Portland Timbers (MLS) News

[chepe]

An article in today's Oregonian talks about the potential for Portland (or Seattle) to obtain an MLS franchise. I think Porland would be a great market for MLS. It seems like the Seattle option is certainly viable but perhaps not as strong as initially thought (hence the look at Portland). PGE seems more suited to the type of venue MLS prefers (25k or so) versus Qwest (around 70k).

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1175054138185400.xml&coll=7

[moosanova]

Wasn't this topic brought up at least a year ago..... i believe it was about an MLS franchise in portland if i'm not mistaken...... but if i am, then i'm the idiot.

[EastPDX]

... have discussed PGE Park being moved toward a football only facility. We would hope a location like Blanchard or the MC would be developed into a minor league ballpark with the structural systems ready for a upper deck/roof/etc. if a MLB possibility arose.

I'm sure the locals near PGE Park would love to not deal with baseball, and american football, plus soccer.

I understand that MLS really, really doesn't go for dirt or concrete pitch and prefers grass.

EP

[zilfondel]

I would go to every game if we got MLS. Heck, I'm probably going to start going to Timbers games too, once I finish school! :P

[der Reisender]

seems like portland would be a good fit size-wise with MLS, and PGE Park could be a cool place to see a match too. the urban setting and transit access is great, and if the open part along 18th was filled in with stands it would make an intimidating soccer/football environment. i just hope the Timbers branding, colors, etc., could stay for an MLS side

[Alek184]

I think it would be awesome. Portland is known for great soccer fans and supporters. But I never feel city officials ever enthusiastic about soccer unless money involved.

[MarkDaMan]

Major League Soccer comm. looks at Portland
07:39 AM PDT on Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Associated Press

Major League Soccer hopes to have an expansion franchise in the Pacific Northwest by 2010, and Portland is a possibility.

Portland is known as "Soccer City USA" because of its fervent interest in the sport. Crowds of more than 20,000 have watched matches involving the U.S. men's and women's soccer teams at PGE Park, and the city has embraced the two-time national champion University of Portland women's soccer team.

The Portland Timbers, who play a step below the MLS in the United Soccer League First Division, also draw enthusiastic support.

On Tuesday, MLS Commissioner Don Garber took a 45-minute tour of PGE Park, and later repeated what many Portland soccer fans have been saying: "Here we are in 'Soccer City USA' and we don't have Major League Soccer. There's irony there."

But Portland is no sure thing to land the expansion team. The league might not find PGE Park suitable, and there's the possibility that Seattle gets the Pacific Northwest entry.

Garber said the league has been discussing adding a Northwest franchise for at least six months with an investment group. The investors, whom Garber declined to identify, initially envisioned Seattle as the locale. Only recently has Portland emerged as an option.

After his first tour of PGE Park, Garber said he liked its urban setting. "Certainly you've got a fairly appropriately sized stadium that's operated fairly well and has a great history," Garber said. "But I haven't even gone so far as to see if it's the best option or only option."

He added that he was not sure if the stadium's NeXturf surface "would be a solution for an MLS team."

Garber, who met with MLS sponsor Adidas while in Portland, said the league could someday have two Pacific Northwest teams.

"But for now, our view is we'd like to find one city in the Pacific Northwest and expand the breadth and scope of the league above Southern California."

Los Angeles is home to the West Coast's only two MLS teams, the Galaxy and Chivas USA. The two-time MLS champion San Jose Earthquakes moved to Houston after the 2005 season.

MLS started with 10 clubs in 1996 and now has 13. The league is expected to add three more teams by 2010.

http://www.kgw.com/sports/stories/kgw_032807_sports_pro_soccer.bbe18d4.html

[Nutterbug]

Garber, who met with MLS sponsor Adidas while in Portland, said the league could someday have two Pacific Northwest teams.

"But for now, our view is we'd like to find one city in the Pacific Northwest and expand the breadth and scope of the league above Southern California."

Los Angeles is home to the West Coast's only two MLS teams, the Galaxy and Chivas USA. The two-time MLS champion San Jose Earthquakes moved to Houston after the 2005 season.

Why just have one or two for the PNW? They should have three including Van BC. This region's probably one of the few areas on the continent that's progressive and cosmopolitan enough to support top level soccer, whereas everywhere else it's probably dismissed as a sport for girls or something like that.

And how do you figure MLS's operations? Why do they have two teams in LA playing out of the exact same venue, but none in the Bay Area or the entire NW?

[zilfondel]

They play cricket up in Vancouver.

[Nutterbug]

They play cricket up in Vancouver.

All I know is that there's a cricket park in Stanley Park.

Not really surprising, since Vancouver has a large East Indian population.

[joshua]

this is encouraging news for soccer fans. a co-worker and i were just discussing today how cool it would be to have MLS in the northwest.

i don't see why the region couldn't support 2-3 teams (portland, seattle, vancouver), but i'll be happy with 1 to start!

[der Reisender]

From today's Oregonian:

Investors plan bid for MLS franchise
Real estate developer Ben Stutz leads an effort in Portland and says the $30 million fee is attainable
Friday, March 30, 2007
BOAZ HERZOG and HELEN JUNG

A group of investors, led by a local real estate developer, is pulling together a proposal aimed at bringing a Major League Soccer franchise to Portland by 2010.

Ben Stutz, of JB Equities of Portland, said Thursday about five to 10 local investors have committed to a potential ownership group of an MLS franchise. He declined to name the investors but said they have the financial means to make a credible bid, which would include $30 million for an entry fee.

"It's a very powerful group," Stutz said. "It's a substantial group with substantial resources, and it's a serious effort to try and figure out how to bring MLS soccer to Portland."

Stutz, who also is co-owner of Kelly's Olympian bar in downtown Portland, said his group plans to submit a formal proposal to MLS officials within a few months. .

MLS Commissioner Don Garber toured PGE Park and met with an Oregon Sports Authority official on Tuesday to scout Portland as a possible site for a MLS expansion franchise in the Pacific Northwest by 2010. That day, Garber said the league had been talking for at least six months with an investment group that envisioned an expansion franchise in either Portland or Seattle. Garber did not identify the group and could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Dan Courtemanche, an MLS senior vice president, on Thursday said the league has not discussed expansion possibilities with Stutz's group, but "it's good to hear others are interested in bringing MLS soccer to Portland."

The 13-team league wants to add three franchises within three years. Areas other than Portland or Seattle that MLS is considering include Atlanta, the Bay Area, Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia and St. Louis.

Stutz said his group is interested in locating in Portland, not Seattle. His group also believes it would need a new stadium for an MLS expansion franchise, rather than PGE Park, a site Garber did not rule out after his tour Tuesday.

