North and Northeast Portland residents are invited to learn about and respond to the controversial proposal to spend $600-plus million in public funds to upgrade the Moda Center on a webpage created by District 2 City Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney.
Elana Pirtle-Guiney.
Pirtle-Guiney, who represents North and Northeast Portland, announced the website in a May 8 email to constituents. It includes short video about the situation, a timeline of previous decisions related to the proposal, and a lengthy survey on current and potential future uses of the Moda Center.
The 2026 Oregon Legislature agreed to sell $365 million worth of state bonds to help fund the upgrades. The City of Portland and Multnomah County are expected to provide the rest, although exact amounts and funding sources have yet to be determined. The upgrades are considered necessary to convince new Portland Trail Blazer owner Tom Dundon to keep the team in Portland for at least the next 20 years.
The proposal is controversial because Dundon is a billionaire who recently bought the Trail Blazers along with other investors for $4.25 billion and the City Council is facing a $169 million deficit in the next budget that takes effect on July 1. Several residents criticized the proposal during a District 2 Listening Session on the budget on May 4.
In her email, Pirtle-Guiney said: “Let’s talk about the Moda Center and the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Right now, the City of Portland is entering negotiations for a lease agreement with the Blazers, the primary tenant of the Moda Center. At the same time, the City is considering investing in upgrades to that arena. Use of public dollars to support the renovation, and the approval of the final lease, will require formal approval by Portland City Council.
“I have heard from hundreds of you, bringing so many different perspectives on the future of our arena and our basketball team. I want you to know how much I appreciate your input, and how seriously I take it. I can’t make good decisions regarding the Moda Center – or anything else that comes before me as a Councilor – without hearing directly from you.
“I also know that a lot of people in my District don’t feel like they’re a part of the conversation about the Moda Center and the Blazers. And that’s a problem for me, because I want to know what you think.
“So I’ve made a webpage to fix that.
“On this page, you’ll find a short video, a timeline showing where we are now in the lease negotiation and the conversation about renovations for the Moda Center – which we’ll continue to update as things progress – and a survey where you can let me know what YOU think a good deal for Portland looks like in a lease agreement. What do we need to see for this to be a win for our community?
“Because this is a negotiation, which means we ought to have asks on our end, too. My starting place is good jobs in the arena for Portlanders, neighborhood investments, a clear commitment from the Blazers to stay in Portland for the long haul – with consequences for breaking the lease early – and a commitment to sharing the arena with the many potential users of that space, both large traveling acts and local events.
“Thank you for staying engaged. Let’s upgrade our arena, keep this space as an active asset for our community, and get a good deal for Portland.”
The webpage with the survey can be found at here.
A previous North Peninsula Review story about the May 4 District 2 Listening Session on the budget can be found here.