MLB to PDX

Sioux612 · #1 Posted: **Oct 7, 2007, 1:19 AM**

It's been almost two years since we've heard anything. The teams that are candidates to relocate due to stadium issues with their current cities are the Oakland A's and Florida Marlins. These teams really are our last hope. We wont be seeing another expansion team for a long time.

Quote:

The Portland metropolitan region (population 2.3 million) is the 22nd largest metro area in the country and is the largest in the nation without a Major League Baseball franchise. Portland is by far the largest metro area in the nation with only one major professional sports franchise; the region's ratio of population to professional sports franchises is behind only New York and Los Angeles.

nwroots · #2 Posted: **Oct 7, 2007, 6:38 AM**

I would love to see another professional team in PDX! Man, It's hard to choose between football and baseball. Sipping a local IPA and relaxing in the summer sun at a ballpark or a high energy stadium with testosterone flowing sipping a local IPA watching drizzle soaked football. I'll take either one!

Did I hear that we were going to have Major league Soccor sometime soon? I also am inclined to believe that Las Vegas, with 1.8 million in it's metro, has the highest % urban population without a professional sports team in the country.

Fiat Lux · #3 Posted: **Oct 8, 2007, 9:48 PM**

With interleague play and the uneven divisions, MLB should expand add two more teams sometime in the future. Their current priorities is fixing the ballpark situations in Florida. After that, its time for expansion. Portland, Charlotte, and San Antonio will all be players I would presume.

lil yuca x3 · #4 Posted: **Oct 9, 2007, 11:32 PM**

DANg this is great News, I hope Portland Gets both A MLB ANd MLS team, that would be awesome,
THAt kinda sucks becuase portland is one of the greatest cities in the united states and only has one major sports team,
I found a link where you guys can look at proposed sites and facts about the possible new stadium
http://www.oregonstadiumcampaign.com...mlb_082604.pdf

Drew-Ski · #5 Posted: **Oct 9, 2007, 11:42 PM**

I do not mean to be pessimistic, but the only way Portland will land another Pro Sports Franchise is if it gives out tremendous tax and financial subsities. We all know that won,t happen. There are many desperate cities out there who will roll out the red carpet for a team to relocate to there city.

Fiat Lux · #6 Posted: **Oct 10, 2007, 8:59 PM**

^ Portland is a creative city, get creative! Ticket tax, use potential income tax revenue directly from MLB towards ballpark, lottery game, license plates, t-shirts, screw the tourists taxes (rental car tax, hotel/motel tax), create a ballpark district with extra parking and restaurant tax, etc. Heck, I am sure there are other clever financing schemes out there that can tap the people most interested in supporting the effort or some of the potential revenues gained from the presence of MLB.

PacificNW · #7 Posted: **Oct 10, 2007, 9:32 PM**

PDX currently has $150 million financing earmarked for building a MLB stadium...that is a huge part of the equation.

Sioux612 · #8 Posted: **Oct 10, 2007, 11:11 PM**

One of the coastal Oregon tribes said they would pay for the $350 million ballpark if they were allowed to put a Casino within the city limits.

Now that some state officials are talking about the tribes (confederated?) to run and operate a Casino/Hotel in the Lloyd District, could this still be an option?

....This all of course hinges on if we can land the Marlins or the Oakland A's.

Fiat Lux · #9 Posted: **Oct 10, 2007, 11:21 PM**

The A's are headed for the South Bay (Fremont), most likely.

PacificNW · #10 Posted: **Oct 11, 2007, 1:07 AM**

Sioux612.....I have suggested this also...... getting the Governor on board would be a big step forward...

pdxman · #11 Posted: **Oct 11, 2007, 6:14 PM**

I believe it was the grande ronde tribe that said they would finance a stadium if they were then allowed to put a casino in the city. I believe some other local tribe(s) came out against it tho because they said it would unfair to let one tribe take advantage of such a large market, or something like that. I personally am not opposed to the idea of having a casino as long as the ballpark comes with it. I believe they(grande ronde) also offered to finance the convention center hotel if a casino could be built

MarkDaMan · #12 Posted: **Oct 11, 2007, 8:35 PM**

Why the hell shouldn't the State of Oregon or City of Portland build and own the casino? They can than issue revenue bonds to finance the stadium. The $350M to $500 million it would cost to build a stadium would be recaptured in 5 to 10 years, less with using money from the I-tax of players and stadium employees approved by the Oregon legislature. Why should one tribe get a 50 year windfall to build a stadium and not the People of Oregon or the city?

sopdx · #13 Posted: **Oct 12, 2007, 2:17 AM**

Yeah, that'll never happen. You can only imagine the flak the city or state would get for proposing such an idea. We can't even fund schools adequately.

EastPDX · #14 Posted: **Oct 14, 2007, 4:00 AM**

I don't understand why creating jobs and supporting arts and entertainment in this city isn't understood.

My personal hope (stated in the past at the OSC site) is for the Beavers to find a new home in Portland or in another city so PGE Park can go to a grass only surface.

I think the new owner of the Beavers and Timbers does have a game plan for the future along these lines. He is quoted as talking about a future MLS and/or MLB team in PDX.

EP

pdxtex · #15 Posted: **Oct 25, 2007, 6:33 AM**

you need to sell alot of tickets to make a mlb franchise profitable. we can fill the rosegarden most games but do you guys think the metro area is interested in baseball enough to make it a successful venture?

joeplayer1989 · #16 Posted: **Oct 25, 2007, 7:03 AM**

you bet your ass its ready

sopdx · #17 Posted: **Oct 26, 2007, 9:23 PM**

There are over 2 million in the metro region, not counting Salem - and the draw would be greater than that. I am totally opposed to trying to build a stadium in the core. I think it is huge waste of valuable space including all the parking. I think that the Portland Meadows area would be good or even a suburban location.

Sioux612 · #18 Posted: **Oct 26, 2007, 10:15 PM**

I would put this stadium in the Lloyd District. It would be great to have this next to the RG arena.

That brings up a question, why is the Memorial Coliseum needed? It's past it's prime...20 years ago.

PacificNW · #19 Posted: **Oct 26, 2007, 10:30 PM**

I can't believe there are people who bitched about the demise of the Rosefriends but don't carry whether M.C. is demolished...or not. It has been noted, by experts (not me) that the M.C. is one of the finer examples of the "International" style of architecture in the U.S. I think it deserves to be saved and upgraded.

Sioux612 · #20 Posted: **Oct 26, 2007, 10:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacificNW

I can't believe there are people who bitched about the demise of the Rosefriends but don't carry whether M.C. is demolished...or not. It has been noted, by experts (not me) that the M.C. is one of the finer examples of the "International" style of architecture in the U.S. I think it deserves to be saved and upgraded.

The interior needs a lot of major renovation and upgrades.