MLS requires expansion teams play in stadiums built for soccer or have definite plans to construct one, Courtemanche said.

"Could a retrofitted PGE Park ultimately become a soccer-specific stadium? Quite possibly," he said.

Since 1999, venues tailored for soccer have opened in Columbus (Ohio), Los Angeles, Dallas and Chicago. The Colorado Rapids and Toronto FC, the newest expansion team, will play in stadiums opening this year. Teams in New York and Salt Lake City have planned new stadiums for 2008.

"You can see where soccer is going in MLS -- soccer dominant stadiums where the vast majority of the revenues come back to the club," said Mick Hoban, president of SoccerSolutions, a Portland-based consulting firm. Those revenue streams include sales from merchandise, concessions and parking.

The 11-year-old MLS has gained credibility, clout and a modicum of financial success lately after years of struggles to popularize soccer in the United States. The 13-team league will be compensated for television rights to its games for the first time this year. And two clubs, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake, have signed multimillion-dollar jersey sponsorship deals, the first such pacts since the league changed its rules last fall to allow advertising on the fronts of its jerseys.

But most team investors still need additional revenue streams to make their investments pay off.

"You can't get by without them," Hoban said. He said he is not part of an investor group eyeing an MLS franchise.

Although the group led by Stutz has begun scouting potential stadium sites, he said it is too early to offer details of a project and whether the group would seek public financing.

Portland Mayor Tom Potter would be "very supportive and want to help in any way he could to bring a Major League Soccer team to Portland," said John Doussard, the mayor's spokesman. "But he hasn't changed his opinion that the public shouldn't be building stadiums for private owners at a time when tax dollars are needed for housing and schools and so many other basics."

It is unclear how a potential MLS team in Portland would affect the United Soccer League's First Division Portland Timbers, who along with the Triple-A baseball Portland Beavers, play spring through summer seasons that are concurrent with the MLS season. The Timbers and Beavers are signed to a lease at PGE Park through 2010.

"It's pretty early to speculate," said Chris Metz, assistant general manager of the two clubs. "Scenarios could happen, but that's not our focus now."

A soccer fan whose children play the game, Stutz said he found himself growing more and more interested in professional soccer.

"It just seems to me to be something that makes a lot of sense from a business standpoint and from a fan standpoint," he said.

Boaz Herzog: 503-412-7072; boherzog@gmail.com Helen Jung: 503-294-7621; helenjung@news.oregonian.com

[zilfondel]

Hell yes! I'm all for it.

[der Reisender]

Nutterbug- MLS had a team in San Jose until last season when it was moved to Houston. I think it was mostly a stadium issue

[pdxman]

Soccer in portland would be great! I just hope portland gets and not seattle--no offense seattle, i love you but you guys don't need another pro team. Maybe down the road both cities would have teams and that would create a great rivalry :)

[MarkDaMan]

how the hell did Salt Lake score a team?

[SEA-TOWN]

how the hell did Salt Lake score a team?

Incentives from the city? Who knows...

[wrendog]

Why wouldn't SLC score a team? we love our soccer out here! Getting a stadium for next year (thanks to the governors intervention).

Dave Checketts, the team owner wanted to purchase an MLS franchise 3 years ago and since he is from SLC, he wanted to put it there.

Go RSL!!!!!

[MarkDaMan]

Californian eyes MLS here
Developer Michael Keston holds the rights to discuss placing an expansion soccer team in Portland or Seattle -
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
BOAZ HERZOG
The Oregonian

The owner of a potential Major League Soccer franchise in Portland is a California real estate developer with ties to former Trail Blazers owner Larry Weinberg.

Michael Keston said this week he retains the exclusive rights to discuss with MLS the possibility of bringing an expansion team to either the Portland or Seattle area.

MLS commissioner Don Garber has touted both areas as viable candidates for one of three expansion clubs the league wants to add by 2010. Areas other than Portland or Seattle that the 13-team league is considering include Atlanta, the Bay Area, Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia and St. Louis.

Garber has said MLS has discussed its options in Portland and Seattle with an undisclosed investment group for several months. MLS officials confirmed Tuesday that Keston is heading the group.

Keston, 67, said he has not ruled out Seattle but that he and his son James Keston came away very impressed from an initial two-day tour of Portland and PGE Park two weeks ago. James Keston, a 30-year-old recent graduate of the London School of Economics, would probably assume a top leadership role in an expansion team, Michael Keston said.

"We very much would like to be in Portland," he said. "We think the people and atmosphere are great and it's a place we could very happily be."

One hitch, Keston said, is that MLS would want a Northwest expansion franchise to compete within two years.

The MLS season runs concurrent with the spring-through-summer seasons of the two professional teams that currently call the stadium home, the Portland Timbers of the USL and the Portland Beavers Triple A baseball club. The teams signed a lease with the city to play at PGE Park through 2010, and the teams each have the option to extend the lease by two years.

John Doussard, spokesman for Portland Mayor Tom Potter, said Tuesday that the city is very interested in helping the owner of an MLS franchise become a tenant at PGE Park and help pay for upgrades of the facility. City officials have said replacing the 7-year-old NeXturf playing surface probably would be necessary. Other needed upgrades include boosting seating capacity from 19,566 to 25,000, adding more restrooms and concession areas and upgrading the locker rooms and press boxes, Keston said.

The city, however, has a good lease with the Timbers and Beavers, Doussard said, "and we wouldn't want to do anything that would compromise that agreement."

Gavin Wilkinson, general manager and coach of the Timbers, described the idea of an MLS team in Portland as phenomenal, but he couldn't see the team coexisting with the Timbers.

"There's not enough population to support two professional soccer teams in such a small area," Wilkinson said. "It would be great for the community, but how it could work and when it could work still needs to be figured out."

The Oregon Sports Authority is trying to broker a solution. The nonprofit group led a gathering of city, business and community soccer officials who greeted the Kestons on their visit last month.

"Now, it's really time to put our heads together and explore what we can do to make this work here," said Drew Mahalic, the Oregon Sports Authority's chief executive.

Mahalic declined to describe possible solutions but said, "All options are on the table."

It appears that a bid by real estate developer Ben Stutz, of JB Equities of Portland, to bring an MLS expansion team to Portland is dead. Mahalic said he referred Stutz to Keston a few weeks ago. Keston said Tuesday that he has not heard from Stutz.

Stutz did not return phone calls from The Oregonian, and MLS officials said they had not spoken to him.

