Oregon Sports

[Dougall5505]

Yeah they definitely started demo this week because they closed every parking lot in that area and now there about 6 spots on the whole campus. I'll snap some pics of the demo soon and post them up.

cool i didn't know we have a forumer from eugene. i'm looking forward to pics!

[ethirtysex]

Originally Posted by Dougall5505

cool i didn't know we have a forumer from eugene. i'm looking forward to pics!

I'm actually from Portland, I just live here for school.

Unfortunately I went by there to get pictures this afternoon and the only thing going on was a few guys walking around on the roof. As soon as they start going at that building I'll be over there with my camera.

[pdxman]

Will they be starting on the baseball stadium anytime soon?

[ethirtysex]

Originally Posted by pdxman

Will they be starting on the baseball stadium anytime soon?

It should start before football season because they put out a notice that tailgating parking would be decreased for the next year. I don't think it will be anything special since Pat Kilkenny is planning on keeping the cost of baseball very low to stifle any criticizm about athletic spending. The first phase of the "stadium" will only cost about $3 milllion and seat less than 2,000 people.

[ethirtysex]

Neighborhood opposes new arena site
If an appeal filed by residents near the arena site is approved, construction could be delayed
By: Ryan Knutson/Oregon Daily Emerald
Posted: 4/23/08
Residents of the neighborhood where the University plans to build the new basketball arena are digging in their heels in hopes of having more say in the $200 million project, which they say will clog their streets with traffic, litter and noise.

Nearly 60 residents in the Fairmount Neighborhood Association voted Tuesday night to formally oppose the arena project because they say the University hasn't done enough to address their concerns.

The association is also appealing City Planning Director Lisa Gardner's decision that the University doesn't have to go through a more formal public approval process before beginning construction.

If the residents win their appeal, which will be determined after May 7, the arena project might be delayed, and price inflation could affect the project's scope or feasibility.

Get involved
How? The neighborhood's appeal will be heard on May 7th at 5 p.m. in the city council chambers on 7th Avenue and Pearl Street.
At issue is whether the University should complete a conditional use permit. Those permits allow the public to set certain specifications about how the arena is built and designed and how much parking is available, among other restrictions. The purpose is to allow neighbors of major developments to mitigate their concerns.

In March, Gardner ruled that the University doesn't have to complete a conditional use permit because it's not required for the construction of "university or college" buildings, according to city code.

The construction of indoor arenas requires a conditional use permit, but Gardner's interpretation of the code is that "it appears clear that an arena such as that proposed by the University of Oregon is a customary part of a university campus setting," according to a letter Gardner wrote to Fairmount neighbors explaining her decision.

Thus the arena doesn't need a conditional use permit because the arena falls under the umbrella of a university use.

The Fairmount neighbors disagree.

"I support their appeal," said Fairmount resident and Eugene City Council Alan Zelenka. "The impact of the arena is so big that to not put any conditions on placing that 12,500 seat capacity arena there without a conditional use permit is almost as if there is assumed to be no impact from it."

The association has fronted nearly $2,500 to pay for an attorney to review city code and represent the neighborhood in its appeal.

John Barofsky, chair of the neighborhood's subcommittee on the arena, expects it will cost between $6,000 and $8,000 and is asking neighbors to donate $200 each to help cover costs.

"One of the things we're concerned about this is not just because of the arena," Barofsky said. "If this precedent is set that all they have to do is say it's a university use, they will be able to do anything they want on that property."

The conditional use permit appeal will go before a hearings official on May 7. That official has 15 days to make a ruling.

"They're right in articulating the fact that it's pretty ambiguous," said Greg Rikhoff, University community and governmental relations officer. "But they have to understand that there is a university present and there are a lot of uses that go along with a university."

Rikhoff said it's too early to tell how the arena project would be impacted if the neighborhood won its appeal.

Either party can appeal the upcoming ruling to the state Land Use Board of Appeals.

The residents are one of the only groups left who can prevent or delay the arena's development. The only other barrier is Eugene City Councilors, who must approve the destruction of the Villard Street Alley and part of 13th Avenue to make way for the arena. The date of that vote, which is based on whether the new arena outweighs the public interest of having the streets, is not yet scheduled.

