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WHEREAS, the City of Portland recognizes the need for a comprehensive and collaborative approach to downtown revitalization that celebrates investments in creative placemaking that supports arts and cultural to restore and enhance our Central City as a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving urban center; and

WHEREAS, the March 2020 Keller Seismic Analysis Summary Report outlined the structural deficiencies of the Keller Auditorium and potential options to renovate or replace the building; and 

WHEREAS, the key options outlined in the Seismic Analysis for the facility’s future include different scales of work: Option 1b: limited building renovation that addresses only seismic upgrades; Option 2: a major renovation including new additions; and Option 3: a new facility on the existing site or an alternative site; and

WHEREAS, in 2017, a private design competition was held to conceptualize what might be possible for a grand scale Keller renovation on site; and

WHEREAS, an association of neighborhood property owners and design professionals, the Halprin Landscape Conservancy, became interested in continuing this work and further refining Option 2 with a large-scale renovation concept to see if it would be feasible; and

WHEREAS, in a joint letter dated September 14, 2022, between the City of Portland and Metro, the City and Metro each committed $200,000 in funding toward the Halprin Landscape Conservancy while requiring an additional private match of $200,000 to further develop a large-scale renovation option to determine its feasibility; and

WHEREAS, on September 27, 2023, Halprin Landscape Conservancy presented their concept for a renovated Keller Auditorium to City Council; and

WHEREAS, in order to better understand the possibilities of replacing the theater with a new state-of-the-art facility on an alternate site as outlined in Option 3 of the Seismic Analysis, the City released a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) on July 12, 2023, to explore potential new performing arts facility sites in Portland; and

WHEREAS, on August 11, 2023, the City received eight proposals in response to the RFEI and narrowed them down to five on September 25, 2023, for further discussion; and

WHEREAS, further discussions were conducted the week of October 23, 2023, with the five proposers and on November 9, 2023, the top two proposals were selected for further study: Urban Renaissance Group at Lloyd Center and Portland State University; and

WHEREAS, on January 31, 2024, the two proposers were each awarded $50,000 grants from the City’s Spectator Venues Program to develop conceptual designs and test the feasibility of their sites for a new performing arts facility; and

WHEREAS, on May 22, 2024, the City received an economic impact study to better understand the impacts of a closure of the venue for a potential future renovation which showed that the combined economic impact of a venue closure, with no alternative location for shows, would be profound; and 

WHEREAS, on May 28, 2024, an independent cost consultant with extensive experience in performing arts facilities retained by Metro, estimated the costs of the three proposals: Keller renovation, $290M; Lloyd Center, $429M and Portland State University, $447M; and

WHEREAS, on May 29, 2024, all three groups presented their renovation and new facility design concepts to City Council and more than 61 community members and interested parties signed up to testify and provide written testimony; and

WHEREAS, on May 31, 2024, formal public outreach began, including targeted stakeholder engagement meetings with Metropolitan Exposition and Recreation Commissioners, Arts Organizations, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts Youth Council, Travel Portland, Portland Metro Chamber, Portland’5 Staff, Labor (IATSE Local 28), Independent Venues and Portland’5 Community Arts and Culture Council, and a monthlong public survey to hear community members’ values and priorities for a new or renovated premier performing arts facility; and

WHEREAS, on July 8, 2024, the formal public outreach period closed and the City and its consultants began analyzing feedback data to create a community engagement summary report for City Council; and

WHEREAS, during the outreach period and at the May 29, 2024, City Council presentation, two key themes emerged: first, that there is a preference among users, arts groups, employees, labor unions, operators, regional tourism interests and Central City business interests to avoid any closure period that impacts the ability to hold large productions at Keller Auditorium; and second, that there is a high level of attachment to the current site, its proximity to the Keller Fountain, and concern about what would happen to the current site if large theatrical productions were moved to a new venue; and   

WHEREAS, after evaluating the economic impact study and receiving extensive input from users, arts groups, employees, operators, regional tourism interests and Central City business interests, it is evident that the negative impacts of a construction closure could be avoided if an alternative option exists that would not shutdown operations for any extended period of time; and

WHEREAS, the City is committed to finding alternatives to avoiding the negative impact of construction closures. Possibilities include building a new facility on an alternative site or providing a suitable temporary location for displaced events; and

WHEREAS, when asked to consider the alternative location sites, there was a prevalent theme that stakeholders would like to see the new facility located in the greater Downtown area on the west side of the Willamette River; and

WHEREAS, making Downtown Portland a regional tourist destination is identified as a long-term goal of the Portland Central City Task Force.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this resolution with the Community Engagement Report attached as Exhibit A is accepted by the City Council; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council recognizes the significant efforts invested into this important community conversation by community partners including the Halprin Landscape Conservancy, Portland State University, Lloyd Center, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, Metro, the Metropolitan Exposition and Recreation Commission, Portland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theater, Broadway Across America, theatrical laborers, and many others; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council has heard from the community and believes the flagship performing arts facility should be located on the west side of the Willamette River, in the Downtown or South Downtown part of the Central City; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Urban Renaissance Group and the entire team who worked tirelessly to develop the conceptual proposal for a new performing arts facility at the Lloyd Center site; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council recognizes the severely negative economic, social and cultural impacts that a prolonged closure of the Keller Auditorium, without a suitable alternative location to host its events, would have on the City, Downtown, workers, performers, Portland’5 Centers for the Arts; and the entire performing arts ecosystem; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that City staff are directed to immediately engage in further conversations with Portland State University and the Halprin Landscape Conservancy to seek a collaborative solution that combines their respective projects into a cohesive and mutually supportive vision for performing arts and the cultural vitality of the Downtown and South Downtown area including activation and revitalization of the Keller block and 310/330 SW Lincoln Street as well as the Halprin Open Space Sequence; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that City staff, Portland State University, and the Halprin Landscape Conservancy are requested to jointly report back to City Council on October 9, 2024.