Keston has amassed his fortune -- enough to afford the $30 million MLS requires for an expansion entry fee -- by building and investing in California residential and commercial real estate as the owner and chief executive of Larwin Company. The privately held business was founded by Weinberg, the original owner of the Trail Blazers.

A native of New York City, Keston joined Larwin in 1970 and bought it from Loews Corp. eight years later. The residential building arm of Larwin, with 43 employees, generated revenues of between $100 million and $150 million last year, Keston said.

Keston said his interest in soccer grew from the excitement his two sons have for the sport and his eight years coaching youth teams that they played on during their childhood. Los Angeles, where Keston and his wife, Linda, reside, already is home to two MLS clubs, the Galaxy and Chivas USA. So owning an expansion club in the Northwest, where Keston said he enjoys visiting, became the next best option.

PGE Park is the preferred venue for an MLS expansion franchise in Portland, but Keston said he would consider the idea of building a 25,000-seat stadium outside the city should a lease at PGE Park not work out. Keston estimated it would cost about $120 million to build such a facility.

Officials operating stadiums in Hillsboro and Gresham said they would be open to negotiations to host an MLS expansion team during the construction of a new facility. Hillsboro Stadium seats 7,000 people but has boosted capacity to as high as 10,000 for Portland State football games in 2000 and some high school football games since then.

Steve Gregor, director of Hillsboro's Parks & Recreation agency, said he wasn't sure of the maximum crowd the stadium could hold but that it would probably be feasible to go higher than 10,000 by adding extra bleachers on the facility's north side.

"If the interest starts drifting west toward Hillsboro, we'll start looking at what they need," Gregor said.

Mt. Hood Community College's stadium on the Gresham campus can barely accommodate 4,000 fans.

"But there's room for more if someone wanted to bring them in," said Brandon Drawz, the community college's assistant athletic director. "I'm all for upgrading facilities."

The college is in the middle of a $1.5 million project to renovate its aquatics center. About $300,000 of the project's cost is coming from private donations, Drawz said, adding: "So it's not a leap to go into a partnership with the soccer community."

Keston said he would be very interested in discussing options in Hillsboro and Gresham. First, however, he wants to hear back from Portland officials to see how their offer measures up with Seattle's.

Ultimately, Keston said, choosing between the two locales will come down to which stadium has the best lease to offer. That's because MLS "wants to make sure there is strength in the team and, via the financial arrangements, would be sustainable," he said.

Keston described Qwest Field as the perfect venue for an MLS expansion team in Seattle. The 67,000-seat stadium is home to the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL and the Seattle Sounders, which compete against the Portland Timbers in the United Soccer Leagues' First Division.

Suzanne Lavender, a spokeswoman for First & Goal Inc., which operates Qwest Field, said Tuesday that officials last spoke with Keston a number of weeks ago but that "right now, there aren't any specific discussions going on."

Keston said he hopes to make a decision on selecting Seattle or Portland as the preferred city for Northwest expansion within a month, then seek the blessing of MLS brass.

Boaz Herzog: 503-412-7072, boherzog@gmail.com
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1178078117254420.xml&coll=7

[Pavlov's Dog]

If they're going to build a new stadium a site that I think should get consideration would be the nursery site adjacent to the Sunset MAX station. A new parking facility could be built to supplement the current garage. Since Stadium use would be weekends and evenings you would have outstanding synergy. PSU football could also use the new stadium as could Beaverton Public Schools adding revenue to the MLS club.

Then Civic Stadium could become a baseball only facility which would be great as well.

One thing I don't like about the MLS is the way they treat the A-league like shit and don't even consider the plight of the ownership and fan-base that have worked hard to make the Timbers a success. It reminds me a lot of Starbucks' MO which has been to let somebody else start up in an area, build up a customer base and then move in next door. I also don't like the system in the US where there is no relegation of the worst clubs down a level and the movement of the best 2nd division clubs up to the top level. That's the way it's done every where else of consequence the sport is played.

[Okstate]

Where does the PSU football team play. the pge stadium i assume?

[EastPDX]

... it for Portland's sport stadiums for outdoor events like football, soccer, and baseball.

EP

[MarkDaMan]

Supporters hope stadium plan leads to big-league ball
Portland Business Journal - by Andy Giegerich
Cathy Cheney | Portland Business Journal

The proposed PGE Park renovation could send its signature tenant into an entirely new facility.

Merritt Paulson, the owner of the Portland Beavers Triple-A baseball team and soccer's Portland Timbers, is mulling changes that could accommodate a Major League Soccer team but force the Beavers to find new digs.

The suggested renovations would convert the stadium into a soccer and football venue exclusively. Paulson said the moves could lead him to explore building a new Beavers stadium in Portland that would hold around 10,000 fans.

Paulson expects to complete a timeline for the efforts later today.

"I think PGE works great as a baseball facility, but the baseball-specific venue is very attractive and would work under the right circumstances," Paulson said.

The Portland Baseball Group, which includes many prominent business leaders, believes the move could buoy its own drive to attract a big-league baseball team. Paulson said he'll seek a site that could hold a larger facility down the road.

"It would make the process of attracting Major League Baseball significantly easier," Paulson said.

Before determining whether he could expand a smaller facility into a $500 million-plus Major League Baseball-quality stadium, Paulson would need to find at least $80 million to renovate PGE Park, purchase an MLS expansion team and build a new Beavers park.

While he's devised no financing possibilities, Paulson said he'll likely seek help from local government sources.

He could also draw on a 2003 state funding bill to offset some of the stadium's expansion costs. The bill would apply the state tax portions of players' and executives' salaries toward stadium construction bonds.

David Logsdon, the city's spectator facilities manager, said staffers will study both the proposed PGE Park renovation and new baseball stadium ideas by the end of the year.
Big-league dreams

Portland's interest in big-league baseball crests every few years. Earlier this decade, former Mayor Vera Katz ordered a stadium site study that explored several possible park locations. State lawmakers then narrowly approved the stadium funding bill in a dramatic late-session vote.

The efforts stalled when Major League officials moved the Montreal Expos to Washington, D.C., in 2005, then briefly re-emerged when Florida Marlins executives visited town in early 2006.

The Marlins stadium lease expires in 2011, said Steve Kanter, president of the Portland Baseball Group. The group is also tracking whether the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, one of the majors' least successful teams attendance-wise, will remain in the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla., area.

"There will be a team moving, and hopefully at that point, Portland will be able to persuade the world that we're ready," Kanter said.

Paulson's baseball vision emerged last week during a Portland visit by Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber. Garber's league will add four teams over the next four years; Portland is a serious candidate to attract an MLS team in 2011.

But first, PGE Park would require new soccer-friendly seating opposite what's now the first-base line. MLS officials would also want local operators to add more restrooms and locker-room improvements.

