Goss will be getting an exterior facelift this summer, but it still needs major work inside.

I would love a MLS team in Portland and I think the city would really embrace it. Its practical

I’m not a baseball fan or a mls fan (am a casual soccer fan tho). I don’t mind if MLB does come here…but building a baseball stadium that only has 1 purpose (unlike NBA stadiums) with the hope that a team “might” come in 4 years is a horrible idea. I don’t think our local government has the brains to pull it off successfully. Look at the tram disaster and other various urban renewal projects. If we had a team lined up…and the deal was right, then go for it.

As far as locations…maybe do it along the freeway right by where Central Catholic plays their football games? There are a ton of places still in the metro area were we can build…I don’t think we need to spend a ton of cash just to get the stadium/field/arena in the heart of Portland.

I have a feeling that MLS could blow up in the near future. It’d be cool to have a team before it gets way expensive. In the last year I have heard more about LA Galaxy and MLS than I ever have in my life. Even if Beckham is on the downside of his career, he still brought a ton of interest in the league.

...to see Eugene regain some of it’s former glory as the Track and Field mecca in the USA. Hosting the Olympic Trials this year be a real test. The facilities are old, for sure, but the history, atmosphere and local fan interest could go a long way in driving that nail home. A few world records wouldn’t hurt either.

But I don’t think taxpayers should pay for the factories where private businesses build their products.

I think tax breaks might be in order as we do to encourage other businesses, and maybe tax support – say from hotels and tickets purchasers from the people who actually use the products, but I don’t think that a population of people who have frequently voted to reduce taxes even though it means our schools are in the crapper,

I know there is more than one way to do this, and some forms of public and private patnership might be in order, but I woul dbe adamantly opposed to putting the whole thing on the taxpayers; backs.

What about cycling? Oregon used to host one of the best and most European tours when the tour of Willamette was running. With the popularity of cycling in the NW and the success of the Tour of California and the Tour of Georgia it seems like it would be good to get something like this going. Also, bringing big Cross races to the NW is pretty rad as well.

Whatever. I live in New Mexico so what do I care anymore.

As a HUGE baseball fan I’ve thought about this a lot. WHile I would like it if MLB cam eto my hometown, I don’t know how much I would be able to root for the team. Having grown up bleeding Mariners blue and cheering for them for so long, I don’t think I would be able to switch my loyalties very easily at all. Would a lot of Portlanders that love the M’s feel this way as well?

I will admit to liking racing and would love to see some in person. I also like the NHL and do not have a rooting interest in the immediate area.

... it’s gotten harder and harder to maintain that after the past few years. Their entire front office is every fan’s nightmare, from Lincoln to Bavasi. I could never switch to another team UNLESS that team hailed from Portland, Oregon. Then, heck yes I would dump the M’s and support Portland’s team.

Are a major factor. They buy luxury boxes, often will title-sponsor facilities, and many engage in lots of philanthropy in their home regions (where the headquarters is located, primarily).

Guess what? Portland (the city)... doesn’t have any Fortune 500 corps.

The metro area does have one, Nike. And Nike, due to its unique position in the world of sports, is unlikely to back one particular pro team or market, and risk alienating the rest. Nike does ownsponsor the U of O athletic department, but the NCAA doesn’t permit college athletes to sign endorsement deals with shoe companies—only whole colleges can do that.

Billionaires? The state has one—Phil Knight. Nobody else comes close.

The lack of huge philanthropic muscle really hurts Portland when it comes to attracting pro franchises. We have to borrow a billionaire from Seattle to run the Blazers; beyond Paul Allen (and Phil Knight, who has long expressed disdain for owning a pro franchise of any sort), who in town has the dollars and clout to get this stuff done?

Why we lack large local coprorations, is an interesting topic for debate. Some will claim that Oregon (Portland, in particular) is a left-wing tax-hell that no sane corporation will move to. Others will note that many worse LWTHs (New York, Massachusets) are massive engines of commerce, and suggest that a lack of necessary economic infrastructure (access to venture capital, quality universities-OSU, UO, and PSU, aren’t elite schools in anyones book) inhibits the area’s ability to attract big-name outfits (or grow our own)-and that the Salem’s unwillingness to properly finance education and infrastructure is the problem. Or maybe the root cause is a simple lack of sufficient “old money”-after all, it’s rich dudes with well-established and stable fortunes, and deep roots to the community, that often donate money to fund universities, VC funds, and civic/cultural enterprises such as sports arenas. Oregon has long lacked a robust social roster full of families who like donating money to get their names in the paper. The few locals who DO sit on billion-dollar (or multimillion-dollar) fortunes have either mostly ignored local politics, or expressed disdain for the local political scene. The “old money” that is in Portland-families like the Naitos, the Schnitzers, etc.-simply aren’t wealthy enough to play in the big leagues. For whatever reason-the Steve Ballmers, the Jeff Bezos’, etc.-the guys in Seattle willing to write multigazillion-dollar checks to save the Sonics-are not to be found around here. When Allen was looking to sell; it quickly became apparent that there was no local entity willing to buy the team; prospective bidders were various investment groups who, despite pooling the assets of multiple entreprenuers, still were in need of financing.

