Portland City Council AM Session 08/05/26

6:28Good morning.

6:29I'm calling to order this meeting of the Portland City Council.

6:32It is Wednesday, August 5th.

6:36Poor Councilor Koyama Lane is all alone by over there.

6:39Keelan, could we please call the roll?

6:41Good morning.

6:42Koyama Lane.

6:43Here.

6:44Moreno.

6:45Here.

6:45Quick.

6:48Here.

6:49Clark.

6:50Here.

6:51Green.

6:52Here.

6:53Zimmerman.

6:56Avalos.

6:57Present.

6:59Smith.

7:01Here.

7:03Kanal.

7:06Here.

7:09Here today.

7:10Ryan.

7:10Here.

7:11Dunphy.

7:12Here.

7:13And could we please call, uh, read the rules of decorum for the chamber?

7:17Good morning.

7:17Welcome to the Portland City Council.

7:19To testify before council in person or virtually, you must sign up in advance in the council agenda at www.portland.gov/council/agenda.

7:28Information on engaging with council can be found on the council clerk's webpage.

7:31Individuals may testify for 3 minutes unless the presiding officer states otherwise.

7:34Your microphone will be muted when your time is over.

7:37The presiding officer preserves order.

7:39Disruptive conduct such as shouting, refusing to conclude your testimony when your time is up, or interrupting others' testimony or council deliberations will not be allowed.

7:46If you cause a disruption, a warning will be given.

7:48Further disruption will result in ejection from the meeting.

7:51Anyone who fails to leave once ejected is subject to arrest for trespass.

7:54Additionally, council may take a short recess and reconvene virtually.

7:57Your testimony should address the matter being considered when testifying.

8:00Thank you, Council Clerk Rebecca Dobert.

8:01State your name for the record.

8:02Your address is not necessary.

8:03If you're a lobbyist, identify the organization you represent.

8:06Virtual testifiers should unmute themselves when the council clerk calls your name.

8:09Thank you.

8:10Thank you very much, colleagues.

8:11We have a few things to get through before I know the main show is here, what I suspect almost everybody's here for.

8:17Our first item is, as every week, is agenda approval.

8:21Are there any requests to amend the agenda, to reorder items, or reschedule an item to a future meeting date?

8:28No.

8:28Uh, do I have unanimous consent to approve the agenda?

8:32The agenda is approved.

8:34Thank you very much.

8:36Item 2, can we please call public communications?

8:41First up, we have Galeb Ben Inhotep El.

8:47I'm coming.

8:49Come on down.

8:50Thank you very much.

8:51We'll wait just a second as you come on downstairs.

8:58Is this the time where I tell a joke?

8:59Yes.

9:00Okay.

9:00Please.

9:01What has 5 toes and isn't your foot?

9:05It's my foot.

9:09Oh my God.

9:10Thank you.

9:12I was going to ask if it was like a frog's foot or some other animal.

9:16I know.

9:18You need, you need 9 votes to relieve a council president.

9:23Mr. President, as someone with 4 toes on one foot and 3 on the other, I must take offense at your toeist— Apologies, Councilor Novick.

9:34Welcome, sir.

9:35Introduce yourself for the record.

9:36You're welcome to share your pronouns, and you have 3 minutes.

9:38Hello, um, good morning.

9:40I am Galib Benimotebel, and I'm domiciled in District 4.

9:45As someone who regularly attends these meetings and other committee meetings as well.

9:51I have consistently sought to bring about sustainable, constructive solutions to this chamber.

10:01Through every public testimony and committee meeting, one thing has resonated resoundingly in my ears and hopefully in yours as well, and that is the word change.

10:12Today I am formally offering my services to the City of Portland as a candidate for the change management position that may open up in the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, if it ever becomes available or if it has already.

10:29Based strictly on traditional credentialing, I possess some college education, no actual degree as of yet.

10:38I have an NCCR certification, which means that I'm pretty good with construction, even though my real-world experience in construction is much more impressive than just the NCCR certification.

10:49I also have an OSHA 10 certification as well.

10:52You will also notice that I have served 6 years in prison for a felony DUI, a tragic event where I lost someone that was like a brother to me.

11:01Not any one of those events or any combination of those events defines who I am as a person and what I bring to the table.

11:08I have an extensive skill set.

11:10Thank you.

11:11Portland has sown a transformation in me, a lived, real-world experience of change, structural adaptation, transparency, and complete and total accountability.

11:28To truly lead change within any organization or municipality, one must understand what It means to rebuild from the ground up and have actually done the work within themselves first.

11:55The fruits of that transformation, I would be remiss to deny Portland.

12:00And there is one saying in this situation that I think applies very well here.

12:04Use your heart, not your eyes.

12:08My complete packet, including my statement of intent, a verifiable background, and my contact details, have been submitted to the clerk for your review.

12:19And I would ask respectfully that you direct my materials to the BPS leadership and human resources.

12:27A recommendation or two wouldn't hurt.

12:29Thank you.

12:30Thank you for your consideration to a more progressive Portland.

12:34And just know that no matter what you choose or how I feel about that choice, I love you all unconditionally.

12:42Thank you.

12:43Thank you so much for being here.

12:45Also, perfect timing.

12:47Next up, we have David Guither.

12:57Good morning and welcome.

12:58Morning.

12:59Let's go ahead and introduce yourself for the record in 3 minutes.

13:04David Guither.

13:04I'm a lease driver with Radio Cab.

13:08Unfortunately, some of the finest minds of our generation are being put to the task of eliminating human drivers, especially professional drivers, and that It's very sad.

13:22They could be curing cancer.

13:23No, they're trying to get people out of jobs so that the billionaires who control Waymo and the other autonomous vehicle companies can make even more money.

13:37Anyway, the safety comparisons are very interesting to me because they, they generally don't take into account professional drivers.

13:46They say human drivers.

13:47Human drivers.

13:48That's true, but professional drivers are vastly better, and human drivers have a lot of flaws, especially between 11 at night and 3 in the morning when 90% of the drivers on the road are impaired either from drugs, alcohol, or lack of sleep.

14:07And the police came up with that statistic.

14:12What we're facing now is a situation where the city is looking at sanctioning a group of very well-financed non-human-driven vehicles to take over the taxi business.

14:28Now, they have invested billions of dollars in putting this company together.

14:33They're not coming here to take 5 or 10% of the business or even grow the pie, so to speak.

14:40They're here to make incredible amounts of money, which— That's not true.

14:44I don't know where they expect to get it from.

14:47One of the problems with the safety aspect is they don't take into account the distraction that their vehicles cause by just driving around.

14:58When they stop, moving them is virtually impossible for the fire or police.

15:03Towing them requires special equipment.

15:06And the monitors are in the Philippines.

15:09Hopefully somebody has those on a speed dial at PBOT.

15:12Thank you.

15:13To get them to move the vehicles if they decide to stop at a fire hydrant or in the middle of an intersection or wherever they stop.

15:21The other side problems, collateral damage, is public transit.

15:26They can come in at almost zero cost to the consumer, cut into public transit, which they have in most of the other cities that have brought these vehicles in.

