Trail Blazers gear up for legislative ask that would ‘guarantee’ team’s future in Portland

[BoBoBREWSKI]

The Oregon legislature session starts on Monday Feb 2nd and this will be one of the agenda items.

 

[julius]

The Oregon legislature session starts on Monday Feb 2nd and this will be one of the agenda items.

They (the legislature) will find a way to screw this up.

 

[HailBlazers]

I think if Dundon threatens to move the Blazers, we should send in Delta Park Force, capture Dundon, and put him in indefinite house arrest in the Paul Allen apartment in the Moda.

barfo

Let's say the Fenty Park Force gets him addicted. What happens next - in your scenario?

 

[barfo]

Let's say the Fenty Park Force gets him addicted. What happens next - in your scenario?

I give him a fix in exchange for ownership of the Blazers!

barfo

 

[crandc]

I think if Dundon threatens to move the Blazers, we should send in Delta Park Force, capture Dundon, and put him in indefinite house arrest in the Paul Allen apartment in the Moda.

barfo

Too comfortable.

 

[THE HCP]

Just visited 3 arenas in WAAAAAY worse shape than Moda. Don’t understand all this.

 

[AldoTrapani]

Just visited 3 arenas in WAAAAAY worse shape than Moda. Don’t understand all this.

Timing

 

[santeesioux]

Trail Blazers’ future in Portland less clear than ever as arena efforts meet resistance | Bill Oram

The team is trying to secure $600 million in funding from the city, state and Multnomah County before the end of the legislature's 35-day session.

www.oregonlive.com

 

[AldoTrapani]

Trail Blazers’ future in Portland less clear than ever as arena efforts meet resistance | Bill Oram

The team is trying to secure $600 million in funding from the city, state and Multnomah County before the end of the legislature's 35-day session.

www.oregonlive.com

It’ll pass and get funded EASY. If u read the article everybody in the state is pretty much in agreement. Great news if u ask me

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I'm not against giving the Blazers funding, but the timing of this seems off. Can we just meet and get to know our new owner, see how he connects with this city and the fans first?

Giving him money before he even takes over the team seems a little desperate. "Here's $600 million, please love us."

I know he's very busy and owns other sports teams and businesses, but $600 million is a lot of money at a time when the city, state, and county are facing budget shortfalls.

Again, not against the Blazers getting the funding, it would just be nice to hear from him first.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

I'm not against giving the Blazers funding, but the timing of this seems off. Can we just meet and get to know our new owner, see how he connects with this city and the fans first?

Giving him money before he even takes over the team seems a little desperate. "Here's $600 million, please love us."

I know he's very busy and owns other sports teams and businesses, but $600 million is a lot of money at a time when the city, state, and county are facing budget shortfalls.

Again, not against the Blazers getting the funding, it would just be nice to hear from him first.

Giving him money? Blazers getting the funding?
How is Tom & the Blazers getting any money/funding? The city owns the arena, the money is to renovate an arena the city owns and profits from.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Can someone copy/paste the article?

 

[AldoTrapani]

Click bait article. It’ll pass and get funded EASY. If u read the article everybody in the state is pretty much in agreement. Great news if u ask me

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Just visited 3 arenas in WAAAAAY worse shape than Moda. Don’t understand all this.

So when you go to the Clippers, Nets, Vegas, etc arena's you don't notice they are significantly better?

Moda might not be crap but it certainly isn't a top arena in the league.

I suspect those areans in worse shape all have owners planning upgrades too.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

thread merge please

 

[Hoopguru]

Feb. 03, 2026, 10:04 PM PST

The NBA franchise is attempting the high-wire act of bringing together state lawmakers, the city of Portland and Multnomah County to secure $600 million in public funding that would pay to modernize the Moda Center and, in theory, secure the NBA team’s future in Portland for at least another generation. Anything else would be widely seen as an invitation for incoming owner Tom Dundon to start exploring options to move the Blazers out of Portland. However, sources told The Oregonian/OregonLive the proposal has encountered some resistance at the local level, which has delayed efforts to move forward in Salem. Any bill would need to pass the Legislature by March 8, the end of the 35-day short session.