Still, any renovations to PGE Park could face resistance from Portland city commissioners who remember the financial troubles that stadium operators Portland Family Entertainment faced after the new facility opened in 2001.

The city remained on the hook for overdue payments as the Pacific Coast League, and eventually new owners, took over the Beavers and Timbers.

Austin Raglione, chief of staff to Mayor Tom Potter, said the meeting did not address a potential new baseball stadium.

Potter, who's lukewarm to a Major League Baseball bid, has yet to consider a taxpayer-aided new facility.

Paulson doesn't believe the previous stadium issues would affect city commissioners' opinions.

"There's nothing but positives going on with the teams right now, and I think people understand that PFE came in under a flawed financing plan from the get-go," he said. "That's not the situation here. I'm investing more for the long term."

The Katz-ordered study sparked debate over the best new stadium sites. The top candidates include the U.S. Post Office site in the Pearl District and the current Portland Public Schools administrative building's property, near the Rose Garden arena.

"It would be great if we could site it as a location that would make sense if we were to ultimately attract a Major League Baseball franchise," said Wally Van Valkenberg, a Stoel Rives LLP managing partner who headed the Oregon Stadium Campaign. "And I'd think Merritt would be interested in that as well because he might be in the franchise's ownership group."

Kanter said the prospects have his team ready to move quickly if, say, the Marlins come calling.

"We're quiet now because no one's moving immediately," he said. "But we remain convinced that someone will move. And I remain in close contact with the Marlins."

agiegerich@bizjournals.com | 503-219-3419
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/10/29/story8.html?t=printable

[Dougall5505]

I like this David Paulson, he seems to know what he is doing.

[sopdx]

He's a very different player. Big money and big connections from the New York financial set. Portland historically has been very local yokel. That is good in most respects, but if you want to be in the big leagues you need big league players.

[Pavlov's Dog]

Seattle got the MLS expansion franchise so Portland will have to wait. If we had the same system of relegation and promotion the rest of the soccer world has all we'd have to do is win our league and we'd go up to the bigs.

[Snowden352]

Um.... didn't some people say they wanted MLS in Portland?

Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 1:36 PM PDT
Portland Timbers seek MLS status
Portland Business Journal

The owner of the Portland Timbers on Thursday announced plans to apply for a Major League Soccer franchise to play at PGE Park.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Major League Soccer in Portland would both add a tremendous amount to the league and have a phenomenally positive impact on our community and state," said Merritt Paulson, who also owns the Portland Beavers minor league baseball club. "We have the most ardent and authentic soccer fan base in the United States, and Soccer City USA deserves a Major League Soccer team."

The announcement came as MLS on Thursday announced the timeline and application process for the league's next two expansion teams. The 12-year-old league plans to add two clubs by 2011, bringing the total to 18 teams.

MLS set an Oct. 15 application deadline. The league has indicated that an announcement regarding the next two expansion clubs will take place during the fourth quarter of 2008 or the first quarter of 2009, the Timbers said in a news release.

"In the coming months, we look forward to making an exceptionally strong case to both MLS and our community as to why Portland should be designated as one of the next two MLS expansion cities," Paulson said.

In statements during the league's all-star game in Toronto last week, MLS Commissioner Don Garber identified eight prospective expansion markets: Portland, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Montreal, Ottawa, St. Louis, a second team in the New York area, and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The league added Toronto F.C. two years ago and the San Jose Earthquakes this season. Next year it adds Seattle Sounders F.C., followed by a yet-to-be-named Philadelphia franchise in 2010.

The Timbers now play in the first division of the United Soccer Leagues, which is considered the second-tier of U.S. professional soccer, a level below MLS.

[nobody]

I would go completely nuts if this happened. Best news ever!

[sopdx]

From an earlier article I got the impression that the league was pushing for St Louis. It might be for balance, but I hope that isn't the case.

[Snowden352]

I wouldn't think there would be as strong a fan base for soccer in St. Louis as in Portland. Though I don't know too much about the city.

[sopdx]

I'm sure you're right. Following is the article I was referring to.

http://www.oregonlive.com/soccer/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/121703912768610.xml&coll=7

[MarkDaMan]

^that article is kinda a buzzkill, but I'm still hopeful.

[pdxman]

By the looks of the St. Louis campaign they seem to have a very good chance of landing a team. Their proposal looks a lot more aggressive and better put together than Portlands. So my guess is they get one and its between us and Canada. My feeling is that we'll miss out...again. Its sad but as big of a market as we are there seems to be a general lack of interest amongst the population with regards to getting a pro team. And I guess it doesn't help that there's no big money here either to help lure teams (ie. companies; corporations).

[360Rich]

Paulson pushes for Major League Soccer franchise
Portland Business Journal - by Erik Siemers Business Journal staff writer

http://www.mlstoportland.com/resources/17/images/PGE_Park_Rendering.jpg

Merritt Paulson on Wednesday launched a public campaign to build support for a proposed Major League Soccer franchise in Portland.

The pitch includes a planned $75 million in stadium upgrades — $40 million to upgrade PGE Park downtown for the MLS club and $35 million for a new 8,000-seat stadium in the Lents neighborhood for the Portland Beavers AAA baseball club.

Paulson, who owns both the Beavers and the Portland Timbers of the United Soccer League’s top division, would pay the $40 million cost to own the franchise, which would start play in 2011.

He said being the next MLS city could bring “tremendous positive national spotlight to the city of Portland.”

Paulson was joined by City Commissioner Randy Leonard, a supporter of the project who said bringing a ballpark to the Lents neighborhood in Southeast Portland could be a catalyst for economic growth in a part of the city that is struggling.

“It redefines entertainment for Portland,” Leonard said.

What remains unknown is exactly how the stadium projects will be financed.

Paulson’s group is negotiating with the city over financing plans. Leonard said it's possible that the city could back revenue bonds and use revenue from ticket sales to pay off the bonds.

“I’m confident the Portland metro area has a fan base that will fully support buying tickets ... that would be the source of revenue,” he said.

The Lents plan is attractive to Paulson — who would pay rent on the facility — because it’s city-owned.

Details of both projects can be found on two new Web sites launched by Paulson: www.mlstoportland.com and www.betterbeaversballpark.com.

The PGE Park renovation plans wouldn’t add much seat capacity, but would instead reconfigure the shape of the stadium and add amenities. It would go from more of a boomerang-shaped bowl to a horseshoe-shaped one, adding seats and concessions along 18th Street, and a restaurant on the north end of the park. The press room, locker rooms and training facilities would all be upgraded.

