The talks resume after a long break.
It is back to the negotiation table for the National Basketball Association’s Portland Trail Blazers franchise owner Tom Dundon and local government officials with the goal of getting a new lease done between Dundon and the local municipality. There is money available for the renovation of the Portland arena but Dundon doesn’t want to put up money for the arena facelift. The NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, is keeping an eye on what is going on in Portland and Silver would like to see the two sides come up with an agreement. Silver said he’d “see it as a failure” if Dundon moved the franchise. “It is my hope and belief that the Trail Blazers can be successful in Portland, Oregon.”
There is a state of Oregon deadline of December 31st which determines if the state will put up $365 million of taxpayers money for the needed funding so there is some urgency to get movement in the talks. But that depends on the team owner, the city and county to come up with a combined financing plan which would be about $245 million committed to the project. Dundon has not won friends in the Portland community with his I am not putting up a nickel stance. The Women’s National Basketball Association’s Portland Fire franchise has not offered to throw money into the upgrades and the building needs some upgrades for women’s locker rooms, training facilities, medical facilities and player amenities. Portland Fire President Clare Hamill is lobbying the county to invest $110 million into the venue. Dundon has four years remaining on his lease to use the arena. Silver earlier this summer said the lease negotiations have gone “off track” and added that the NBA remains actively involved in discussions but there are still “several open issues” that must be resolved. The Portland arena game continues.
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