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Portland's sports, arts and entertainment venues support the local economy and they offer residents and visitors a place to have fun, whether that means being able to enjoy a concert or cheer on the Trail Blazers at an NBA game.
The Spectator Venues Program oversees the City of Portland's interests in City-owned venues, including the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Providence Park and Moda Center.
Collectively, these venues attract millions of visitors every year and generate millions of dollars that support the local economy.
Read the 2023-2024 Spectator Venues and Visitor Activities Annual Report.
Operations and Funding
City-owned venues are operated through long-term agreements that are tailored to each specific venue. Generally, the City pays for some facility capital costs and debt service associated with major renovations, and receives revenues from ticket fees and parking in the City’s garages.
The Spectator Venues Program also plays an active role in supporting travel, tourism and economic development in greater Portland through partnerships with such organizations as Travel Portland and Sport Oregon.
The program is funded by the Spectator Venues & Visitor Activities Fund, with revenue originating from ticket fees, parking revenues and an allocation from the Multnomah County Visitor Facilities Trust Account, which is funded by a 2.5% transient lodging tax surcharge and a 2.5% vehicle rental tax surcharge.
Accessibility
The City is working closely with its operational partners at all facilities to incorporate accessible features wherever possible. Visitors are encouraged to review individual venue websites to learn about accommodations prior to visiting. As part of these efforts, the City of Portland has adopted an Americans With Disabilities Act Title II Transition Plan.
Places
Spectator Venues Leadership
Karl Lisle
Karl Lisle has led the Spectator Venues and Visitor Activities program for the City of Portland since 2019. In this role, Karl manages the City's long-term interests in venues including the Moda Center, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and Providence Park Stadium. These facilities are all operated through partnerships with public or private third parties, and a major focus of his work is curating positive relationships with the venue operators and planning for the future of the venues. Recent accomplishments include the successful renegotiation and extension of an arena operating lease with the city's NBA franchise, launching a $60 million renovation of the historic Veterans Memorial Coliseum, contributing to the successful award of a new WNBA franchise to Portland, and helping to bring major concerts back to the city's downtown stadium for the first time in over a decade.
During his 25+ year tenure with the City, Karl has overseen performing arts buildings and worked on long-range planning and development issues including urban renewal, zoning, historic preservation, retail, housing, transportation, and economic development in Portland's Central City and Downtown. Karl holds a master's degree in urban planning from the University of Toronto and undergraduate degrees in geography and French from the University of Oregon. He is a current member of the Urban Land Institute's Entertainment and Development Product Council.