While it hasn’t signed off on a financing plan, the Portland City Council has issued its support towards the bid for an MLS franchise.

Mayor Tom Potter last month sent a letter, signed by the entire City Council, to MLS Commissioner Don Garber touting the city’s rich soccer history, its rabid fan base, and its moniker as “Soccer City USA.”

“While many important questions remain and significant work remains to be done, we believe we are off to a positive start and that local efforts to secure MLS in Portland will be successful,” the letter states.

The 12-year-old MLS — which represents the top-tier of professional soccer in the U.S. — plans to add two more clubs by 2011, making for a total of 18. The deadline to apply is Oct. 15, and the league plans to make a decision in early 2009.

The competition is fierce.

During the league’s all-star game in July, Garber identified eight prospective expansion markets: Portland, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Montreal, Ottawa, St. Louis, a second team in the New York area, and Vancouver, British Columbia.

But Paulson believes Portland’s chances are strong. He cites Seattle as reason why.

The Seattle Sounders USL club drew an average of 1,500 fans per game — far less than his Timbers. Despite that, the Sounders have already secured more than 16,000 season tickets for their inaugural MLS season next year.

His plan would also bring benefits to Portland State University, which would continue to play football in PGE Park, and costs comparatively less than other markets that spent more than $100 million on soccer-specific stadiums.

“I’m a bad prognosticator,” Paulson said. “But I wouldn’t be spending this time and energy if we didn’t have a chance.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/09/01/daily15.html

[360Rich]

Rendering of proposed new Beavers ballpark in Lents.

http://www.betterbeaversballpark.com/resources/25/images/Lents_Ballpark_Rendering.jpg



BETTER BEAVERS BALLPARK:

* Visual of new ballpark (see below)

* Why Lents Park works for baseball?
o Block away from I-205 corridor
o Block away from new public transit light rail stop
o Easy access to Clackamas, Multnomah and Clark counties
o 10 minute drive from downtown Portland
o Catalyst for local development
o Low-impact site

* Alternative site(s) contemplated should Lents ballpark site not prove feasible

from http://www.betterbeaversballpark.com/templates/template6/?page=31

[ericb4prez]

spend the extra 35 million for the lents stadium on making PGE park good enough for MLS and MLB. portland is growing like crazy, and a baseball team in that part of town could really anchor the neighborhood like wrigley in chicago, etc, etc.

portland is over minor league baseball. we aren't a minor league city anymore.

[Okstate]

Wouldn't securing the Beavers new stadium postpone any efforts to make a case for PDX as a MLB city?

[Pavlov's Dog]

I like the idea for Civic Stadium. I assume PSU football would play there too.

I think Lents is a bad location for the baseball park though. Gateway would make more sense, especially if it could be incorporated into a larger multi-use development where parking could be shared with offices and stores and there would be easier MAX and freeway access. Gateway really needs a catalyst and this could be it.

[pdxf]

I love the MLS portion of the plan, PGE is such a good stadium for soccer (intimate and loud!), and with the upgrades it will be awesome! I'm looking forward to the MLS. The baseball stadium proposal makes this bittersweet however. I would love to see a great stadium close to downtown (my ideal would be south of I-5 along the Willamette (south of OMSI)), but I'll grudgingly support the plan for the MLS/PGE portion.

Timbers game tonight!!

[PacificNW]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/sports/soccer/07franchise.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[PacificNW]

Vancouver, B.C. and Portland will be granted MLS franchises later this month, according to a highly placed MLS source. The failure of Miami to secure the backing of Barcelona has effectively ended the expansion race. Ottawa remains at play for 2013 and will go into that bidding process as the likely frontrunner if it approves a soccer specific stadium in April. Although the source says that “all bets are off” for 2013 as several of the bids that pulled out for ’11 will be back in the hunt. St. Louis still lacks significant financial backing to be a legitimate factor in the 2011 bid. Quietly the St. Louis bid has been negotiating with MLS to allow a structured deal similar to what Montreal and Miami asked for. It has been suggested that St. Louis was only prepared to pay about $9 million US in expansion fees, with the rest of its money tied up in infrastructure improvements required for MLS.


http://www.mls-rumors.net/

[urbanlife]

The task force didn't recommend a specific site for the project. Lents Park in Southeast Portland and the Memorial Coliseum in the Rose Quarter are top contenders for a new baseball park. Each has it own issues and costs, and Paulson has said either site could work.



The Beavers better get a new field that is still within or near downtown or I am gonna be pissed. There is no way in hell I am gonna go out to Lents to watch the Portland Beavers play baseball. That is what I love so much about them now with them at PGE Park is the walk from my house to catch a game without ever having to leave downtown.

[jaxg8r1]

Vancouver, B.C. and Portland will be granted MLS franchises later this month, according to a highly placed MLS source. The failure of Miami to secure the backing of Barcelona has effectively ended the expansion race. Ottawa remains at play for 2013 and will go into that bidding process as the likely frontrunner if it approves a soccer specific stadium in April. Although the source says that “all bets are off” for 2013 as several of the bids that pulled out for ’11 will be back in the hunt. St. Louis still lacks significant financial backing to be a legitimate factor in the 2011 bid. Quietly the St. Louis bid has been negotiating with MLS to allow a structured deal similar to what Montreal and Miami asked for. It has been suggested that St. Louis was only prepared to pay about $9 million US in expansion fees, with the rest of its money tied up in infrastructure improvements required for MLS.


http://www.mls-rumors.net/


If this is true, then what a great rivalry we can have between the 3 Cascadian cities. The foundation was already there with the lower division soccer, now on to the big leagues! :) :cheers:

[JordanL]

The task force didn't recommend a specific site for the project. Lents Park in Southeast Portland and the Memorial Coliseum in the Rose Quarter are top contenders for a new baseball park. Each has it own issues and costs, and Paulson has said either site could work.



The Beavers better get a new field that is still within or near downtown or I am gonna be pissed. There is no way in hell I am gonna go out to Lents to watch the Portland Beavers play baseball. That is what I love so much about them now with them at PGE Park is the walk from my house to catch a game without ever having to leave downtown.

I don't mean this to be condescending, but perhaps you should branch out and explore the rest of the city like the other 500,000 people that don't live downtown?

There's lots outside of downtown to see.

[nwroots]

I think Urbanlife simply wants to be responsible and WALK home after putting down a few beers during the game instead of driving.:cheers: LOL

[JordanL]

I think Urbanlife simply wants to be responsible and WALK home after putting down a few beers during the game instead of driving.:cheers: LOL

:P

There's no good reason it shouldn't be near the center of all our transit...

