Trail Blazers gear up for legislative ask that would ‘guarantee’ team’s future in Portland (6 Viewers)

[SharpesTriumph]

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?

Assume like everything with OR government;

Each area of oregon votes for their reps and then reps can vote at legislator for it - reps will have to explain at the next election why they voted for/against.

But yeah I expect lot of Portland reps would vote for and other areas would vote against.

 

[wizenheimer]

Assume like everything with OR government;

Each area of oregon votes for their reps and then reps can vote at legislator for it - reps will have to explain at the next election why they voted for/against.

But yeah I expect lot of Portland reps would vote for and other areas would vote against.

what I'm assuming is the legislature won't even have this on their agenda this session. This is the mandated 'short session' for even number years and is limited to 35 days. And there is a ton of major issues facing it this time:

Oregon’s 2026 legislative session: What you need to know

Budget challenges, ICE activity and roads will compete for attention in the five-week session convening Monday.

www.opb.org

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

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

For example, taxes paid by the employees that help make those games happen help the entire state.
That's more of what I was getting at.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

what I'm assuming is the legislature won't even have this on their agenda this session. This is the mandated 'short session' for even number years and is limited to 35 days. And there is a ton of major issues facing it this time:

Oregon’s 2026 legislative session: What you need to know

Budget challenges, ICE activity and roads will compete for attention in the five-week session convening Monday.

www.opb.org

Blazers would be a headliner issue though that PDX reps can run on and rural areas can run on a vote against. So I could see them wanting to push it. Not saying that is the most important issue - but it might be one that impacts their reelection more than other issues.

If its not taken up my guess is its more because reps don't see how it will help their reelection or could even harm it.

 

[wizenheimer]

Blazers would be a headliner issue though that PDX reps can run on and rural areas can run on a vote against. So I could see them wanting to push it. Not saying that is the most important issue - but it might be one that impacts their reelection more than other issues.

If its not taken up my guess is its more because reps don't see how it will help their reelection or could even harm it.

the session calendar already has about 80 days of agenda they need to complete in 35 days, and that doesn't include a bill funding a Moda renovation. Now maybe a big Blazer advocate is the head of a budget committee and will jam a bill thru to the full legislature, but I think people may be overestimating the priority the session will place on a Moda bill

 

[THE HCP]

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.

I posted that the last 3 arenas I was at were dumps. That’s all I said.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

the session calendar already has about 80 days of agenda they need to complete in 35 days, and that doesn't include a bill funding a Moda renovation. Now maybe a big Blazer advocate is the head of a budget committee and will jam a bill thru to the full legislature, but I think people may be overestimating the priority the session will place on a Moda bill

Maybe you are underestimating the impact & influence the business world has on the legislators. Nike, adidas, Moda, Alaska Airlines, Toyota, Les Schwab, Pacific Office Automation, Columbia/Umpqua Bank etc etc etc all very much want the Blazers to stay in Portland.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Expand the Moda to 6 million seats. Then charge an extra $1 per seat, you'll have everything paid for in a little over 2 seasons.

Didn’t even have to look at the name to know who posted this, FAMS!

 

[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.

Boston/DC/NYC

I posted that the last 3 arenas I was at were dumps. That’s all I said.

You said that you don't understand this because 3 arenas are worse than Moda. I'm saying the worse arena are doing renovations - at which point the Moda will be worse than all of them. So thats why the Blazers are making this legislative ask (that you said you don't understand).

 

[wizenheimer]

Maybe you are underestimating the impact & influence the business world has on the legislators. Nike, adidas, Moda, Alaska Airlines, Toyota, Les Schwab, Pacific Office Automation, Columbia/Umpqua Bank etc etc etc all very much want the Blazers to stay in Portland.

and, you may be underestimating the provincialism and conservatism of legislators from outside of Portland

if this was just the state underwriting the bonds issued to cover the cost, with the interest on the bonds being paid by the city and the Blazers, sure, that could fly. But this proposal takes money out of the general fund

now, the projection for a budget deficit has changed to close to neutral or even a small surplus, so maybe there would not be kneejerk opposisition. But legislators have been whipsawed by changing projections before.

but my main point was that it may be that the legislature will simply not find time to deal with his proposed bill. There's a lot they have to accomplish and all it would take is one major impasse between R's and D's to constipate progress

 

[SharpesTriumph]

and, you may be underestimating the provincialism and conservatism of legislators from outside of Portland

Wouldn't that be a reason they DO push for this? Those conservatives would want to be on record voting against it.

 

[wizenheimer]

Wouldn't that be a reason they DO push for this? Those conservatives would want to be on record voting against it.

lol...no.

Again, I think some of you are way overrating the priority the legislature will put on this bill at this time. If this was the bi-annual main session that can last for 6 months, sure, it could brought forward. But in a 1 month session? I'm not saying it definitely won't happen. It might. But I think the legislative impulse will be to table it till next year

 

[SharpesTriumph]

lol...no.

