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Political pressure to complete a funding deal to renovate Portland’s Moda Center is growing more public.
Keith Wilson, the Oregon city’s mayor, issued a plea to the city council to approve their part of a public funding package to renovate the Trail Blazers’ home arena, and said the agreement is at risk of collapsing.
Already, the state of Oregon has committed up to $365 million toward the project, and Multnomah County has pledged another $88 million. The deal, however, has stalled as city officials debate the funding source for their portion, currently pegged at up to $120 million.
Overall, the Moda Center renovation has a projected cost of nearly $600 million. The city owns the building, while the Trail Blazers’ Rip City Management operates it.
“Our share may be comparatively smaller, but it’s enough to put the brakes on the project if we don’t take our role seriously,” Wilson wrote in an open letter.
The mayor also took aim at critics of the deal on the city council and their use of social media to decry the potential outlay of taxpayer funds.
“Good process means sitting down, figuring out the math, and keeping the public informed and empowered every step of the way, not duking it out in the media or on Instagram,” Wilson wrote. “Calling foul and throwing around accusations can boost re-election campaigns, but we can’t wave away the very real risk of declining tax revenue, broken promises to neighborhoods, and lost jobs. … Criticism is easy. Long-term vision is hard, and so are good negotiations.”
Not surprisingly, Wilson’s comments have prompted more pushback among the city council.
“I’m unsettled by the mayor’s newsletter today re: Moda,” wrote city councillor Mitch Green in a social media post. “Rather than acknowledge that there are very real concerns about how this process has unfolded, he chose to cast critique as short-sighted and opportunistic in an effort from the impressive lack of rigor to date on his part. I have been accused (I think?) of doing an election-year stunt by raising questions about the stated net benefits and timeline. Good. I was elected to serve Portlanders, not billionaires, and I’ll continue to do so.”
Negotiating Dynamics
The ongoing debate about funding the Moda Center renovations is happening as the Trail Blazers are newly owned by Tom Dundon, who also controls the NHL’s Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes.
The early tenure of Dundon in Portland has been marked by widespread staff cuts and rising worries that the Trail Blazers could leave the market after 56 years there if the arena deal isn’t completed.
Even NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently referenced the turbulence in Portland as he lauded Dundon’s performance in Raleigh.
“Tom may not always be—because we’re hearing this out of a different market—the most conventional owner, but nobody can argue with his commitment to [hockey] … He’s been great for us all the way.”
Wilson, however, said a pathway remains clear to finalizing the Moda Center renovations.
“[The team’s] new owners have a negotiating style much like my own—fair, firm, friendly, and committed to the best outcome for those they serve. We have a strong negotiating position and plenty of leverage, and so do they,” Wilson wrote. “Ultimately, I believe that the city of Portland and the team ownership want many of the same things.”
Both Wilson and Dundon are scheduled to appear later Wednesday at the Portland Metro Chamber’s annual meeting, and the arena issue is likely to arise again there. The event will be held at the Moda Center.
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