What exactly do we need in a new arena that couldn't be added to the Moda Center

[chris_in_pdx]

Sly, I think that you, I, and everyone else on here vastly underestimate the number of people in Portland and Oregon in general that just dont care about sports. It takes political will to be able to do anything of any magnitude in this city, and there's been a severe lack of that for decades, at least when it comes to sports. Has a shovel hit the dirt for the new baseball stadium yet? Until it does, it'll still be a pipe dream. The MC will sit there and rot until it falls over, because a vocal WHITE minority demands it not be touched, And you also underestimate how dependent the state is to the Oregon Lottery teat to prop up the general fund. If they could find a way to get rid of the existing tribal casinos, they would. They aren't going to allow another to be built, especially right in the heart of the biggest city in the state. No way, no how.

 

[kjironman1]

This is what I would do with the Rose Quarter.

Sell the MC to Spirit Mountain and allow them to remodel it into a casino. I've said this before, a casino in that area would help our convention center get conventions, and it would bring life to the area 365 24/7.

Tear down the Blazers office and the Rehab place. Having a casino and the Moda as anchors, you could build a nice hotel there and add more restaurants.

Cover and connect the Moda and MC Casino/hotel with a Las Vegas Fremont Street-style LCD roof. Rain sucks, and you could show Blazer highlights on game nights, band videos during concerts, and ads.

Bring the Max closer and up to the same level as the Rose Quarter, no more walking under a pee-stained overpass to catch Max.

I honestly had that conversation with a guy who is pretty connected with Grand Ronde. I was absolutely sure he would think it was a great idea.
He scoffed at me and said I quote! “That would never happen” and added “You could never get the tribes to agree to it and they would fight over rights” “They would lock it up in the courts for years until the plan died.”.
Crazy I know. What an opportunity it would be for all involved.

 

[kjironman1]

And what would that look like? What would you want to see and do in that area? I gave it a shot. Let's see what you can come up with.

This is what I'm getting at, I see lots of we need a new arena, we need to redevelop the Rose Quarter, but what the hell does that mean?

Add a water park for the area in the summer also. Seattle has one but they are usually 5-10 degrees cooler there than here. Portland absolutely needs a wild waves type water park.

 

[kjironman1]

The last time tearing down the MC was seriously discussed, the Portland Bluehairs who still hold a lot of political sway in the city nixed it because it's "A COOL OLD BUILDING" and Portland NEVER throws anything away that white people cherish. Yes, it's architecturally neat, but that land is so much more valuable in the overall development of the area than the aesthetics of it.

A large casino in downtown Portland on the waterfront is a bit much, but cities like Pittsburgh have done it and they helped revitalize areas that had been depressed for decades. I don't think the Oregon Lottery would let it happen, though. Remember when The Spirit Mountain tribe offered to buy the old Greyhound Raceway track and for the trouble, would have GIVEN the city of Portland enough to build a multi-purpose Baseball/Football Stadium? They city and state both said no.

Casinos bring money and spend money to keep the area safe and clean. They pay huge amounts of taxes and create opportunities for endorsements.
It’s absolutely a no brainer. Heck Sly’s original idea on this was riverboats. On the river. It’s totally legit!

 

[BBert]

And what would that look like? What would you want to see and do in that area? I gave it a shot. Let's see what you can come up with.

This is what I'm getting at, I see lots of we need a new arena, we need to redevelop the Rose Quarter, but what the hell does that mean?

I wasn't putting down your ideas. I thought they were great. I just wonder, in the absence of a better use for the MC, why they can't just get rid of it and create a blank slate to work with.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I wasn't putting down your ideas. I thought they were great. I just wonder, in the absence of a better use for the MC, why they can't just get rid of it and create a blank slate to work with.

I wasn't saying you were. Just looking for other ideas.

 

[julius]

This is what I would do with the Rose Quarter.

Sell the MC to Spirit Mountain and allow them to remodel it into a casino. I've said this before, a casino in that area would help our convention center get conventions, and it would bring life to the area 365 24/7.

Tear down the Blazers office and the Rehab place. Having a casino and the Moda as anchors, you could build a nice hotel there and add more restaurants.

Cover and connect the Moda and MC Casino/hotel with a Las Vegas Fremont Street-style LCD roof. Rain sucks, and you could show Blazer highlights on game nights, band videos during concerts, and ads.

Bring the Max closer and up to the same level as the Rose Quarter, no more walking under a pee-stained overpass to catch Max.

you stole my ideas, you ass hat!

 

[Mediocre Man]

It would take a hell of an overhaul to bring Sears back.

Make it happen. Either that or upgrade seats instead

 

[riverman]

Overhaul the suites, sears, concession stands, restaurants, lighting, bar, concourse, scoreboard, roof

They put a new roof on it last summer didn't they?

 

[Mediocre Man]

They put a new roof on it last summer didn't they?

No fucking clue

 

[julius]

They put a new roof on it last summer didn't they?

I thought that was on the practice facility?

 

[riverman]

I thought that was on the practice facility?

They upgraded the PF at the same time I thought. I'm pretty sure they reroofed it after taking the Dame marquis down.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I'm skeptical any upgrade to the Rose Garden will make sense long term. Even bulldozing MC and buying the grain elevator doesn't have enough acres. The prime new arena type of area that other cities and other owners want are bigger than that.

Maybe a suburb would be far better? Also can avoid the shit policies of Portland/Multnomah county.

 

[KingSpeed]

I’ve been to all the arenas except for Chase Center. My favorites are MSG, Moda, and Little Caesars. I’m glad Detroit has a team for that viewing experience. Denver has an unbelievably big screen but I don’t go to games to watch the screen. I do want stats but Moda already does that well. Some arenas just list points and fouls and are hard to see from some seats.