Oregonian

Topics:Portland Trail BlazersbusinessPortland, ORNBALegislature
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Feb. 03, 2026, 10:04 PM PST

The issue, however, was pushed into the spotlight last summer after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s comment that “the city of Portland will likely need a new arena” seemed to set the stakes for the franchise’s future. If you don’t build it, they will go. Dundon, who led a group that agreed to buy the Blazers last summer for $4.25 billion, is not expected to contribute additional cash to fund the renovation project, tacitly tightening the squeeze on local leaders to either pony up or suffer the consequences. According to a source with direct knowledge of the proposed package, the state would need to approve $360 million in bonds backed by the income tax of athletes and performers at Moda Center while the city and county would effectively split the remaining $240 million.

Oregonian

 

[julius]

smfh...They were willing to do it for a baseball team that probably will never come here, but seem hesitant to do it for a team that has been here for almost 60 years and without them, this city becomes an absolute joke sports wise.

Makes perfect sense.

 

[wizenheimer]

It’ll pass and get funded EASY. If u read the article everybody in the state is pretty much in agreement. Great news if u ask me

what I read in that article was a reporter, living in Portland, talking to people, who live in Portland, about a Portland issue.

There was one vague reference to the critical component of the State of Oregon, thru the legislature, agreeing with a substantial hit to the general fund. I think that's a ton of assumption. I don't live in Portland; live in Salem. And my take is that there will be significant opposition to a reduction of the general fund to essentially benefit Portland. And that opposition would increase as you move down I-5 thru Albany-->Eugene-->Roseburg-->Grant's Pass-->Medford. And as you head east along I-84 thru Hood River-->The Dalles-->Pendelton-->LaGrande. And head down 101 thru Lincoln City-->Newport-->Coos Bay-->Brookings. Or head east out of the valley to Bend-->Redmond-->Klamath Falls-->Burns-->Vale/Ontario. Those places aren't nearly as 'invested' in the Blazers as people in Portland

hell, the legislature is trying for about the 4th time to simply fund a transportation package and ODOT. And that money gets distributed all over the state and benefits people all over the state. The notion that they'd rubber-stamp a reduction in the general fund to benefit a billionaire and the city of Portland seems a real stretch. That's not to say they won't...eventually. But it won't be clear-sailing IMO

 

[wizenheimer]

smfh...They were willing to do it for a baseball team that probably will never come here, but seem hesitant to do it for a team that has been here for almost 60 years and without them, this city becomes an absolute joke sports wise.

Makes perfect sense.

you really can't see the difference? That was all play money; it wasn't real money or real financing. And the tax base to pay for it all was imaginary people coming to Oregon in an alternate future

the Moda situation is different. This would be real money, real financing. An issuance of bonding with all the legal requirements. And, require the cooperation of the legislature to agree to an actual reduction in tax revenue going into the general fund; and to do so for the benefit of a billionaire and the city of Portland. That kind of ask will be viewed a lot differently in Bend and Medford and Coos Bay than it will in Portland

 

[THE HCP]

So when you go to the Clippers, Nets, Vegas, etc arena's you don't notice they are significantly better?

Moda might not be crap but it certainly isn't a top arena in the league.

I suspect those areans in worse shape all have owners planning upgrades too.

Boston/DC/NYC

 

[julius]

you really can't see the difference? That was all play money; it wasn't real money or real financing. And the tax base to pay for it all was imaginary people coming to Oregon in an alternate future

the Moda situation is different. This would be real money, real financing. An issuance of bonding with all the legal requirements. And, require the cooperation of the legislature to agree to an actual reduction in tax revenue going into the general fund; and to do so for the benefit of a billionaire and the city of Portland. That kind of ask will be viewed a lot differently in Bend and Medford and Coos Bay than it will in Portland

it's a jock tax. It's the exact same set up as one for the MLB to PDX is.