15:37And And that hinders our public transit considerably.

15:44All of the other cities involved have sales taxes, so they have a chance to recoup some of the costs.

15:52And they also have high tech bases.

15:54Austin, Texas comes into mind where even though the human drivers are 4% better, human professional drivers, they still have active Thank you so much for being here today.

16:16Next up, we have Jennifer McMillan.

16:21Good morning.

16:21Welcome.

16:24Go ahead and introduce yourself for the record.

16:27You're welcome to share your pronouns, and you have 3 minutes.

16:29Jennifer McMillan representing AFSCME Local 3135.

16:34Thank you.

16:34Go ahead.

16:35Good morning, Chair and Councilors.

16:37For years, my 2 children and I have lived in Home Forward's public housing.

16:42Now I am a homeowner.

16:44For the last 15 years, I have worked for Home Forward, and I am currently a policy and quality control coordinator.

16:52I also have the honor of representing AFSCME Local 3135, which is the voice of more than half of the employees at Home Forward.

17:03As union president, I have publicly spoken about concerns regarding Home Forward's leadership.

17:09These concerns are real, and our members have called for greater accountability and meaningful change.

17:16We have been through a difficult period, and important work is still ahead.

17:21Our union has begun working with Michael and Chair Kim.

17:26We are encouraged by their willingness to engage with employees and address longstanding challenges.

17:32Our expectations have not changed.

17:35We will continue to advocate for accountability, transparency, and strong leadership.

17:42We have already requested that employees have a voice in hiring the next executive director and CFO because we believe that lasting solutions require collaboration.

17:55We are also encouraged by the efforts that are underway to address issues such as safety in our communities, work that we believe will have a meaningful impact on both our residents and staff.

18:09Many of you have been asking difficult questions of Home Forward, and that oversight is important and accountability matters.

18:18But I also know what Home Forward can accomplish when it has strong leadership and effective governance.

18:25I am living proof that the opportunities the agency can create, and I remain committed to helping it succeed.

18:33That is why I've taken time off of work today to speak to you today.

18:38For more than 6 months, the Board of Commissioners has operated without a full board, with most vacancies existing even longer.

18:46No commission can be at its best when one-third of its 2 seats are vacant.

18:53Every vacancy represents another voice missing from the conversation, another perspective absent from important decisions, and one less commissioner providing oversight and accountability.

19:08A full board isn't simply about filling positions.

19:11It's about strengthening governance at a time when Home Forward needs to rebuild trust and address significant challenges.

19:17Thank you.

19:18Today I respectfully ask you to move forward with the appointments for the Home Forward board.

19:23Filling these vacancies is an opportunity to strengthen governance, support accountability, and help Home Forward continue the work of rebuilding confidence and delivering on its mission.

19:34Thank you for your time, your service, and your consideration.

19:38Thank you so much for being here this morning.

19:41Next up we have Jacob Schnorr.

19:54Jacob Schnorr.

19:59Next we have Kathleen Sadat.

20:06Yeah.

20:18Good morning.

20:19My name is Kathleen Sadat.

20:21I've been an activist and a bureaucrat.

20:24I've held positions with the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and Oregon state government.

20:29I have been involved in advocating for people of all colors, women, poor people, the disabled, and along with Keyston Lowry, I hope to craft our city's civil rights ordinance protecting the LGBTQ community.

20:41Thank you.

20:42LGBTQ+ communities.

20:44There's only—.

20:45There's— that's enough.

20:46I only have 3 minutes.

20:49I'm here to express my feelings and present recommendations regarding the way I see our Portland city government members treating one another.

21:00I am angry.

21:02I am frustrated seeing the name-calling, slights, and disrespect I am confused.

21:12I present my thoughts without identifying any individual as being responsible for my angst because I consider each and every one of you to be responsible for the overall functioning of this council.

21:28There is a difference between advocacy and governing.

21:34We elected you to govern.

21:39We hired you to set policy and facilitate change.

21:43We want you to work together without recreating in Portland what we currently see at the federal level.

21:53Please keep manifestations of your personal likes and dislikes out of council chambers.

21:59They are not the business of the people.

22:04In your position as city councilor, I encourage you to continue to expand your knowledge of the people of Portland and pay attention to what we say.

22:14I ask that you develop your positions on policy by using relevant— at minimum, relevant data, documented need, available resources, the opinions of those affected by the policy.

22:29Thank you.

22:30And how the policy expresses the values of the city of Portland.

22:34And I expect each of you to reflect those values.

22:40I don't want to see you paid to bicker.

22:42I don't want to pay you to call one another names or disparage one another.

22:49For over 40 years, I have been a trainer in the areas of diversity, inclusion, and equity, believing we can do better working together than against one another.

22:58Some of your behaviors thank you.

23:04You, because of your positions, are now role models for the— for diversity, for younger people, for people aspiring to elected office.

23:12You are modeling how to work together and how to disagree with dignity and self-control.

23:18I encourage you to think globally, act locally, and know when your ego is in the way of progress and put it in your desk drawer.

23:26Thank you.

23:34Thank you very much.

23:37Um, our alternate today is Robert Butler.

23:43Robert Butler.

23:46That completes communications.

23:48Thank you very much, Keelan.

23:49Uh, Councilor Kanal.

23:50Yeah, thank you, Council President.

23:52Um, I just wanted to clarify something because it, uh, for— it came up in, um, Miss McMillan's testimony.

23:58Um, there were Yes.

23:59There were some Home Forward board appointments that were placed onto an upcoming Committee of the Whole agenda, and then they were removed from it, and it might have appeared that that was because of a council decision to delay that or to withhold that conversation.

24:13That is not the case.

24:15The proposer of the document was the mayor, and it was withdrawn by the mayor.

24:19As soon as those appointments are resubmitted, those will be placed on a Committee of the Whole agenda.

24:24As promptly as possible and considered.

24:26Just wanted to make sure everyone was aware of how that got to be added and then removed.

24:30Thank you.

24:30Thank you, Councilor Kanal.

24:32Colleagues, our 3rd item on the agenda is the presidential update.

24:35I'm going to hear— turn it over to City Administrator Lee to see if there's any status updates regarding our ongoing responses to federal interventions in the city.

24:43City Administrator.

24:44Thank you, Council President, and good morning, City Council.

24:47The parties have conferred and will continue to work with the court to set a briefing and hearing schedule.

24:54The building owner has until September the 8th, 2026, to file its final writ of review challenging, uh, the city's hearing officer's decision.

25:06That will then put the issue squarely, uh, in the hands of the County Circuit Court for consideration.

25:15And this is related to the land use.

25:18As we look at the chemical ammunitions, as you know, the period for comment closed earlier.

25:25We are looking at the permanent ban rule to go into effect around August 26th.

25:32I believe we do have staff here to answer any questions.

25:35I know Councilor Morillo had questions as it relates to maybe some of the comments as it relates to that have coming out of the public comment period that we can address as well.

25:45Thank you.

25:45And that's the latest that we have.

25:48Thank you very much, City Administrator.

25:50Colleagues, any questions?

25:53Okay, thank you very much.