 

[KingSpeed]

I like Fed Ex Forum too, not really because of the arena but because Beale Street is right there for good food and entertainment options before and/or after the game.

 

[crandc]

After Warriors moved to glitzy new arena I stopped going. More expensive, by all accounts worse viewing except in expensive seats and most of all nor easily accessible. I would like to see Valkyries but long BART and then bus. Instead of quick BART ride and short walk.

Don't move to suburbs.

 

[Pinwheel1]

The MC will sit there and rot until it falls over, because a vocal WHITE minority demands it not be touched,

I am confused why you decided to emphasize "WHITE minority"........ considering that Portland is one of the "whitest" cities in the US. Seems like there should be a better adjective that describes " Friends of Memorial Coliseum". Something that narrows it down a bit?

 

[Phatguysrule]

I honestly had that conversation with a guy who is pretty connected with Grand Ronde. I was absolutely sure he would think it was a great idea.
He scoffed at me and said I quote! “That would never happen” and added “You could never get the tribes to agree to it and they would fight over rights” “They would lock it up in the courts for years until the plan died.”.
Crazy I know. What an opportunity it would be for all involved.

You're probably right. They appear to be on the verge of doing exactly that with the Willamette Falls Project.

I hope they get it figured out.

 

[Hoopguru]

I'm skeptical any upgrade to the Rose Garden will make sense long term. Even bulldozing MC and buying the grain elevator doesn't have enough acres. The prime new arena type of area that other cities and other owners want are bigger than that.

Maybe a suburb would be far better? Also can avoid the shit policies of Portland/Multnomah county.

IMO thats the only way a new stadium would happen and thats questionable?

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Heard Mike Richmond mention buying the PPS building that is 3 blocks north of MC+Moda.

Is there any way the Blazers could buy up all the blocks between these plus a couple blocks further north?

Then build new NBA arena at very north end of all of that land. Have tons of hotels, condo, restaurants, bars, (casino?), etc between where the new arena and Moda are over a very large walkable area.

Once new NBA arena is complete and in use - bulldoze both Moda+MC and build MLB park there.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Heard Mike Richmond mention buying the PPS building that is 3 blocks north of MC+Moda.

Is there any way the Blazers could buy up all the blocks between these plus a couple blocks further north?

Then build new NBA arena at very north end of all of that land. Have tons of hotels, condo, restaurants, bars, (casino?), etc between where the new arena and Moda are over a very large walkable area.

Once new NBA arena is complete and in use - bulldoze both Moda+MC and build MLB park there.

Nice ideas.

The absolute first thing that needs to be done is to widen I-5 in that area to 3-4 lanes in each direction.

 

[julius]

Heard Mike Richmond mention buying the PPS building that is 3 blocks north of MC+Moda.

Is there any way the Blazers could buy up all the blocks between these plus a couple blocks further north?

Then build new NBA arena at very north end of all of that land. Have tons of hotels, condo, restaurants, bars, (casino?), etc between where the new arena and Moda are over a very large walkable area.

Once new NBA arena is complete and in use - bulldoze both Moda+MC and build MLB park there.

I believe there is a group that has right of first refusal on the Blanchard sight, in relation to the Albina restoration thing

 

[Phatguysrule]

Nice ideas.

The absolute first thing that needs to be done is to widen I-5 in that area to 3-4 lanes in each direction.

It seems like you could probably get some government funding for this benefit alone...

 

[SlyPokerDog]

It seems like you could probably get government funding to help fund a portion for this alone...

We had government funding, but it appears that it has now been rescinded by the current administration.

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07...-rose-quarter-oregon-transportation-portland/

 

[julius]

We had government funding, but it appears that it has now been rescinded by the current administration.

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07...-rose-quarter-oregon-transportation-portland/

Tax cuts for billionaires don't pay for themselves you know

 

[BigGameDamian]

What about a rotating floor for the skybox level? The whole floor would move in one big circle for the whole game.

 

[HailBlazers]

What about a rotating floor for the skybox level? The whole floor would move in one big circle for the whole game.

First concert I ever saw at the Rose Garden was the Beastie Boys. They had a rotating center stage.

 

[AldoTrapani]

This is what I would do with the Rose Quarter.

Sell the MC to Spirit Mountain and allow them to remodel it into a casino. I've said this before, a casino in that area would help our convention center get conventions, and it would bring life to the area 365 24/7.

Tear down the Blazers office and the Rehab place. Having a casino and the Moda as anchors, you could build a nice hotel there and add more restaurants.

Cover and connect the Moda and MC Casino/hotel with a Las Vegas Fremont Street-style LCD roof. Rain sucks, and you could show Blazer highlights on game nights, band videos during concerts, and ads.

Bring the Max closer and up to the same level as the Rose Quarter, no more walking under a pee-stained overpass to catch Max.

That’s a great idea but the city would never do that as casinos to them are huge moral issues for them. Remember when the Expos were thinking of moving here and that one tribe offered a free baseball stadium on them for the right to build a casino in the city? The governor at the time said no

 

[kjironman1]

You're probably right. They appear to be on the verge of doing exactly that with the Willamette Falls Project.

I hope they get it figured out.

The biggest issue for me is think of the jobs it would create. Everything from janitorial to valet drivers (Olshey) to food service to managerial positions. Literally thousands of jobs. Then there are the construction and maintenance jobs.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

Its not the Moda. Its the area around it. Sly has shown great ideas with the vegas still roof over the pedestrain area and hotels, etc.

the only other thing i think is a priority is elevating the max or traffic so there isn't the traffic jam down there like it always is.