never kind of thing. I was always shocked to see Salt Lake in the league and that seemed to work out alright for everyone. Maybe Ottawa would be more like that.