25:56Keelan, can we please move to item number 4?

25:58Document 2026-224, reappoint Marcelino Alvarez and Eric Kress to the Prosper Portland Board of Commissioners for terms to expire September 5th, 2029.

26:10Thank you very much.

26:11Colleagues, this is a, uh, report coming to us out of, uh, the Committee of the Whole.

26:16We have had some conversation about this, but we are— have folks available, uh, in the room for technical or clarifying questions.

26:22And I understand there are some folks signed up for public testimony.

26:26Um, colleagues, before we invite testimony, are there any technical or clarifying questions about these appointments?

26:35We will not be having a second, uh, presentation.

26:39Okay, Keelan, can we please call public testimony on this item if there's anybody signed up?

26:46No one signed up.

26:47Okay, my notes are wrong.

26:48Great.

26:49Councilor Kanal.

26:51Thank you, uh, Council President.

26:53Um, I'll try to make this brief just because I know we have the main event, as you put it, to get to.

26:57Um, during the Committee of the Whole, I asked questions of one of the 2 reappointees.

27:02Both are reappointees, but one was appointed One was appointed in April of this year for the first time.

27:06No concerns about that.

27:07The other was in office during the time which the City Council considered the increase of a settlement to folks who were displaced from Lower Albina by the proposed expansion of Legacy Emanuel Hospital.

27:21At the time, we were told that Prosper would consider chipping in its share of it.

27:27That information does not appear to have made its way onto a Prosper agenda.

27:31Thank you.

27:31And so I asked an appointee, a proposed reappointee, I should say, if he would be willing to request that that be something that Prosper discuss publicly, not to commit to a particular outcome, but to have the conversation about whether it makes sense for an $8.5 million settlement to be $7.5 million from the city and $1 million from Prosper.

27:52I feel sufficiently comfortable with the response I got to know that that will be on an agenda.

27:57And I spoke to the Deputy City Administrator who liaises with Prosper.

28:00Thank you.

28:00With Prosper as well.

28:01So, um, I— it may have appeared that there was, um, opposition or reason for that, but just wanted to clarify that, and I'll be comfortable voting yes on both appointees today.

28:10Thank you.

28:10Thank you very much, Councilor Kanal.

28:12Colleagues, any further discussion about these appointments?

28:17Seeing none, Keelan, can we please call the roll?

28:21For this report, we'll want a motion to accept the report.

28:24Can I have a motion to accept?

28:26Second.

28:27Councilor Kanal moves, Vice President Clark seconds.

28:30Oh, I'm sorry, Zimmerman.

28:31I see everybody screwed up.

28:33I always hear dark, deep voices from the left side of me.

28:37Not— um, could we please, uh, call the roll now?

28:46Okay, so for this report moved by Councilor Zimmerman, seconded by Clark, Koyama Lane.

28:52Aye.

28:52Morillo.

28:53Aye.

28:54Novick.

28:56Deep Voices from the Left is a great book from the 1930s, by the way.

28:59Aye.

29:00Clark.

29:01Aye.

29:02Green.

29:04Aye.

29:05Zimmerman.

29:06I'll sign it for you, Novick.

29:07Aye.

29:09Avalos.

29:10Aye.

29:11Smith.

29:12Aye.

29:12Kanal.

29:14Aye.

29:14Pirtle-Guiney.

29:15Aye.

29:16Ryan.

29:17Aye.

29:18Aye.

29:19The appointments are confirmed with a vote of 12 ayes.

29:22Thank you very much.

29:23Can we please call item number 5?

29:28Document 2026-280, authorize a non-binding term sheet with Rip City Management LLC and Trail Blazers Holdings LLC outlining the terms for Moda Center arena renovations operating and lease agreements that will keep the Portland Trail Blazers Thank you, colleagues.

29:49Before us today is a term sheet for the negotiation of a 20-year operating lease on the Moda Center between the City of Portland and the Portland Trail Blazers.

29:57But for the sake of the public, I think it is important to ground us in this moment in time and the unusual circumstances we find ourselves in.

30:05We started this process with an understanding that on August 12th, you all would be voting on a negotiated term sheet that represents a general agreement between the city and the Portland Trail Blazers State, to extend the lease for 20 years.

30:14Thank you, Councilor Rip City Management, and the NBA.

30:17The term sheet that has been filed for your consideration has not been subjected to back-and-forth negotiations.

30:23It was drafted by the city's legal and negotiating team to reflect a reasonable starting point that reflects requirements contained in SB 1501 negotiated with Rip City Management, important benefits for Portland, and the outcomes that councilors have said that they would like to see addressed.

30:41After sharing a first draft with Rip City management, we expected that there would be some official back and forth.

30:47Had that happened, staff would be bringing council trade-offs and identifying openings.

30:52We would be having a meatier conversation about what is possible with our negotiating partner and what we want to prioritize within the window of possibility.

31:01But that did not happen.

31:04We were glad to have our, our Friends with the from the Blazers joined us in the work session last week.

31:09But as to the question of what the Blazers want to see in this term sheet for the future of the team in Portland, we are still waiting for the team to engage.

31:18The term sheet has been broadly acknowledged for what it is: a reasonable first draft that demonstrates that the city wants to keep the Blazers in Portland and maximize public benefits through long-term public partnerships and public investment.

31:33The final lease agreement in December must build on that, must be more comprehensive and describe what the future of the Moda Center looks like and what it means for Portland.

31:45To be clear, Portland City Councilors are not the city's negotiators.

31:49By charter, the mayor and our negotiating team are under his authority, and they are the negotiating body of our government.

31:57City Council's task is to give advice, Advice and consent on terms negotiated by our city team, the joint authority with the state and the Portland Trail Blazers.

32:08Importantly, via our power of the purse, we must formally approve this and any negotiated deal that commits public funds.

32:17We have always called this a middle-of-the-bat proposal, and I'd agree, in some ways this opening proposal looks more like what we'd expect to see at the end of a negotiation than what some of us wanted to see as a first proposal.

32:29Anybody who's been following this conversation can see that the compromise is already built into this sheet.

32:35Our good faith and discipline is something to be proud of, balanced with recognition that there is absolutely more that we could be asking for.

32:43So to that end, today we will hear testimony from invited panelists and from the public on this term sheet.

32:49We expect it to take the full day.

32:51Tomorrow we will return as a body to discuss what we have heard before returning next week for a final vote.

32:59Last week, this body went through the term sheet in detail.

33:04There have been some minimal adjustments since that time.

33:07In the service of time and to ensure that everyone who has come here today has the opportunity to speak, I'd like to move now to hear from our invited guests and from the public.

33:17There are also, as I understand it, some Amendments that are being proposed.

33:23I'd like to recognize councilors to not to introduce them, but to explain them.

33:27We'll be formally introducing amendments tomorrow, but I'd like it so that the public could have an opportunity to hear what is on the table.

33:33So Councilor Novick and then Councilor Green.

33:37Thank you, Mr. President.

33:41And I have 3 amendments.

33:42One is to raise the ticket revenue user fee from 6% to 7%.

33:477%, With the additional percent to be spent as the city sees fit.

