What is the story about?
There
has been a lot going on with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Moda Center, and I figured it might be helpful to blend a recap from a busy week on the local government front with a few of my own thoughts in the easiest-to-digest way possible.
Note: this will be a blend of sharing facts and editorializing. Take my opinions with a grain of salt (and feel free to disagree with them!).
What Happened This Week:
- Multnomah County voted 4-1 on “guideposts” for committing up to $101M toward the Moda Center. It is not a final deal, but it lays out some of the things Multnomah County will expect in such a deal, such as cost overrun clawbacks, new or expanded revenue streams toward the County, and a labor peace agreement for ongoing operations and maintenance work.
- Portland City Council met twice this week, and voted not to change their draft term sheet presented to the Blazers by Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and his negotiating team on July 17. While many amendments were considered, none of them passed, though Portland City Council President Jamie Dunphy said that he would consider bringing forward one amendment next week – when the City will take a final vote on the term sheet on Aug. 12 – that reflects the four amendments that failed with a 6-6 split, so long as the City’s negotiating team thinks they’re “worthwhile.”
- The team, the City, and the State reportedly met today with global architecture firm Populous for a “high-level discussion” to talk about choosing a general contractor for the work.
What Does This Mean?
- Both the County and the City are taking steps forward toward committing their share of the near-$600M that will go toward renovating the Moda Center, and the team has shown a thawing in its scorched-earth approach it has publicly displayed thus far.
- All of the identified funding thus far is public money; none of it is from the private sector.
What’s the Vibe?
- Still not great, but better.
Say More.
- In my view, Portland City Council – by not getting clear with itself about how yesterday’s session would go – took a step backward from the disciplined, coordinated show of force we saw when they heard comments from the team a week ago, and re-exposed fractures among and within both six-councilor factions of the body. Multiple councilors were confused when President Dunphy said he would not support any of the amendments, not because of their merits, but because they hadn’t been run by the negotiating team. However, this wasn’t a requirement the public heard at City Council the day before and did not seem to be something his colleagues knew about in advance. Maybe there was a reason for this tactic, but I can’t think of what it could be.
- That said, public sentiment has turned very sharply against the team, and that should continue in the national zeitgeist as both the City and County are showing their seriousness to get a deal done.
- The shift in national narrative can be helpful: does Adam Silver REALLY want a new owner trying to drag the team away from an overperforming market, the largest available such market outside of the two possible expansion destinations in Seattle and Las Vegas, when the local government has committed to funding the entire thing with public dollars? I doubt it. But then again, Silver works for the owners, and anything he does should be viewed as in some way being in service of those 30 majority governors.
Is the Public Getting a Good Deal?
- No.
…say more.
- Do I really need to? There’s no evidence that new or renovated arenas generate the return on investment to (on paper) justify spending this many public dollars, especially not during a budget crisis at the local, regional, and state level that is forcing cuts to far more important public needs – such as teachers, transit, road repair, and others – that are far more important than a fancy building to watch basketball in.
- I say “on paper” because there very well may be enough ancillary benefit – such as from free positive press about the City of Portland that may spur tourism, and from the economic impact of 41 home games a year to surrounding businesses – that justifies this investment. If there is, we haven’t seen it, and we probably never will.
Does What Happened This Week Make it More or Less Likely the Blazers Will Stay in Portland?
- Much more likely.
Do You Think Portland City Council Will Vote to Approve Its Final Term Sheet on Aug. 12?
- Yes.
How Can We Get Involved?
- Public testimony matters! Please sign up to share your perspective at upcoming Multnomah County Commission or Portland City Council meetings.
- Organize with your friends and family.
- Leave comments here and let us know what you want the site to be focusing on, and how you expect us to use our platform.
- Share your thoughts on social media.
- Talk with friends, family, and neighbors about this stuff.
Does Any of That Actually Matter?
- Yes. Never underestimate your power as a person… and DEFINITELY do not underestimate the collective power of many people all demanding the same thing.