I was saying that any major league stadiums should be close to downtown...

But, you know... there's other parts of Portland too.

[nobody]

Lents, though? Come on now.

[zilfondel]

I think Urbanlife simply wants to be responsible and WALK home after putting down a few beers during the game instead of driving.:cheers: LOL

Lets not forget Thirsty Thursdays!

I actually think that suburban sites are better for stadiums. Don't forget that if it goes to Lents, it'll be right next to the MAX. :)

[JordanL]

Lents, though? Come on now.

I still think that the space inbetween the Ross Island bridge and the Marquam Bridge should be saved for a major league football or baseball stadium.

[jaxg8r1]

Lets not forget Thirsty Thursdays!

I actually think that suburban sites are better for stadiums. Don't forget that if it goes to Lents, it'll be right next to the MAX. :)

Thirsty Thursdays are the reason I go to Beavers/Timbers games (well, besides, you know, the game) :):cheers:

[urbanlife]

I don't mean this to be condescending, but perhaps you should branch out and explore the rest of the city like the other 500,000 people that don't live downtown?

There's lots outside of downtown to see.

oh there is alot to this city that I see and do, much of which is outside of downtown, but I like the aspect of going to a ballgame downtown. Even if I move out of downtown, I could always still do that. Plus, where I grew up the minor league team there was next to downtown (though transit there was nothing like here, so one needed to drive.)

But seriously, Lents? Ballparks should always be in proximity to downtown. It is easy to name off the ballparks you like that are all built in or around downtown, the ones that are built out on the fringes of the city all seem to be a bit blah. Plus a move like that would really make the Beavers feel like a non important team to the city.

Besides, the semi drunk walk home is fun after watching a good ballgame.

[alexjon]

I can't get the meeting to show online, there's too many folks watching it (the whole freakin' Timber Army?!)

[alexjon]

Passed, 3-2. Portland gets a team

[pdxf]

Passed, 3-2. Portland gets a team

Not quite, the MLS still needs to award the team to us, and we now need to cover $15 million that was pulled out of the agreement (which I would think could weaken our proposal with the MLS).

[Okstate]

I think they're just trying to see how much Paulson will give to get this team he so desperately wants. Either way, both the city & Paulson want it...it's just a matter of who budges first IMO.

[EastPDX]

MLS would be crazy to deny Merritt and PDX this team.

www.oregonstadiumcampaign.com should start seeing activity again.

TA ROCKS!

This is a dream come true from back when we spoke to the Oregon rep's of Salem to get SB-5 passed back in 2003. Some of us from OSC (maybe 4) went to the meeting at Grant HS back in 2003 to speak to state rep's about local issues. I spoke up after the first MLBtoPDX speaker was basically booed out of the room. I reminded everyone there that Lars Larson was against SB-5 (income taxes from +50K salaries go to bonds for stadium construction). Got some smiles on that one and the liberals in the audience started questioning their position. (I'm a liberal too by the way, always will be.). Focusing on JOBS, JOBS, and more JOBS was the key to passage of SB-5.

THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR PDX! :cheers:

Well done Randy, Sam, and Dan! Investing in our future is the answer and fear of the future is not an option.

EastPDX

[urbanlife]

I am really excited about this and I am not even a soccer fan. Though, from what I have seen here, soccer seems to fit in better with the city that MLB or even the NFL would. Like basketball and hockey, soccer has a bit of that outsider pro sport feel to it.

Nowadays, it makes sense to design AAA stadiums to handle an upgrade to become a MLB ballpark. All it really is, is adding a second level and extending the seating out towards the outfield.


Well, while we wait to hear what MLS says about the expansion, I was wondering what the possible names for the team might be.

[PacificNW]

↑ Timbers! Sounders remained the Sounders....same thought should be considered here in Portland...

[pdxf]

The name will be (or better be) the Timbers! I don't want to have to get a different scarf! This will be great for the city, and for all of you non-soccer fans, go check out a game this year. I never cared for soccer until a few years ago when I got dragged to a Timbers game. Since then I've been a total fan.

[JordanL]

The name will be (or better be) the Timbers! I don't want to have to get a different scarf! This will be great for the city, and for all of you non-soccer fans, go check out a game this year. I never cared for soccer until a few years ago when I got dragged to a Timbers game. Since then I've been a total fan.

Yeah, it's not the most popular game in the world because the rest of the world is crazy. It's a great game.

[JordanL]

Wow... I didn't even think of this site for a stadium...

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=45.528223,-122.678951&spn=0.005464,0.009613&t=h&z=17&msid=118119437208009857394.000464e60590b41d54221

[Joeplayer19]

hey look I can make a map that will never happen 2

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ptab=2&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=104078134021719416891.000464e717c075db19205&ll=45.530764,-122.651496&spn=0.008403,0.019312&z=16

[twofiftyfive]

Wow... I didn't even think of this site for a stadium...

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=45.528223,-122.678951&spn=0.005464,0.009613&t=h&z=17&msid=118119437208009857394.000464e60590b41d54221

That was one of the proposed sites for a major league baseball stadium when there was a chance the Expos would move here. It would have been cool, but I never thought it was realistic to expect Pearl residents to put up with 40,000 fans 81 times a year.

[EastPDX]

LOL! :haha:

The US Postal Site will go residential/commercial/employment/park development. That site was a dream not based on facts (Pearl resident issues mentioned above, transportation restrictions were the big two). Some of us have said this for years.

Rose Quarter has always been the prime location for a AAA ballpark to be upgraded to MLB standards in the future. (At least in my mind.)

It is just going to be great to have two stadiums that are built around the sports they serve!!! And that means three sports (Soccer, American Football, and Baseball). I vote that people are seeing the Vision for PGE Park and the Rose Quarter and are getting on the bandwagon. :tup:

We have for years wondered about the footprint at the MC for the minor league ballpark (let along big enough for a MLB stadium footprint). We know that a stadium will fit in fine at the PPS site (PPS/Blanchard site is just North of Broadway).

Even Sam Adams mentioned that site as the other site at the Rose Quarter for a AAA stadium yesterday during the council meeting. The logic and reason will follow shortly that the MC site will be considered too small and the Blazers don't want a AAA Stadium that close to the Rose Garden. Sooooo, we move the AAA stadium to the Blanchard Site and the PPS gets what they want too (they move their maintenance facility at Blanchard to a more logically location to the East).

So the MC could still be a HSR Station/Hostel/Museum/Pub/etc. (Memorial Station?). I am so happy that the City is thinking outside the box on all of this and taking a long-term vision on the RQ and helping to make it happen one step at a time.