33:52Another is to state that the city gets 100% of non-Blazer event parking revenues.

33:59And the third would be to ask the Blazers to commit that they will continue to make $2 million a year in charitable donations to the community through the Blazer Foundation.

34:10Thank you, Councilor Novick.

34:10Councilor Green and Morillo.

34:13Yeah, thank you.

34:14My amendment does 2 broad objectives.

34:17The first is to add clarifying language about the duties and authorities of the joint authority that we will be establishing by the term sheet to provide both a role for, you know, council to appoint someone, but also to remove someone, to have more accountability over the process and to make sure that they know that they're supposed to be approving expenditures that are in the public interest.

34:42So that's the first piece.

34:44The second piece strikes whole cloth, the post-renovation contribution over the course of 20 years, keeping more free cash flow for the city to choose to invest in the Moda Center if it wishes, but not encumber that entirety, which lowers the overall exposure to the city of Portland to $120 million, not $400 million.

35:04And then there are some edits in the financial impact statements side of the resolution itself that strike claims that are unsubstantiated in the 2023 economic impact analysis.

35:16So that's what the amendments do.

35:18Thanks.

35:18Thank you, Councilor.

35:19Councilor Murillo, do you have anything?

35:21Thank you, Council President.

35:22I have 2 amendments that I'm bringing forward.

35:25The first one is Morillo 1, and it says that 30 days before the council votes on a formal definitive document or any ordinance that Councilor Smith.

35:32Thank you, Mayor.

35:32I have a question for Deputy City Administrator Donnie Oliveira.

35:32So when the council authorizes city bonds, basically anything that has to do with the city committing financials, that we have to get information about how those funds are going to be used and the potential impacts on our city funds moving forward.

35:45So one of the things that I specifically listed is if we're going to be bonding, how that's going to impact other projects that council has already approved, like SIP, the Sidewalk Improvement Plan, because obviously there's only so much of that that we can do.

35:59The second amendment is just about— sorry, the second amendment is about street pricing and just making sure that when folks are attending the Moda Center, it's just part of a fair deal that they're going to be able to get regular street pricing for any of the food or things that they are purchasing there.

36:24So the first amendment is just going to be an analysis of the opportunity costs that the city will have if we commit to any funding or do any bonding, and that the administration would have to provide us with an analysis of how that would impact other projects that we've already approved.

36:38Thank you.

36:39Thank you, Councilor Morillo.

36:40I have 2 colleagues in the queue.

36:42Is it also for amendments?

36:43Councilor Smith?

36:44No, it's a technical question.

36:46Okay, Mr. President, thank you.

36:47Um, I want to make sure that folks know that this term sheet is a non-binding term sheet.

36:55Is that correct?

36:56That is correct.

36:57Okay, thank you.

36:58Thank you, Councilor Smith.

37:00Councilor Knoll.

37:01Thank you, Councilor Dunphy.

37:02I'm also considering 2 amendments.

37:04Um, one of them, evidently, uh, Councilor Novick and I had some similar notes at Lippe Piers.

37:09Um, one is to, uh, increase the user fee to 7%, but it also, um, includes an increase in the, um, property tax offset from, um, $3 million to $4 million a year and from 5% to 7% in the escalator.

37:22So that's 3 components of a single amendment.

37:25The other is to the resolution itself, which would add a be it further resolved noting that in the use or potential use of restricted funds would require a standard city evaluation process, which includes the receipt of information from Rip City Management and/or Trailblazers Holding, including an itemized list of things that may be eligible.

37:48For restricted funds with sufficient time to conduct the standard process for each restricted fund to ensure that we're not putting ourselves in a position where we might feel forced or feel compelled to waive that process for PSF or other restricted funds.

38:04Thanks.

38:05Thank you, Councilor Kanal.

38:06Councilor Maru.

38:08Just to add an additional clarifying question, while the term sheet is non-binding, What we move forward with here today is what our city team can negotiate based on, correct?

38:19Correct.

38:20So anything that is in this term sheet moving forward are the only things that our negotiating team is going to carry out for us?

38:28Okay, thank you, Councilor Morillo.

38:30Councilor Avalos.

38:33I guess I do have one more follow-up on that.

38:36Yes, I understand that that is essentially the ceiling, right?

38:40The term sheet is the ceiling, and that is what the negotiating team believes they have authority to do.

38:45But if there are opportunities along the negotiation where maybe, you know, the Blazers say, oh, actually we don't want this thing that we actually want, are— does the negotiating team feel like they will be able to pursue like better terms on our behalf?

39:03And I don't know how you define better, which is why I'm asking.

39:06I'm trying to understand how they are going to be— what they feel their limitations are.

39:11Okay.

39:15So I will turn it to the city administrator, but I will also just say that my understanding is the negotiating team, we are empowering them to go, and if there is a requirement for additional terms or things where some— for example, if something on this term sheet is simply unworkable with the Blazers, but there is a different path forward that they will be able to come and, you know, come back to the council and present to council.

39:36Thank you.

39:37Provided more with us.

39:37And City Administrator, if you can help from there.

39:40You're 100% correct, Council President and Councilor Avalos.

39:43You know, this does give us a framework, but it does not box us in from the standpoint of there's other things that come up that previously have not come up as a part of these negotiations that it is off the table for us to be able to negotiate to bring back the best possible terms and conditions to the City Council.

40:06And a follow-up on that is— and we don't have to talk about it right now, but maybe a question for you to think about and help find a solution.

40:17Help me understand, what are the ways that you're going to inform council about new developments, right?

40:24Like, I just want to make sure— I know that we've got the joint authority, obviously that's their main job, but again, if there is a new opportunity that is enticing or you all like aren't sure if it's something that you want to do, Something what are the ways that you're going to inform council about that?

40:36That we would be interested in?

40:38Is that something that, you know, will be brought to an executive session and say, hey, new development, what do you think?

40:44Is it something where along this— between now and December, council can or should update this term sheet, or update—.

40:53Maybe not the term sheet, but the resolution, or write another resolution?

40:57I'm just trying to understand from this point because I know that we're trying to put our best foot forward with this term sheet.

41:04I hope that we can strengthen it with some of these amendments, but I just want to understand what are the other places you believe Council will be able to give more feedback along the way.

41:15If there's any changes or things that we need to have council to take under consideration, that would be done in executive session for negotiation terms to give us consensus on where the council is wanting us to proceed with negotiations with the Trail Blazers.

41:34And Councilor, as Council President, I think it is my responsibility to ensure that councilors are not surprised by something that arrives on their desks in December.

41:42The public deserves to understand where things are going, and the councilors deserve progress updates as we receive them.

41:47So I will be ensuring that this council continues to get good information.

41:53Thank you.

41:53And I'll just say to end, the reason I'm trying to put this I want to know if there are going to be chances for us to maybe propose other things, or again, if there are new developments that arise, that we will have some flexibility or some authority to say, hey, yeah, let's take on this opportunity.

42:15So that's, that's why I'm planting this and getting clarity.

42:18But I appreciate that it sounds like we will have space in exec session to further discuss that.

