Portland Timbers (MLS) News - Page 3

PacificNW · #41 Posted **Mar 4, 2009, 3:37 AM**

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 · #42 Posted **Mar 4, 2009, 8:09 AM**

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 · #43 Posted **Mar 4, 2009, 7:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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/

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!

JordanL · #44 Posted **Mar 5, 2009, 2:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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 · #45 Posted **Mar 5, 2009, 7:04 AM**

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

LOL

JordanL · #46 Posted **Mar 5, 2009, 8:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nwroots

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

LOL

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 · #47 Posted **Mar 5, 2009, 8:25 AM**

Lents, though? Come on now.

zilfondel · #48 Posted **Mar 5, 2009, 8:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nwroots

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

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 · #49 Posted **Mar 5, 2009, 8:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nobody

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 · #50 Posted **Mar 5, 2009, 3:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zilfondel

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)

urbanlife · #51 Posted **Mar 5, 2009, 7:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordanL

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 · #52 Posted **Mar 11, 2009, 9:14 PM**

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

alexjon · #53 Posted **Mar 11, 2009, 10:58 PM**

Passed, 3-2. Portland gets a team

pdxf · #54 Posted **Mar 11, 2009, 11:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexjon

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 · #55 Posted **Mar 12, 2009, 12:09 AM**

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 · #56 Posted **Mar 12, 2009, 12:49 AM**

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!

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

EastPDX

urbanlife · #57 Posted **Mar 12, 2009, 1:41 AM**

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 · #58 Posted **Mar 12, 2009, 3:33 AM**

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

pdxf · #59 Posted **Mar 12, 2009, 4:21 AM**

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 · #60 Posted **Mar 12, 2009, 4:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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