Ep (Big Boomer at OSC site)

[pdxf]

I love the 'cascade of benefits' of the bringing the MLS to Portland. This started out just as trying to land the MLS team, and required the upgrade of PGE Park (which is going to be an awesome soccer venue). So we get new life around PGE Park, and then it turns out that we need a new baseball stadium, which will help the Rose quarter area, and could help provide a little push for getting the ball rolling for some sort of developments in the Rose quarter by Paul Allen. This could also lead to the Convention Center hotel, and even possibly (although unlikely, I know I'm dreaming) a high speed rail hub of some sort in that area. It just seems like this small move of trying to get the MLS has created some large potential benefits for several areas of Portland.

Along with the new bridge over the Willamette for Max, the new pedestrian bridge to the Tram which looks good, I think Portland is making some really good moves right now (in spite of the recession), and has me hopeful for our future.

[JordanL]

That was one of the proposed sites for a major league baseball stadium when there was a chance the Expos would move here. It would have been cool, but I never thought it was realistic to expect Pearl residents to put up with 40,000 fans 81 times a year.

Pearl residents are the most useless NIMBYs in the city, besides the folks on the hill...

hey look I can make a map that will never happen 2

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ptab=2&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=104078134021719416891.000464e717c075db19205&ll=45.530764,-122.651496&spn=0.008403,0.019312&z=16

Way to be a dick.

[zilfondel]

Not to be a dick, but perhaps they should consider Gateway as well. That place has the best transport connections in the Metro area outside of downtown.

God knows it needs a boost in development... I don't know how big baseball stadiums are, but they seem to have lots of underused/parking lots over there.

[zilfondel]

LOL! :haha:

The US Postal Site will go residential/commercial/employment/park development. That site was a dream not based on facts (Pearl resident issues mentioned above, transportation restrictions were the big two). Some of us have said this for years.

Rose Quarter has always been the prime location for a AAA ballpark to be upgraded to MLB standards in the future. (At least in my mind.)

It is just going to be great to have two stadiums that are built around the sports they serve!!! And that means three sports (Soccer, American Football, and Baseball). I vote that people are seeing the Vision for PGE Park and the Rose Quarter and are getting on the bandwagon. :tup:

We have for years wondered about the footprint at the MC for the minor league ballpark (let along big enough for a MLB stadium footprint). We know that a stadium will fit in fine at the PPS site (PPS/Blanchard site is just North of Broadway).

Even Sam Adams mentioned that site as the other site at the Rose Quarter for a AAA stadium yesterday during the council meeting. The logic and reason will follow shortly that the MC site will be considered too small and the Blazers don't want a AAA Stadium that close to the Rose Garden. Sooooo, we move the AAA stadium to the Blanchard Site and the PPS gets what they want too (they move their maintenance facility at Blanchard to a more logically location to the East).

So the MC could still be a HSR Station/Hostel/Museum/Pub/etc. (Memorial Station?). I am so happy that the City is thinking outside the box on all of this and taking a long-term vision on the RQ and helping to make it happen one step at a time.

Ep (Big Boomer at OSC site)

Actually, this makes way more sense than my idea, for a MLB stadium anyway. Do you guys really think we should use such valuable innercity land for a minor league stadium? I kind of think we should save it for that MLB stadium down the road.

And using MC for a high-speed rail station would rock. Could really be a key component for a major retail/entertainment/beergarden center at RQ. Throw a new hotel into the mix as well...

[JordanL]

Not to be a dick, but perhaps they should consider Gateway as well. That place has the best transport connections in the Metro area outside of downtown.

God knows it needs a boost in development... I don't know how big baseball stadiums are, but they seem to have lots of underused/parking lots over there.

They'd have to buy the two big department stores over there, and that's one of the busiest Fred Meyer's in the city, so I doubt they're interested in selling.

It is an Urban Renewal Zone though.

[Okstate]

I wonder if during the soccer games Portland's skyline will be visible at all. I doubt it but it would be nice if it were oriented that way with the cameras. Same for any baseball stadium too.

I specifically am thinking of the Pittsburgh Pirates & Colorado Rockies

[Joeplayer19]

Pearl residents are the most useless NIMBYs in the city, besides the folks on the hill...



Way to be a dick.

You just made a vast over generalization of some people you don't even know.

[twofiftyfive]

On another thread someone mentioned Blazers' VP J. Isaac's testimony that tearing down Memorial Coliseum would seriously threaten the Blazers' financial viability. Well, the Blazers were on board with this project--even showing the baseball stadium in renderings of their proposed Rose Quarter plans, as John Canzano points out (http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2009/03/blazers_are_offside_on_mls_bid.html)--until Isaac blindsided everyone with this last-second betrayal.

I really don't understand it. It's hard to see how bringing baseball fans to the RQ during the summer would not be good for the Blazers. Also MLS is played in the summer, so I don't think that scares them. Paul Allen is even an investor in the new Seattle Sounders MLS team, and he can't possibly think Portland soccer fans will go watch the Sounders unless they're playing the Timbers. It's all a mystery.

[MarkDaMan]

I wonder if during the soccer games Portland's skyline will be visible at all. I doubt it but it would be nice if it were oriented that way with the cameras. Same for any baseball stadium too.

Time for the Oregonian bunkers to be developed!

[urbanlife]

Time for the Oregonian bunkers to be developed!

I have been wishing for that for a while.

[philopdx]

I have to say, if this goes through I'm really going to miss having lazy Thursday and Friday evening baseball games with a hot dog and a brew right there in the city, in a prime location not too far from work.

I'm not sure how often I would visit soccer games, but I'm sure it would be much less often than baseball. I don't know if that makes me an oddball outlier or someone more representative of the ticket-buying public.

I'm also not sold on the logic that the soccer deal is fundamentally a prerequisite for other development in the Rose Quarter. That is the prevailing wisdom, but I'm finding this "train-station/stadium/hi-rise/subway/post-office/space-tower/fusion-plant" stuff increasingly specious. I made the fusion plant part up.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for increased development, increased density, more vibrancy, taller buildings, more people and better, faster transit, but for some funny reason this soccer deal has struck an off-key note with me.

I really do wonder if they have done their math properly - if Paulson's financial acumen is anything like his father's, I worry we the taxpayers are going to be stuck with with another white elephant that requires perpetual life support.

Sorry folks, maybe it's the rain today, or perhaps another glance at my rapidly dwindling 401(k). Normally I'm quite upbeat about this kind of stuff :happysad:

[twofiftyfive]

I really do wonder if they have done their math properly - if Paulson's financial acumen is anything like his father's, I worry we the taxpayers are going to be stuck with with another white elephant that requires perpetual life support.