42:23Councilor Smith, I appreciate that.

42:25Thank you, Councilor.

42:31Yes, absolutely.

42:32Councilor Pervikini.

42:33Thank you, Council President.

42:34I just want to put a finer point on the conversation that Councilor Avalos was just having.

42:39I think it was important because we heard 2 different perspectives on what this term sheet means.

42:45Should we and should the public see whatever— wherever we end up, When we do a final vote, as what the council and the city through us is saying seems like a fair proposal, since to your point, we didn't get feedback, but certainly not the ceiling in what we can do.

43:06And I ask it that way because I know in some negotiations you come with your first offer, the other side comes with their first offer, and you work closer together.

43:13But it seems like we're not at that point.

43:14Thank you.

43:15It seems from what we've heard that this is going to be a more fluid process than that.

43:19Is that accurate?

43:20That's my understanding, yes.

43:21Okay, thank you.

43:23Thank you, Councilor Pirtle-Guiney.

43:25Okay, to start us, we have a panel, a number of panels of invited testimony, and so I'm going to be calling up our invited testifiers, and then we will move to public testimony, and that will be our entire show today, is we are going to be hearing from all of you up and until so to start, I'd like to invite up Mike Phelan, Victoria Lara, and Kara Staretemeyer Phillips from the We Are Rip City Coalition to kick us off.

43:54Good morning.

43:55Good morning, Council President Dunphy and everyone on the council.

43:58Good to be here.

44:00My name is Mike Phelan.

44:01I've spent my entire career trying to build stages that are national and global for the culture of our city.

44:07And I just have a challenge for everyone today is to try to think— let's all try to think bigger as a community about this.

44:14What I've learned, the biggest takeaway in building culture, is within an ecosystem, the best strategy is don't lose what you have.

44:20Hold on to the assets that you have.

44:22Every time I go to a game, I eat at a local restaurant.

44:25Usually for me, it's Nong's Khao Man Gai right before a Blazer game.

44:29Every game, I'm one of 20,000 people doing the same thing— restaurant, bars, music venues, and yes, sports team are all part of this ecosystem.

44:37They collectively form our local, our national, and our global identity.

44:41It's taken years for these to develop.

44:43It can take minutes of bad decisions to, to unravel them.

44:47Part of this deal is pretty straightforward.

44:49I understand there's complications, and I respect what you all have to navigate, but the city needs to make an investment to unlock $365 million in state funding bonded directly against the revenues of the team— money that doesn't exist without the team being here in Portland.

45:03That's so lost from the dialogue often in the public.

45:06I'm having a hard time understanding why that isn't a good deal.

45:09I also want to challenge us what this could do if we don't get it right.

45:13Will it derail other momentum?

45:15You know, recently I was at the TEDxPortland event and I saw Rekia Adams and others showcasing the beautiful vision of Albina Vision and the 1803 Fund.

45:23I couldn't help but wonder what happens if we have an empty arena right in the middle of that.

45:27What a middle finger that is to one of the most ambitious projects in the history of our country.

45:32Thank you.

45:35As a— as also as a city, we don't control both sides of the deal.

45:39And I think sometimes it's a waste of time trying to think, trying to guess what others are thinking or what their intent might be.

45:45It's not our job.

45:46Our job as a city is to look back and say that we took care of everything that was within our power and that we showed up for our city and for everyone collectively working to make it a better place because this is so much bigger than a team.

45:59We all know.

45:59Thank you, Mayor.

46:00Blazers are 20% of what happens at the Moda Center.

46:03There's the fire, there's concerts.

46:04It's bigger than concerts.

46:05It's bigger than a building.

46:07It's bigger than a neighborhood.

46:08It's about the future of our city.

46:10It's about a signal and a direction that shows that we're able to do things that contribute to a much, much larger vision.

46:17I don't think history is going to be kind to us if we end up on the wrong side of this one.

46:21I think that impact will resonate far beyond this media and this election cycle.

46:27And I challenge all of us.

46:28Thank you.

46:31Thank you.

46:35Hola, buenos días.

46:38Mi nombre es Victoria Lara, and good afternoon, Mayor and councilors.

46:45For more than 25 years, I have dedicated my life to helping build a Portland where families thrive, small businesses succeed, and every community member feels like it belongs.

46:59I'm indigenous, and I'm— I came from Mexico almost 30 years ago.

47:06That's why I accepted the honor of serving as one of the co-chairs of We Are Rip City.

47:12But today I want to speak from my heart.

47:15Do you know, as a business owner or community leader, I want to speak to you as a mom.

47:22My son that's here, and he's gonna testify too, grew up in Portland, and like so many kids, he celebrated victories at the Moda Center, attended graduation concerts and community events.

47:37One of those events is El Grito Portland that I have organized for the last 20 years.

47:44It's a free event for everyone every September 15th and is the largest Latino event in the Pacific Northwest.

47:51It's not just parties and mariachis and tequila.

47:54Thank you.

47:54It's a platform for free resources for a lot of families.

47:59We get 10,000 to 15,000 people there.

48:03And every background, language, and neighborhood come together in one place.

48:09Every time we walk through the Moda doors, my son Israel, he seems everything powerful.

48:15He sees that his community belongs and everybody feels so proud.

48:21Thank you.

48:22As an immigrant and a single mother, that matters more than I can put into words because he celebrates his heritage, his cultures, and has the opportunity to unite both cultures.

48:35Because not just a Latino and a Mexican, he's an American too.

48:40He celebrates what he is, and every child deserves to grow up believing that there is a place for them in this city.

48:50Councilor Sameer Kanal.

48:51The Moda Center is more than an arena.

48:54It's where memories are made for us, for my son, where dreams begin for businesses, because we support and have supported thousands of businesses.

49:06And if you want to know, go there and check it out, because small businesses have grown.

49:13It's where thousands of workers earn a living And because of that, a lot of others get resources.

49:21It's where Portland comes together as one community.

49:26I really appreciate your commitment to protecting workers and ensuring fair wages and benefits.

49:33But I am so concerned that if we don't move forward, we risk losing jobs, losing opportunities for most businesses, and losing something that helps define who we are as a city.

49:46Councilmember this is more than a building.

49:49This is more than a negotiation.

49:52This is more than making sure and looking good in a negotiation.

49:56We cannot change the other side of the person or making him like a good person.

50:00I know he's a bad person.

50:04We know that.

50:05We cannot change him.

50:06I mean, forget about changing him.

50:09We cannot make nothing.

50:12Trying to do something that we cannot change is insanity.

50:15Councilor Smith.

50:16What we can do is look for Portland and fight for Portland and what it is and have hope and be persistent.

50:25Please don't let Portland lose something that we never get back.

50:30Thank you.

50:31Muchas gracias.

50:32Thank you very much.

50:37My name is Kara Stoudemire Phillips.

50:38I'm a native Portlander here today wearing 3 hats.

50:42First hat, I'm proud to help lead We Are Rip City.

50:46Second hat, I'm the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Moda Health.

50:51Moda Health and the Portland Trail Blazers began our partnership in 2013, and though yes, we are the naming rights partner, it has never been about just putting our name on a building.