So, please-anyone reading this post. If you really want to bring a MLB, MLS, NFL team to town-make a gazillion dollars and buy us one. Otherwise, it ain’t likely to happen.

I’m not a sports nut and thus I’m not overly enthused by other sports. I’m actually anti-baseball because I think it’s a stupid game if you’re not playing it. I enjoy playing it for fun, but watching… i’d rather watch golf. it’s more exciting with all the cuts in and out. (Yes I’m serious about that… fell asleep watching an NBA game, once, and woke up watching golf, and it wasn’t that bad)

I’d be into football, but the point of it being out of range is a good one. The facility would have to have multiple uses.

So i have a question:

Is there any reason why it couldn’t be an indoor stadium that could also house hockey/baseball/soccer? A stadium that had flexibility seems like it might work… yes? You could also use it as a convention center or for concerts.

So I’m ok without baseball.

Im pretty sure the NFL and Seattle have a deal wherein the Seahawks have the rights to the Portland Market, and NFL is very much against competition to Seattle.

Maybe in 10 years though?

I don’t know how there is so many HUGE baseball fans. I loved playing baseball, and I have enjoyed going to games at the Mariners, Cubs, A’s, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Phillies, etc., but I don’t see how we could get enough fan-fare to fill out a stadium MLB-sized for 80+ home games. No way, the sport of Baseball is slow and methodical and is being phased out slowly by the youth of America in favor of LaCrosse which is now played by kids during the same season as Baseball.

The post said that LaCrosse is a “take it or leave it” sport/ticket, but I went to 3 home games by the Lumberjax this year and it was Kick @$$! Fast paced, hard hitting, high scoring game that is actually so fun, that when i left the arena i was always jacked up and excited. Going to baseball games on the other hand… when I leave I am exhausted or ready to sleep on my drive back to Portland. Those MLB games throughout the season don’t have near the excitement, cost more money, and take up way more time than other sports like Basketball (NBA), Soccer (MLS) and LaCrosse (NLL).

I am a football fanatic, but I still think a pro “kick-and-chase” team would be a lot of fun. Soccer is face paced and fans can go and have a blast. MLS would be a huge success here in Portland, as Soccer seems to keep growing with kids and adults here.

NBA (Blazers), MLS (Timbers, if they keep their name?), NLL (Lumberjacks), are our best bets for serious pro franchises, I wouldn’t want to see Portland try and spend money on Baseball, there are enough not-full stadiums around the country that we don’t need to spend our money there. Soccer and LaCrosse are two sports that continue to grow in popularity and are much more exciting fan events (IMHO). Check out the Lumberjax next season, it is a good ticket: They are in the Rose Garden, they pump cool rock music throughout the game to set the tone, and there is a ton of contact and ball-movement, I’d much rather watch NLL over MLB anyday. Same with the Timbers, if our Timbers were in the “premier” league of USA soccer (the MLS) and they had a great stadium to play in I would definitely go see it. I would go see MLS over MLB as well.

The chance we had with tribal money looking to build a stadium/casino in the heart of Portland was a great opportunity where the community wouldn’t have had to pay any money to get a MLB team here. With that chance gone, i don’t see a need for us to get on with a sport that has no TV presence and is really only a viable business for less than half of the MLB owners (oh and 100% of its players).

Where, other than where Key is at now, which is in the Seattle Center as you say, would another arena? I’m assuming you’ve been to Seattle? Do you have an idea of what traffic to Renton around 5pm is like on a daily basis? Not to mention the lack of other transportation to get there. Bennett had no interest in renovating Key, and he had no interest in Seattle period. It was a total bamboozle job.

The problem with Seattle is unique. Just like the Kings situation in Sacramento is unique. Usually every arena/stadium is generally an unique situation.

For the record, unless Greg Nichols, and Slade Gorton, the gentleman prosecuting the case for the city of Seattle, decide to drop the lawsuit for whatever reason (money, expansion team whatever), then that’s the only way Bennett is clear of this.