Blazers Gain Public Backing, but Arena Talks Still Contentious
Citizen support for the arena renovations arrived from several different sectors.
The Portland city council has received numerous public comments in favor of the city's participation in a $600 million renovation deal for the 31-year-old Moda Center, home of the Portland Trail Blazers. The meeting was attended by residents from various sectors, including labor, grassroots politics, travel and tourism, business, and other professional sports.
The Trail Blazers, owned by RAJ Sports, are not directly involved in the arena negotiations but are strongly advocating for the proposed upgrades. Multnomah County chair Jessica Vega Pederson emphasized the necessity of reaching an agreement that would benefit the entire community, despite legitimate concerns and a challenging negotiating process.
The city council is considering a nonbinding term sheet, and a vote on the document may take place next week, signaling the formal start of negotiations with the Blazers. The proposed funding plan includes $120 million in city funding, alongside contributions from the state of Oregon and Multnomah County. Local leaders aim to address the remaining uncertainties from the team's side and introduce amendments such as a ticket tax increase from 6% to 7%, a stipulation for parking revenue from non-Blazers events to go to the city, and a mandate for "street pricing" on arena concessions.
Written by urgent.news from Front Office Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