51:01In seeking a naming rights partner, the Blazers wanted a homegrown Oregon company with an established commitment to community.

51:08Thank you.

51:09Moda topped that list, and we have been better together building healthier communities across the state of Oregon, starting right here in Portland, for 13 years.

51:20My third hat— like everyone in this room today and so many Portlanders, both native and transplants, I have my own personal Blazers love story.

51:31Mine began as a little girl listening to Blazer games on the radio.

51:34In my grandmother's living room, just blocks from the Memorial Coliseum in the Lower Albina neighborhood.

51:42My cousin Damon Stoudemire holds the same Blazers love story.

51:46He too grew up in Grandma's living room listening to Blazer games on the radio.

51:51Damon honed his basketball skills at Matt Dishman Community Center, then called Knott Street, and he attended Harriet Tubman Middle School, all in the Lower Albina neighborhood.

52:00Thank you.

52:01Less than half a mile from the Moda Center.

52:04That young man with hoop dreams grew up to play for the Portland Trail Blazers.

52:10In our City of Roses, roses do grow and bloom past thorns, and dreams do meet reality.

52:17So I ask each of you today to do 2 things.

52:20First, think about the economic vitality that the Moda Center brings to the entire city, peaking during the Blazers season.

52:28And second, recall your own personal Blazers love story.

52:32It may be one of triumph, it may be one of heartbreak, but it is your story and you remember it and you love it.

52:40Every Portlander for generations to come should have their own Blazers love story too.

52:46I look forward to one day taking my grandchildren to Blazers games just blocks from Grandma's house and telling them about their cousin Damon, and watching them fall in love with the Blazers' hometown hero and our team again.

53:01As my shirt says, Rip City runs deep.

53:03It runs deep for all of us.

53:05Thank you.

53:06Thank you all so much.

53:08Next, I'd like to invite Claire Hamill, president of the Portland Fire, Kathy Keithley, president of the Gresham City Council, and Rosetta Vanatucci with the IATSE Local 28.

53:31Jump in, whoever wants to go.

53:33Okay, I'll jump in.

53:35Um, Mayor Keith Wilson, councilors, my name is Clare Hamill and I am president of your Portland Fire.

53:42I'm here to speak about what this Moda Center renovation means specifically for the Fire and for the future of women's professional basketball in this city and region, and urge your support for funding this renovation.

53:58First, some context about who you're investing alongside in Raj Sports.

54:03Raj Sports are the owners of Portland Thorns and the Fire, and they're making a substantial investment in this region.

54:11First, we invested in the purchase of the Thorns and the Fire, and now we're building the Kaiser Permanente Performance Center, which is soon to open, a $150 million privately funded first-of-its-kind dual sport training center for the Fire and the Thorns.

54:29Additionally, we've added more than 150 high-paying net new jobs in addition to hundreds of construction and day game workers we employ at the Moda Center.

54:40That's new economic activity flowing into this region and the state today from an ownership group actively growing its footprint here.

54:50Now the building itself, the Moda Center.

54:53The Moda Center hasn't been meaningfully updated in 30 years.

54:57It was designed decades ago around a single tenant.

55:00The Moda Center isn't just home to our teams, Blazers and the Fire.

55:05It's where this city hosts concerts, major events that draw people from across the region.

55:11A first-class arena, a modern Moda Center, as we call it, is part of what brings these events here, and it builds civic pride and economic value beyond any single franchise.

55:25Now back to what I know best, basketball.

55:29The current locker rooms, or the, as we call them, the dressing rooms, Training and medical facilities, player amenities were not built to support a second growing franchise, let alone a women's team competing for talent in a league where facility quality— quality, excuse me— increasingly shapes where players choose to sign.

55:51That's the equity piece we ask you to hold on to.

55:54The renovation is a chance to build the fire facilities at the Moda Center to a genuine first-class standard.

56:01From the ground up, just like we are doing with our $150 million investment at the Performance Center, not an afterthought squeezed in later.

56:10Equitable access means a new framework where women athletes get the same treatment as their male counterparts, full stop.

56:18The arena standards in the WNBA are comparable to the arena standards in the NBA, not lesser standards.

56:26These renovations are needed for our collective future in the Moda Center.

56:31We are an ownership group investing, hiring, and building in this community.

56:36We urge you to move forward with clear commitment to equitable facility design and help us make the FIER's return to Portland even brighter than it already is.

56:46At Raj, we believe Portland is the global epicenter of women's sports.

56:51We're building that investment every day.

56:53And we ask you to join us.

56:56A vote to fund the Moda Center renovation will send a message loud and clear.

57:01Portland is the epicenter of women's sports.

57:04In a few weeks, we are hosting our 2nd Epicenter Women's Sports— Women's Global Sports Summit.

57:11We will close that week with a fire game against Washington Mystics in the Moda Center on August 23rd.

57:17Join us and see what an investment in the Moda Center could do for Portland.

57:21Thank you.

57:23Thank you very much.

57:29Good morning, President Dunphy and members of the Portland City Council, Mayor Wilson.

57:33Thank you all for allowing me to speak today.

57:35I am here on behalf of Gresham City Council and Mayor Travis Stovall.

57:40I'm not here to tell you how to do your job.

57:42As a fellow policymaker, I know these decisions are rarely simple.

57:47Every major public investment requires balancing competing priorities while protecting taxpayers, and all of us take that seriously.

57:56I'm simply here to say that our region is rooting for you to find the right deal.

58:01For more than 50 years, the Portland Trail Blazers have been part of what it means to be an Oregonian.

58:07If you're anything like my family, being a Blazers fan has meant celebrating incredible highs, enduring some tough seasons, and always believing next year might be our year.

58:16That's a lot like life.

58:18I still remember taking a picture with Bobby Gross, which dates me, and I still have an old Clyde the Glide t-shirt.

58:24Those memories are not unique to me.

58:26They are shared by generations of Oregonians.

58:29Rip City isn't just a slogan, it's a part of our identity.

58:33The Blazers and the Moda Center are also an economic anchor for the entire region.

58:39They support thousands of jobs, bring people into our downtown, drive tourism, and create opportunities that extend well beyond Portland's borders.

58:47And today, with these comments, it's not just about the Blazers.

58:51The Moda Center must be reinvented for all of the other uses that we have.

58:59In many ways, though, their success is our region's success.

59:03We also know Oregon's tax structure makes decisions like this especially challenging.

59:09I don't envy the responsibility before you, but I deeply respect it.

59:13Thank you.

59:14Each of you were selected to ask hard questions, weigh the facts, and make thoughtful decisions for your community.

59:21That is exactly what we hope you will continue to do.

59:25Over the last several years, our region has heard plenty from critics and cynics, but they won't write Oregon's next chapter.

59:33You will.

59:34And I hope we can look back and say this generation of leaders found a way to preserve one of Oregon's defining institutions for the next 50 years.

59:42Thank you.

59:43On behalf of the City of Gresham, thank you for your leadership.

59:46Thank you for your service.

59:48May you find the deal that honors both the ledger and the legacy so that Rip City's next chapter is written not in doubt, but in a shared belief.