 

[THE HCP]

it's a jock tax. It's the exact same set up as one for the MLB to PDX is.

Do people think this request won’t pass even though the baseball one did. Not up to speed on this situation.

 

[THE HCP]

it's a jock tax. It's the exact same set up as one for the MLB to PDX is.

And would @THE HCP need to pay the “JOCK TAX”?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Giving him money? Blazers getting the funding?
How is Tom & the Blazers getting any money/funding? The city owns the arena, the money is to renovate an arena the city owns and profits from.

The Blazers most definitely benefit from the improvements to the Moda. Additional amenities definitely contribute to higher ticket prices and sales.

Isn't it still the Blazers who are the ones who book things like concerts and the Women's Final 4 at the Moda?

Isn't it still the Blazers who control the concessions at the Moda?

Wasn't it the Blazers who oversaw the installation of the new scoreboards and video screens?

I doubt they're doing all that for free.

So if the Blazers aren't getting the money, they will have the most input on how it should be spent on the Moda, and they will be the biggest beneficiaries from it.

How many games has Dundon attended this season?

Again, can't we wait just a little while to hear from him?

 

[AldoTrapani]

it's a jock tax. It's the exact same set up as one for the MLB to PDX is.

The income tax (jock tax) only funds the state level.

How are you going to pay for the $240 million local contribution is the problem. But the mayor already said we can use the clean energy fund for that. Ppl will just be pissed

 

[wizenheimer]

it's a jock tax. It's the exact same set up as one for the MLB to PDX is.

it is not the same. It has not reduced the general fund by one dollar and the Jock tax approved was all theoretical new money from hypothetical future jocks. There was no current skin in the game....just fantasy future skin. IIRC, the governor hasn't even signed the bill yet, but maybe I missed it.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

what I read in that article was a reporter, living in Portland, talking to people, who live in Portland, about a Portland issue.

There was one vague reference to the critical component of the State of Oregon, thru the legislature, agreeing with a substantial hit to the general fund. I think that's a ton of assumption. I don't live in Portland; live in Salem. And my take is that there will be significant opposition to a reduction of the general fund to essentially benefit Portland. And that opposition would increase as you move down I-5 thru Albany-->Eugene-->Roseburg-->Grant's Pass-->Medford. And as you head east along I-84 thru Hood River-->The Dalles-->Pendelton-->LaGrande. And head down 101 thru Lincoln City-->Newport-->Coos Bay-->Brookings. Or head east out of the valley to Bend-->Redmond-->Klamath Falls-->Burns-->Vale/Ontario. Those places aren't nearly as 'invested' in the Blazers as people in Portland

hell, the legislature is trying for about the 4th time to simply fund a transportation package and ODOT. And that money gets distributed all over the state and benefits people all over the state. The notion that they'd rubber-stamp a reduction in the general fund to benefit a billionaire and the city of Portland seems a real stretch. That's not to say they won't...eventually. But it won't be clear-sailing IMO

How does voting for this work? Would it be similar to how in political elections, the whole states votes are determined by how Portland votes. Would Portland have the power in this also?

Nobody can argue against the fact that the Blazers are good for the economy of Portland. Doesn't the economic situation in Portland also impact the rest of the state?

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Boston/DC/NYC

Wizards are building a new $800 million arena.

Celtics new owners trying to get one

New Celtics Owner Hints at Potential TD Garden Departure

The Boston Celtics could have a new home under new owner Williams Chisholm. In an interview with NBC Sports Boston, Chisholm said he hasn't put much thought int

www.si.com

MSG is in the middle of NYC - no matter what the Blazers do it will never compete with that.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Doesn't the economic situation in Portland also impact the rest of the state?

Maybe... kind of... How much do the football games in Eugene and Corvallis impact Portland?