What is status of new stadium discussion?

[lifesapuntreturn]

I have been gone from the Portland area for a few years and have fallen out of touch with things as a result. I know a few years ago, when Vera Katz was still in office, there was an aggressive push by the city to build a new stadium. I think it was to be a baseball stadium that in theory would attract a MLB team. At the time, I think the city fathers were pursuing the then Montreal Expos, which became the Washington Senators.

I'm just wondering if the stadium talk is still out there and if so, how viable is it? Would it be a multi-purpose stadium that the Viks could play in also or just a baseball stadium? Does Portland still want to try to get a MLB team e.g. Florida Marlins or have they given up on that? Will the "Glanville effect"' have any impact on PSU's participation in encouraging the city to build a new stadium? Etc.

Just curious.

 

[martymoose]

Current mayor Tom Potter is not much of a sports fan.

:-(

 

[Pounder]

The stadium proposal is very much on hiatus. There are no realistic relocation possibilities at the moment. Efforts in Miami and Oakland would have to collapse, and MLB would have to give up on one large market and one share of a large market, for relocation talks to reopen.

The funding mechanism enacted by the state legislature exists, but it requires a team actually appearing for funds to be kicked in.

Thing is, if you check out the message board at oregonstadiumcampaign.com, note the lead backer and current staff member of bizofbaseball.com noting that MLB will seek to expand by two teams the next time revenue DROPS. Curious, no?

HAVING SAID THAT...

...the rumor in town is that Merritt Paulson, who became owner of the Portland Beavers and Portland Timbers this year, is willing to bring Major League Soccer to PGE Park and, MAYBE, build a ballpark for the Beavers. If the ballpark is built to be expandable, MLB is quite possible. The stunning part of the rumor is that Paulson would pay for improvements required for MLS HIMSELF. Perhaps even the new baseball stadium. Rumor-holders include PGE Park staff, so there are people close to the owner willing to spread this around... YMMV.

 

[lifesapuntreturn]

How about the proposal by one of the Native American tribes to finance a stadium in Portland in return for being able to build a casino in Portland? Is that still on the table? Or was that just a Katz idea? I thought that was quite an idea but the last I remember there was opposition to having a casino in Portland.

 

[Pounder]

The governor rejected any notion of a casino in Portland. That has less to do with the stadium than it does people outside Portland wanting Portland's business.