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Council hears 20-year Moda Center term sheet draft as panels and public comment begin
Summary
Council president Dunphy introduced a staff-drafted, nonbinding term sheet to enable negotiation of a 20-year operating lease and renovation for the Moda Center; invited panels and hundreds of public comments followed as council reserved final votes for later meetings.
The Portland City Council on Aug. 5 opened a daylong hearing on a staff-drafted, nonbinding term sheet that would enable negotiations on a 20-year operating lease and renovation of the Moda Center aimed at keeping the Portland Trail Blazers in the city.
Council President Dunphy described the document as a reasonable first draft prepared by the city's legal and negotiating team and emphasized the distinction between the mayor's negotiating authority and the council's role to "advise and consent" and to approve any final deal that commits public funds. "By charter, the mayor and our negotiating team are the negotiating body of our government," Dunphy said, stressing the council would see the final lease in December and that the city's authority is primarily through the purse.
The council heard invited panels representing community groups, labor, sports and tourism interests and then took an extended public testimony period. Before adjourning for the day, councilors outlined proposed amendments they intended to file; final amendment introductions and votes were reserved for a follow-up meeting. The administration signaled staff and negotiators will continue to work with the Blazers' representatives and the state to craft a negotiated outcome.
