Portland council debates $400 million deal to keep Trail Blazers in city
City leaders heard mixed public testimony on a proposed $400 million renovation and maintenance package for the Moda Center, with council members set to vote on amendments before a Aug. 12 decision.
Portland City Council spent three hours hearing public comments on a draft term sheet that would commit up to $400 million in public funds for a renovation and long-term upkeep of the Moda Center. The proposal calls for a $120 million upfront contribution and up to $275 million in payments through 2047, in exchange for a 20-year commitment from the Trail Blazers to remain in Portland. The city would also receive a $3 million annual fee to offset property-tax losses and would require the team to hire unionized workers and allow staff to unionize.
Council members said they will consider amendments before the final vote on Aug. 12. Proposed changes include giving the city all parking revenue from non-Blazers events, raising the Rose Quarter ticket surcharge to 7 %, adding $2 million in annual charitable contributions, eliminating the $275 million maintenance commitment, aligning arena concession prices with street prices, and increasing the annual fee by 6 % each year.
Public testimony was divided. Some residents urged the city to do everything possible to keep the NBA franchise, while others questioned the value of spending hundreds of millions of scarce public dollars on a private team. One resident described the team’s new owner as a “tyrant,” and a fan group called for a market-rate proposal that includes private investment and revenue sharing. A child testified that losing the Blazers would be “a real bummer.”
Trail Blazers executives have not disclosed specific changes they would seek, and council president Jamie Dunphy said the council expects further negotiations before finalizing the agreement.