NBA commissioner says Portland arena negotiations have stalled
Commissioner Adam Silver said talks on renovating the Moda Center and securing the Trail Blazers' future in Portland have fallen behind schedule, as the city prepares to vote on a public subsidy.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told reporters in Las Vegas on Tuesday that discussions about a $120 million public subsidy for the Moda Center renovation and a long-term lease for the Trail Blazers have "seemed to have gone off track". He said he had met with new owner Tom Dundon and his partners but had not seen the progress he expected since a March meeting in Portland.
Silver added that the league office is working with both sides to resolve several outstanding issues, but he declined to guarantee that the council’s approval would secure the team’s future.
Portland City Council is scheduled to vote on a term sheet for the arena overhaul by Aug. 12, a deadline needed to finalize a lease before a state-funded $360 million package expires in December. Council President Jamie Dunphy has urged the Blazers to provide requested information, suggesting that Commissioner Silver could assist in moving the negotiations forward.
The situation follows an Oregon Public Broadcasting report that council members will vote without detailed spending plans, and sports columnist John Canzano’s observation that written communication between the Blazers and city officials has largely ceased. Representatives for the team and the mayor’s office did not respond to requests for comment.