Good question. The article didn't mention the $5 mil and I'm not sure when it is payable. If I had to guess, probably not until they have met all the criteria and given permission to move up officially. That's why I think this is, as you said just steps to show they will, if an invite comes, before they fully commit.
That is their motivation....to make themselves available to the PAC or MWC as a emergency expansion candidate.
I guess they could always go back to FCS is they fail to get an invite.
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