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WHEREAS, Portland has a long and storied history with professional baseball beginning as far back as 1884 with the formation of the Willamettes of East Portland and including teams such as the Webfooters, Giants, Beavers, Roses, Mavericks, and Rockies among others; and 

WHEREAS, the State of Oregon recognizes the benefits Major League Baseball would bring to the City, region, and state and passed a funding provision to help make that a reality in 2003 that is still in statute; and

WHEREAS, Portland has not been home to professional baseball since the Portland Beavers played their final game at PGE Park (now Providence Park) on September 6, 2010; and

WHEREAS, professional baseball brings a wide range of social, cultural, and economic benefits to its home communities; and

WHEREAS, Major League Baseball leadership has indicated a desire to add two expansion teams to the league within the next few years; and 

WHEREAS, Portland is being considered for a future Major League Baseball expansion franchise, as it is one of the largest unserved markets in the country and is strategically located on the west coast; and 

WHEREAS, Portland is passionately supportive of its professional sports teams including the Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association, Timbers of Major League Soccer, and Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League; and

WHEREAS, the recent announcement of Portland’s award of a Women’s National Basketball Association franchise that will begin play at the Moda Center in 2026 is a testament to Portland’s strength as a sports town; and

WHEREAS, Major League Baseball is the highest level of baseball league in the world; and 

WHEREAS, with no Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, or National Football League franchise, Portland has even more capacity for top-level professional sports franchises; and 

WHEREAS, the future strength of Portland’s Central City depends in large part on robust sports, entertainment, travel, and tourism offerings to ensure it remains an attractive area for investment and development; and 

WHEREAS, the City has worked closely with the Portland Diamond Project as they have tirelessly sought to position Portland as an attractive option for a Major League Baseball franchise; and 

WHEREAS, with the participation of public and private partners, the City and Prosper Portland have made many investments in the South Waterfront Central District and on the Schnitzer Campus, including transportation infrastructure, development assistance, and a signature riverfront greenway that have effectively transformed portions of the area from an industrial brownfield to a thriving mixed-use urban neighborhood; and 

WHEREAS, the Portland Diamond Project has recently secured the opportunity to develop the 30.85-acre Zidell Yards, located in the center of South Waterfront, which is one of the last remaining large urban redevelopment opportunities in the Central City; and 

WHEREAS, with its vibrant urban riverfront location, views of multiple cascade peaks, and excellent pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access, a Major League Baseball stadium built on the Zidell Yards site would instantly become one of the most scenic stadiums in the league; and

WHEREAS, Zidell Yards is located within the North Macadam Tax Increment Finance District and areas to the north and south of Zidell Yards have benefited from public investments made in the Tram, Streetcar, Light Rail, and Willamette River Greenway; and

WHEREAS, Portland’s investments have successfully supported job and campus growth for both OHSU and PSU in South Waterfront; and

WHEREAS, Portland’s investments in the North Macadam Tax Increment Finance District have catalyzed growth and expansion of housing, commercial, and mixed-use development; and

WHEREAS, Prosper Portland acknowledges that the most successful stadiums are paired with high-quality real estate development and transportation infrastructure to create thriving entertainment anchored districts; and

WHEREAS, the North Macadam Tax Increment Finance District will reach maximum indebtedness in June 2025; and 

WHEREAS, it is in the City’s best interest to continue to support the Portland Diamond Project in its effort to bring Major League Baseball to Portland including its current effort to secure the Zidell Yards site in the South Waterfront District.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that City Council directs the City Administrator to lead staff across the appropriate service areas to establish a working group that ensures the Portland is well positioned to be awarded a Major League Baseball team; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that City staff are directed to work with the Portland Diamond Project and ZRZ Realty to support Portland Diamond Project’s acquisition of Zidell Yards as the site for a world class baseball park and ensure potential development is aligned with City planning and development goals; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that City staff are directed to evaluate City-owned assets and properties for opportunities that could be included as part of a competitive baseball franchise package that would increase the attractiveness of Portland’s proposal; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if Portland is selected by Major League Baseball as a home for a franchise, the City will take all necessary steps per Senate Bill 5 (2003) to work with the league, ownership, and other levels of government, including the State of Oregon, to bring the dream to fruition; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Portland fully supports the Portland Diamond Project’s proposal and will continue to advocate to bring Major League Baseball to a new stadium at Portland’s Zidell Yards.