59:57Thank you.

59:58Thank you both for being here.

1:00:00Rosetta is attempting to get online.

1:00:03I'm not sure if she's there yet, but let's— I'll call the next 3, which are Yasmine Ibarra with SEIU Local 49, Winta Johannes with Albina Vision Trust, and Terry Johnson with the Boys and Girls Club of Portland Metro.

1:00:19Come on down.

1:00:20Introduce yourself for the record, please.

1:00:29Good morning, Council President Dunphy and members of the council.

1:00:32My name is Yasmine Ibarra.

1:00:33I'm the political director for SEIU Local 49.

1:00:37Our union represents over 15,000 service workers that are janitors, Thank you.

1:00:49As a community, our North Star must be to support the inclusive redevelopment of a neighborhood.

1:00:54This is not about a team.

1:00:56It should never be about billionaires or a corporate handout.

1:01:00Moda Center is Oregon's arena, our city's publicly owned asset and gathering place.

1:01:06As the council considers the city's term sheet and funding package, we appreciate the opportunity to share our perspective on the about the need for community-led development and accountable partnerships.

1:01:19This is so much more than just sports.

1:01:21This is about how we invest public funds in ways that benefit working people, make a real investment in the Rose Quarter and Lower Albina.

1:01:30Any negotiation should be framed by what workers and the neighborhood get, including job standards and preferences for small and local businesses, not just the project's price tag.

1:01:42SEIU and the Oregon labor movement look to you and other elected officials to ensure that this process centers working people and creates good jobs, high-road jobs at every stage of the project.

1:01:53The City of Portland has the opportunity to be a model for how a city raises standards for janitors and security officers who will maintain and protect this publicly owned asset for decades to come.

1:02:07Raising standards means creating union jobs with good wages, quality affordable benefits, and respect and security that come with a collective bargaining agreement.

1:02:18Today you'll hear directly from 2 of our members whose lived experiences show exactly what those standards mean in practice.

1:02:25Linda Sporer, security officer, union steward, and executive board member, and then Gisela Marroquin, a janitor and union steward.

1:02:35Through years of hard work organizing with other union members, they have set high standards for wages, benefits, and respect on the job at many janitorial and security employers in the city and throughout the region.

1:02:49And I know that the city has supported service workers by doing things like establishing the fair wage policy and choosing janitorial and security providers that have signed on to union contracts.

1:03:00And Gisela's and Linda's stories show precisely why it's important for the city of Portland to take leadership and ensure that janitors and security officers who maintain and protect the Moda Center have access to the same union standards.

1:03:14We are pleased to see that the city's draft term sheet includes explicit commitments to community and labor peace agreements.

1:03:20Those provisions send a clear message about the community standards we expect to see reflected in the final agreement.

1:03:28The Oregon labor movement remains eager to work with the city to ensure that.

1:03:32Renovating Oregon's arena and our shared public-owned asset also means building a stronger Oregon where public investment supports local workers, local families, and a thriving regional economy.

1:03:43Thank you for your time.

1:03:44Thank you.

1:03:50Good morning, councilors.

1:03:51My name is Wente Johannes, and I have the privilege of serving as the executive director of the Albina Vision Trust.

1:03:57The Albina Vision Trust exists to rebuild a historic neighborhood in a way that is both world-class and working class.

1:04:06I'm here today in support of the term sheet and the Moda Center renovation because we understand that this conversation has always been about more than the arena.

1:04:15Thank you.

1:04:16I spent the last week in the Bay Area visiting communities doing similar work to us and had a chance to ask about what it meant for Oakland to lose all of its professional sports teams in the last few years.

1:04:30Their community leaders offered us a cautionary tale.

1:04:34It is obvious that the sky did not fall.

1:04:37However, that is not to say that the impact has not been severe.

1:04:42Okay.

1:04:42The most valuable asset Oakland lost, and what is at stake for Portland, is civic capital, which includes shared community experiences in Oregon's most diverse gathering place national visibility, and a stronger sense of place.

1:05:02And as you know from our work, these 3 ingredients are absolutely critical to the Albina vision because it is our belief that it is cultural and civic capital that can be used to attract the right kinds of financial capital that will ultimately transform a neighborhood and with it the entire city of Portland.

1:05:24As you know, we believe that having a mothballed arena in our district no way advances the Albina vision.

1:05:33It is our hope, though, that we can both prevent that very bad outcome while also making progress on actions that enable economic growth and restorative redevelopment to move forward together.

1:05:47That is the opportunity in front of you today and in our work in coming years.

1:05:51Thank you.

1:05:51Thank you.

1:05:52Thank you very much.

1:05:55Good morning.

1:05:56My name is Terry Johnson, and I am the CEO for Boys and Girls Clubs of Portland Metro and also a former club kid, a proud former club kid, as I'm a product of the clubs growing up in my formative years.

1:06:12I'm here today in strong support of the city's proposed investment in the renovation of the Moda Center.

1:06:18The Portland Trail Blazers have been a big part, an important partner of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Portland Metro since 1996, helping us serve young people and families throughout Portland and the surrounding communities.

1:06:31In fact, it was a vision and leadership of Trail Blazers legends Terry Porter and Jerome Kersey that helped establish the Blazers Boys and Girls Club in Northeast Portland on MLK nearly 30 years ago.

1:06:44Today, that club remains the only Boys and Girls Club out of more than 5,500 clubs nationwide with a naming partnership with an NBA franchise.

1:06:54That's something Portland should be proud of.

1:06:57Over the past 3 decades, the Trail Blazers have invested more than $2 million in our organization.

1:07:03Their players have visited our clubs year after year, hosting basketball camps, mentoring young people, and creating unforgettable experiences for our kids who otherwise would never have had those opportunities.

1:07:17As a matter of fact, Scoot Henderson is hosting a back-to-school event for the community at our Blazers Club in a couple of weeks on August 22nd.

1:07:26Trailblazers like Scoot are continuing a tradition of community engagement that stretches back generations.

1:07:34But my support today extends well beyond the Trailblazers.

1:07:39A vibrant Moda Center is an important economic engine for our city.

1:07:43It brings people downtown, supports local restaurants, hotels, and retailers and small businesses, and it strengthens the broader economy.

1:07:54Those businesses in turn become donors, sponsors, and partners for nonprofit organizations like ours that depend on private philanthropy to serve children and families.

1:08:04Thank you, Mayor.

1:08:05When Portland's economy is strong, our nonprofit community is stronger.

1:08:10More young people have access to opportunities, and more families receive the support they need.

1:08:17For that reason, I encourage you to view the proposed term sheet not simply as an investment in an arena or team ownership, but as an investment in the long-term vitality of Portland and the organizations that help make our city a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

1:08:37I respectfully urge you to support the city's $120 million investment in the Moda Center renovations.

1:08:43Thank you for your time and consideration.

1:08:45Thank you very much.

1:08:46And thank you all 3.

1:08:48Rosetta was able to join us online.

1:08:50Excuse me, I have to go to work real quick, but if you subsidize—.

1:08:53All right, thank you, Brent.