Paulson is personally guaranteeing the rent on PGE Park and the new baseball stadium for the life of the bonds, so taxpayers can't be stuck with anything.

[RED_PDXer]

I haven't paid much attention to this story, mostly cause I'm not a big sports fan, but why are people mentioning Rose Quarter and MC? I thought the baseball field was going to be in Lents?

Someone can't possibly be considering tearing down MC for a baseball stadium, right?

[JordanL]

I haven't paid much attention to this story, mostly cause I'm not a big sports fan, but why are people mentioning Rose Quarter and MC? I thought the baseball field was going to be in Lents?

Someone can't possibly be considering tearing down MC for a baseball stadium, right?

That or tearing down BESC.

[zilfondel]

I haven't paid much attention to this story, mostly cause I'm not a big sports fan, but why are people mentioning Rose Quarter and MC? I thought the baseball field was going to be in Lents?

Someone can't possibly be considering tearing down MC for a baseball stadium, right?

Sam Adams proposed tearing down MC instead of building it in Lents.

[jaxg8r1]

Looks like Vancouver was chosen today as the first of 2 MLS expansion teams. And the rumor going around the internet today is that MLS has a press conference scheduled Friday morning at 930am, downtown Portland Hilton.... :)

[urbanlife]

Looks like Vancouver was chosen today as the first of 2 MLS expansion teams. And the rumor going around the internet today is that MLS has a press conference scheduled Friday morning at 930am, downtown Portland Hilton.... :)

yeah, I read somewhere last night that there was going to be some form of announcement with Paulson's group. Sounds very promising in this light.

[jaxg8r1]

yeah, I read somewhere last night that there was going to be some form of announcement with Paulson's group. Sounds very promising in this light.


Now the Oregonian is even reporting it :):cheers:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/sources_mls_bringing_soccer_te.html

[Okstate]

Do you guys have any guesses as far as PGE's stadium capacity after renovation?

[zilfondel]

20,000 right?

[twofiftyfive]

20,000 right?

I think that's right. It will seat about the same number as it does now. Seats will be removed from the north end above the concourse (to make way for a restaurant, supposedly), but permanent seats will be added to the east end to make up for the loss. Also I think seats may be added behind the south goal.

[RoseCtyRoks]

I was curious about the average seating capacities for MLS soccer stadiums. They range from just over 10,000 (San Jose) to over 80,000 (New York). I wonder if some of the larger stadiums sell out any games, as these are some huge numbers by any standards.

Scroll down to see the capacity for each team ('07 stats) :



http://www.sportmapworld.com/map/soccer/north-america/mls/

[twofiftyfive]

I was curious about the average seating capacities for MLS soccer stadiums. They range from just over 10,000 (San Jose) to over 80,000 (New York). I wonder if some of the larger stadiums sell out any games, as these are some huge numbers by any standards.

Scroll down to see the capacity for each team ('07 stats) :



http://www.sportmapworld.com/map/soccer/north-america/mls/

New York currently plays in Giants Stadium. Their new 25,000 seat stadium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_Arena_(MLS)) opens in 2010.

San Jose has had trouble getting a suitable permanent home. They currently play in a college soccer stadium. But they also plan to build their own stadium.

AFAIK, the only teams that play in huge (NFL) stadiums and don't plan to move are New England and Seattle.

[cab]

Is PSU football going to be using this as well?

[twofiftyfive]

Is PSU football going to be using this as well?

Yes.

[Okstate]

I think that's right. It will seat about the same number as it does now. Seats will be removed from the north end above the concourse (to make way for a restaurant, supposedly), but permanent seats will be added to the east end to make up for the loss. Also I think seats may be added behind the south goal.

Will we still be able to look down onto the playing field from Max passing by?

[twofiftyfive]

Will we still be able to look down onto the playing field from Max passing by?

As far as I know. Here is a picture (http://soccercityusa.com/oct2-pano2m.jpg) from when temporary seats were added along 18th Avenue for the Women's World Cup (I would embed it, but it's large and I don't know how to constrain it).

[MarkDaMan]

any renderings of the updated PGE Park? They should put something up in front of the hideous MAC!

[zilfondel]

Pic of existing structure from wikimedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PGEParkpano.jpg)commons.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/PGEParkpano.jpg/800px-PGEParkpano.jpg

[twofiftyfive]

any renderings of the updated PGE Park? They should put something up in front of the hideous MAC!

Only this (http://www.mlstoportland.com/templates/template2/?page=17). Maybe we'll get more tomorrow.

[RED_PDXer]

Sam Adams proposed tearing down MC instead of building it in Lents.

Holy cow! There's an enormous about of embedded energy in the structure of the MC. To just tear it down seems so wasteful..

[Pavlov's Dog]

I think that's right. It will seat about the same number as it does now. Seats will be removed from the north end above the concourse (to make way for a restaurant, supposedly), but permanent seats will be added to the east end to make up for the loss. Also I think seats may be added behind the south goal.On the web page (http://www.mlstoportland.com/templates/template2/?page=22) they say 25,000. That's a decent size for a soccer stadium in any country. Even in Italy and Spain you have top-level teams with stadia that size.

[360Rich]

Holy cow! There's an enormous about of embedded energy in the structure of the MC. To just tear it down seems so wasteful..

I agree, it seems terribly wasteful to only get 50 years out of that structure.

I was just at the Rose Quarter yesterday for the NCAA tournament, and was looking at the Coliseum before the doors opened.

I really love the way it looks, and was just yesterday thinking it could look amazing with some TLC.

[twofiftyfive]

On the web page (http://www.mlstoportland.com/templates/template2/?page=22) they say 25,000. That's a decent size for a soccer stadium in any country. Even in Italy and Spain you have top-level teams with stadia that size.

Hmm, so it does. This Oregonian report (http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/03/major_league_soccer_deal_reach.html) from before the city council vote says 20,000. For some reason, I was thinking that was the real number.

At the announcement today, MLS commissioner Don Garber hinted that we will host some World Cup qualifiers in the future, so if it were only 20,000 then temporary seats would probably have to be added sometimes.

[Strange Meat]

New York currently plays in Giants Stadium. Their new 25,000 seat stadium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_Arena_(MLS)) opens in 2010.

San Jose has had trouble getting a suitable permanent home. They currently play in a college soccer stadium. But they also plan to build their own stadium.

AFAIK, the only teams that play in huge (NFL) stadiums and don't plan to move are New England and Seattle.

And both of those teams have ownership which also owns those NFL stadiums.

[MarkDaMan]

PGE Park isn't going to stick is it? Doesn't their agreement end next year?

Adidas Park?