Again, I think some of you are way overrating the priority the legislature will put on this bill at this time. If this was the bi-annual main session that can last for 6 months, sure, it could brought forward. But in a 1 month session? I'm not saying it definitely won't happen. It might. But I think the legislative impulse will be to table it till next year

I'd be very surprised if there isn't anything done on it - not saying a vote will happen but at the least some committee where reps can grandstand. It will be a national story where they can get their name out there and soundbites. Who knows though we'll see what happens.

 

[<-=*PdX*=->]

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.

Ive been to the Vegas arena many times, former Blazers season ticket holder that recently moved back to Portland and went to 2 games last month, and the Vegas arena isnt anything to write home about. Moda holds up just as well if not better in the concessions and merch areas too. Tmobile really only has 1 main way in and out. I have been to a few other NBA/NHL arenas and don't understand the need to be down on Moda. A reno would do wonders but I have been to the Suns arena since they remodeled it and I would still take Moda in its current state 100/100 times over it.

 

[Samuel]

Bill Oram response on Bluesky:
It is completely fair to ask where the private component of the partnership is. Two realities: Tom Dundon is not a Bezos-level billionaire. It isn't even clear that he is actually a billionaire. He has had to scrimp to even buy the team. Could true billionaire investors like the Cherngs pay for a chunk? Sure, but that's not what they signed up for. Second, Dundon paid a premium for a team that offered portability. No long-term lease, aging building, gives owner extreme leverage to force public funding by threatening move. It could be argued that the private piece is the massive sum he paid for the franchise. Is that good enough? No, it probably isn't. But what is the value proposition if the flip side is putting the team on the open market and letting Nashville, KC, others, make overtures? Finally, the ? of a new arena vs. renovation sounds good — and the idea of a brand new building in a better location has some advocates — but I'd offer this: The team is having a hard time fundraising enough for a bare-minimum refresh. Who the f*** is paying nearly 2x or more for a new building? The uncomfortable truth right now is that the primary thing making Portland an NBA-worthy market is that Harry Glickman scored a team 57 years ago. There are perhaps a half dozen cities better suited for a team than ours, with governments eager to step up. This is an existential moment for the franchise, and leaving this piece unanswered when a new owner with no local ties comes in, is a massive risk. Dudley's words of caution are well-intentioned here, but strike me as out of touch with the urgency of the situation. What is happening right now is a proactive attempt to make Portland the best place for the Blazers long-term. Is it a perfect package? In no way whatsoever. But handing the team off to Dundon with no arena plan at all feels like a suicide mission.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[PDXFonz]

I agree with HCP. There are plenty of arenas in the league in much worse shape than MODA. The whole “we need a new arena” statement is a smokescreen. I’m not surprised that the city doesnt agree with this narrative. Nor do I expect the city to change their stance on this overnight, so I basically view this as a clear sign that Portland has no intentions on putting money into the MODA center at this time.

To the initial statement, as an example - I remember going to a Mystics game in DC like ~10 years ago and that arena looked and felt old AF back then. I’m not sure if they’ve done anything to it since then, but if not then it’s waaaaay behind MODA on that list.

 

[BBert]

How many games has Dundon attended this season?

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

That's a good question.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[Everything Beagle]

We’re going to lose the team.

 

[blazerkor]

We’re going to lose the team.

The most recent reporting from the Sports Business Journal said it had sources from both the City and State that as soon as the legislation for funding gets to them they will pass it.

Guys like Dudley already know this stuff and are just trying to set up talking points for an election after the funding has already been approved.

I'm a worrier and I'm not even worried. Start the panic if the local and state government vote against funding the renovation.

 

[Phatguysrule]

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'll get funded or we're backwoods hillbillies who don't deserve a team.

 

[Phatguysrule]

We’re going to lose the team.

If so, we deserve to.

 

[Phatguysrule]

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

The city owns the building. They need to pay to keep it up or they deserve to lose the team.

This should have already been in the plans before they took possession of the building.

 

[Hoopguru]

Dundon's expectations will be the City/State, needs to Seriously Step Up. If nothing has transpired to date, that convinces him they will, he's already exploring relocation options. Based on his back ground, and competitive no BS approach to business, he will not get bogged down. He's used to business/tax friendly States. Chris Dudley knows this!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

he's already exploring relocation options.

At least Clay Bennet kissed Seattle for a year before fucking them.

So the ink isn't even dry, the owners haven't even voted on this, and he's already looking to move the team?!? That's horseshit.

What exactly needs to be done to the Moda?

Where are these plans?

Is $600 million enough? Too much?

Taxpayers really have to come up with $600 million of funding BEFORE the new owner takes over running the team or else he'll move them?

 

[THE HCP]

The arena is absolutely fine. Don’t know where this all started that we need a new one.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

This is leverage imo. The only city it makes sense to move the team to would be Vegas for $$$$. Remember they have to pay a massive amount for relocation costs. I just don't see the league being in a hurry to allow someone to move the team.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

bump

 

[SlyPokerDog]

The arena is absolutely fine. Don’t know where this all started that we need a new one.

1. It needs more bathrooms.

2. The suits could use a remodel.

3. In a Rose Quarter redevelopment, it would nice if we could move the Max lines closer and cover them.

4. Put PA's old apartment on Airbnb.