If the neighborhood's appeal is not won, Zelenka said, city councilors might only approve the destruction of the streets if the University meets certain requirements set by the community.

"Which (the University) could have avoided if they would have done most of this stuff up front," Zelenka said. "But they didn't engage the community early enough and sufficiently, I think."

University administrators established an arena liaison committee to help mitigate some of the issues affecting the Fairmount neighbors, such as the number of events, traffic, parking, people and noise.

Construction

Meanwhile, the University is moving at break-neck speed to get the arena open before the 2010-11 basketball season.

It recently filed permits to demolish the Williams' Bakery and the Villard Street Alley, as well as another code adjustment application that will allow it to have more freedom to design a more aesthetically pleasing facility.

Most buildings in Eugene are subject to codes that require them to be built within a certain distance from the street and to have windows at a certain height. The University is trying to circumvent those requirements, and is expected to have no trouble, said city planner Steve Ochs. It's common for builders to apply for adjustments to those rules, he said.

Destruction of the Williams' Bakery lot is expected to begin this week. The demolition contractor plans to recycle most of the bakery building, including the steel frame and concrete.

Arena designs are shifting as architects are learning more about the area.

Members of the University's liaison committee on the arena said that developers from JMI Sports, the arena's lead developer, informed them that initial plans of putting portions of the arena underground were altered because the water table was higher than they anticipated.

The discovery caused them to relocate the practice facility to ground level and possibly raise the arena's total height, members of the liaison committee said.

Athletic department spokesman Dave Williford told the Emerald that moving the practice facility had nothing to do with the water table but was because of budget constraints.

"To me (the water table) is immaterial, because it's not going to affect the rest of the building," Williford said.


I went by the site this morning and they're getting down to business. Pictures coming this afternoon.

[Okstate]

^good to hear... the pictures that is.

[Okstate]

ethirtysex, what will come of the Emeralds civic stadium when they transition to the new stadium shared with the ducks? Any progress reports?

[ethirtysex]

Originally Posted by Okstate

ethirtysex, what will come of the Emeralds civic stadium when they transition to the new stadium shared with the ducks? Any progress reports?

It's a historic structure so it won't be touched. They've wanted to upgrade it but cannot because of the rules governing such structures, so really it'll probably just be used by South Eugene HS.

I've tried to go take pictures of the new site several times but it's all tall green fence with no good way to get a shot.

[PacificNW]

⇑ Where did you read that? I have heard there is a movement to try and get "Historical" status for the stadium but haven't heard, or read, that this has happened.

The following is a dated column concerning the stadium and property:

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms...97&sid=1&fid=1

[ethirtysex]

Originally Posted by PacificNW

⇑ Where did you read that? I have heard there is a movement to try and get "Historical" status for the stadium but haven't heard, or read, that this has happened.

The following is a dated column concerning the stadium and property:

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms...97&sid=1&fid=1

Back when the UO team was announced one of the local news stations did a few stories about the staduim choices and cited the historical status as a reason why they couldn't make the stadium work.
That's unfortunate that intentions have changed according that article. That'd be a terrible place for a new sub-division, it wouldn't fit in at all.

[MarkDaMan]

Friday, July 18, 2008
Allen promotes Blazers' Golub to advise Vulcan
Portland Business Journal - by Andy Giegerich Business Journal staff writer

The Portland Trail Blazers began returning to the community's good graces around the time they hired Mike Golub.

Now Paul Allen, the team's owner, wants Golub to make the Blazers a regionally branded powerhouse.

Golub, the Blazers' chief operating officer, will move to Allen's Vulcan Sports & Entertainment arm as a senior adviser. In his new role, he'll work on business issues related to the Blazers, Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Sounders, which will begin Major League Soccer play next year.

Specifically, Golub will help coordinate various operations among the three teams and other Allen holdings.

For instance, he could work to develop across-the-board sponsorship deals with the three organizations.

"There are a lot of joint partnership initiatives out there and we can apply the appropriate measures to make them happen," said Golub.

