Portland activists protest public funding for Moda Center renovation
Climate and labor groups rallied Saturday to oppose a $600 million arena upgrade financed with state, county and city money, urging officials to prioritize schools and municipal services.
Dozens of demonstrators gathered Saturday near the Moda Center to oppose a proposed $600 million renovation that would be financed with public bonds and a new 20-year lease. The rally was organized by climate activist group Sunrise PDX and the Portland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, and ended with a bike ride around the arena’s perimeter.
Protesters argued that the funding should be redirected to keep Portland public schools open, preserve teachers’ jobs and settle pending contract negotiations with a city-employee union. A 35-year-old participant, identified as Hasan A., described the deal as “a bad deal for the people of Portland,” adding that the arena “is beautiful… but they still want to upgrade it so they can make more money off of our backs.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently said the venue ranks among the league’s lowest-rated arenas, underscoring the franchise’s push for upgrades. Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon, who led the $4.25 billion purchase of the team, has urged government backing for the project.
State officials have pledged $365 million in bonds, Multnomah County up to $101.6 million, and the Portland City Council approved a term sheet for $120 million plus $275 million in maintenance over two decades. The state’s commitment is tied to a December deadline and a new lease agreement.
“We are now standing at the precipice of making a multi-million deal with your taxpayer dollars for a billionaire who can very easily afford to do this on his own,” City Councilor Angelita Morillo said at the rally.
Councilors Mitch Green, Tiffany Koyama Lane and Candace Avalos, who voted against the term sheet, also addressed the crowd. Sunrise PDX organizer Cor Dudley Borte, a high-school student, said the city was “more interested in giving a billionaire hundreds of millions of dollars than in our climate, our futures, our schools and our commutes.”
Alisha Chavez, president of the Portland Association of Teachers, highlighted that the city faces 20 school closures while public funds are earmarked for the arena. Kari Koch, president of the City of Portland Professional Workers Union, urged Mayor Keith Wilson to prioritize finalizing union contracts over the arena deal, stating, “Stop kowtowing to billionaires. Invest in services. Invest in your workers and settle these contracts.”