What's less clear is how Golub's departure will affect the Blazers. They won't fill Golub's position.

Golub has become popular both in the Portland business community and among team employees during his Blazers tenure. Many team staffers had lobbied for Golub to become president when Steve Patterson's contract wasn't renewed in 2007.

The job eventually went to former Nike executive Larry Miller, who's well-liked at the Rose Garden and who'll likely handle many of Golub's local business outreach duties.

Since Golub joined the team, attendance has soared. The team ranked last among the 30 NBA teams in 2005-2006, drawing 617,199 fans, or 15,053 per game. Last year, the team ranked seventh, attracting 801,566 fans, or 19,550 a game.

The team sold out 32 games last year after recording no sellouts in 2005-2006.

"When he came in, the state of the Trail Blazers business side wasn't very good," said Brian Berger, host of the nationally broadcast Sports Business Radio program. "For Mike to make this move speaks to the health of their business operations now."

Golub, who'll remain based in Portland, came to the team from the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. He worked for the team when it was based in Vancouver and also held a top role with the National Hockey League's New York Rangers.

The Blazers have an opportunity to attract more Seattle-based fans after the SuperSonics' departure to Oklahoma City. Golub said he'll market the team to Seattle-area fans, as well as work to strongly brand the Seahawks as Portland's de facto NFL team.

"The Seahawks are popular throughout the region and they really don't have a strong presence here," Golub said. "So we'll look at finding more ways to do things with them."

"He's such a great teacher that we'll continue to use what we've learned from him," added Cheri Hanson, the team's vice president of communications. "We're really going to miss him."

agiegerich@bizjournals.com | 503-219-3419
http://portland.bizjournals.com/port...ml?t=printable

[Dougall5505]

say hello to your summer league MVP portland!

o ya and theres that crazy greg oden kid

[Dougall5505]

RIP Kevin Duckworth http://www.kgw.com/news-local/storie....13f195f3.html

[10101000]

Osu Rocked Last Night!

[PacificNW]

Great game!

[ethirtysex]

Here's a pretty good webcam showing the progress on PK park, the Duck's baseball staduim being built in the Autzen parking lot.

http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.d...1&SPSID=109309

[Dougall5505]

^thanks for that

Official Countdown Until Blazers Opener:

THREE DAYS!!!!!

[Joeplayer19]

Remember to go to www.nba.com and vote early and often for all the blazers u can 2 be in the all star game!

[MarkDaMan]

Fans forgive past antics, embrace new Blazer club
Portland Business Journal

The Portland Trail Blazers have the 13th-best brand in the NBA, according to a new study.

In releasing its second annual study of sports team brands, market research firm Turnkey Sports & Entertainment asked fans to rate teams on 21 distinct factors and 36 brand attributes, including how they perceive entertainment value, how much they like the players and the team’s commitment to winning.

All 122 teams in the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball were measured.

“Fans perceive that the Blazers have turned the corner,” said Len Perna, president & CEO of Turnkey, which is based in Haddonfield, N.J.

The Blazers showed as much improvement as any of the teams in the study, shooting up 45 spots. They earned higher grades in every category, with the biggest gains coming in loyalty, pride and grade of ownership.

Portland fans said the two most important brand attributes were “professional” and “hard-working.”

A separate part of the study focused on the relationship between sponsors and fans. The Blazers shot up 74 spots out of all 122 teams — the third-highest jump among the 122 franchises.

Fans rated teams on five distinct factors, including which sponsor brands and products are enhanced as a result of sponsorship. Portland fans rated Subway as their most admired sponsor.

Among all 122 teams, the NFL’s Green Bay Packers have the strongest brand. The team with the largest out-of-market following is Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees.

The study is available Dec. 1 in book form at www.turnkeyse.com. The Sports Business Journal (www.sportsbusinessjournal.com) also plans extensive coverage in its Dec. 1 issue.

http://portland.bizjournals.com/port...wscolumn2.html

[Okstate]

The Blazers have the 3rd highest attendance average in the NBA right now. Not bad.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/attendance