1:08:59Thank you very much.

1:09:00Rosetta, go ahead and join us.

1:09:04Hello, can you hear me okay?

1:09:06Yes, go ahead.

1:09:07Sounds good.

1:09:09Uh, good morning, Council President Dunphy and members of Portland City Council.

1:09:12My name is Rosetta Venitucci.

1:09:15I represent IATSE Local 28.

1:09:18We are the stagehands that work at the Moda Center.

1:09:20We have been there since the day it opened.

1:09:23I am here today to share our union's perspective on the importance of a funding package for the renovation of Oregon's arena, our state and region's public asset that centers working people and communities.

1:09:36As the City Council considers this term sheet and funding package, it's important to remember that this conversation is about so much more than just sports.

1:09:461.5 million annual visitors and the significant economic activity in the city and the region that comes with those visits.

1:09:55The City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the State of Oregon are charting our own future on our own terms, and working people must be kept at the center of that future.

1:10:06It is important to keep in mind that our region has an affordability crisis, one where working people are having a harder and harder time living in the city where we work, and one where rising costs are eating into our families' already thin margins.

1:10:23The points decisively to— this points decisively towards the need to ensure that any public investment in a publicly owned arena like the Moda Center must be done in a way that guarantees that jobs that are created are uplifted, are quality local jobs that our region can be proud of.

1:10:45We are there for every show.

1:10:47We have over 200 people there right now at the Moda Center loading in Benson Boone.

1:10:52We need help with the arena.

1:10:54We— all the reservations are needed.

1:10:57This is not glitz and glamour.

1:10:58This is all things we need to continue work and to get more work in the future and to help our city.

1:11:05From the construction workforce that will build a remodeled modern arena to the jobs that sustain and protect the venue for decades to come.

1:11:13This project must raise our region's hard-won standards, not lower them.

1:11:18And that means creating good union jobs with good wages, quality affordable benefits, and the security of our collective bargaining agreements.

1:11:28The good news is that these types of standards and commitments for stadiums are common, and in fact they are the industry standard.

1:11:35On the West Coast and many parts of the country.

1:11:38By ensuring that jobs are created and maintained at the Moda Center are good family-supporting jobs, the county is helping chart a path where our region's best days are ahead of us.

1:11:51We need the city, the state, and the county to all work well for all the humans.

1:11:56Thank you for this opportunity to share my testimony this morning.

1:11:59Apologize for the hiccups with the Zoom.

1:12:01I am over at Metro negotiating our P5 contract.

1:12:04Thank you.

1:12:04Special thanks for all of you for taking care of us.

1:12:07Thank you very much.

1:12:09Thank you very much.

1:12:11Our last 3 invited testifiers are Jim Etzel from Sports Oregon, Megan Conway with Travel Portland, and Graham Trainor with the Oregon AFL-CIO.

1:12:28Good morning, uh, Council President Dunphy and members of the City Council.

1:12:32I'm Jim Etzel, CEO of Sport Oregon, the state's nonprofit sports commission and co-chair of We Are Rip City.

1:12:39I'm here to ask the council to see the Moda Center for what it is, one of the largest pieces of shared economic infrastructure this region has and the clearest test this year of whether Portland can compete for its own future.

1:12:55Let's be honest about where we sit.

1:12:57By metro population, we're one of the smallest markets in the NBA.

1:13:01And Portland has no natural right to a team.

1:13:05What we have is a fan base and a civic identity that have consistently punched above the market's weight class, a 55-plus-year unbroken relationship with one franchise that most comparably sized markets haven't sustained, and a global footprint in the sports and outdoor product industry that exists nowhere else in its density.

1:13:27In the world.

1:13:29Sport Oregon does not exist to protect one team.

1:13:33We exist for our city and state so that we can compete for the events that only a modern large-capacity venue can host.

1:13:42Great infrastructure creates great opportunity.

1:13:46A modern Moda Center means we can continue to compete for NCAA championships, major concert tours, family entertainment, and other major events.

1:13:55Including the Women's Final Four.

1:13:57Major events like the Final Four are awarded years in advance.

1:14:01We were awarded our 2030 hosting in 2022, but we are no longer being considered to host the biggest events because the arena has not been modernized.

1:14:14The most recent cycle to, to bid for the Final Four, we are not eligible because of the state of our arena.

1:14:21In this current year.

1:14:22Being passed over now doesn't just cost us the next 3 to 5 years, it can cost us the next 10 to 15.

1:14:30A place like the Moda Center is more than economic.

1:14:32It's emotional, it's social, it's aspirational, it's inspirational.

1:14:38It's a place that brings our community together day in and day out.

1:14:41It unifies people from every background, whether you're from Rockwood, St. Johns, Lents, or Hillsdale.

1:14:47Every neighborhood, every corner of Portland and beyond.

1:14:52We didn't have a choice in who bought the Blazers.

1:14:54We have more, far more to lose in this than the team's owner, new owner does.

1:15:00At the end of this process, the owner still owns the franchise here or somewhere else.

1:15:06I know that puts hard choices in front of this council in a process none of us asked for and none of us fully control.

1:15:13But I'm here to tell you.

1:15:14It's worth it.

1:15:15If the Blazers leave, we will not get another major league team in Portland for the next 30 years, maybe not ever.

1:15:22Portland built a national reputation in sports and the sports product industry, not because it was the biggest market, but because it decided generation after generation to act like a market that can compete with anybody.

1:15:36Thank you all for your work and the opportunity to speak with you this morning.

1:15:39Thank you.

1:15:41Thank you very much.

1:15:43Good morning, Mayor Wilson, Council President Dunphy, Vice President Clark, and the members of the council.

1:15:48I'm Megan Conway, CEO of Travel Portland, the city's destination marketing organization.

1:15:53Thank you for the opportunity to express the tourism industry's strong support for funding Moda Center renovations and keeping the Blazers in Oregon.

1:16:01The Moda Center is one of our most impactful year-round assets for drawing leisure, business, and convention travel to our region, and it's one of the largest multipliers for our tourism economy.

1:16:12Visitors spent $5.5 billion and created 35,000 incremental jobs in 2025 alone.

1:16:19Looked at through a tourism lens, there is much more to this story than basketball.

1:16:24Beyond infrastructure upgrades impacting sports franchises, a reimagined Moda is necessary for modern-day concerts demanding improved sound, rigging, and loading capabilities.

1:16:35In 2024, hotel occupancy in Portland on 28 nights, events at Moda Center coinciding with conventions booking more than 1,000 rooms drove that occupancy above 75%.

1:16:5126 Blazer games in the same year coinciding with conventions oftentimes increased occupancy by more than 20 percentage points.

1:17:005% Of the 6% lodging tax on the city goes to the general fund.

1:17:04Thank you.

1:17:05Increased occupancy rates drive compression that drives room rates and results in higher lodging tax collections for the city general fund.

1:17:14To have this conversation, we must also evaluate what's at risk without investment.

1:17:19The reputation of our city remains fragile.

1:17:22We know all too well the damage that occurs every time Portland is at the center of yet another negative news cycle.

1:17:28As a global asset, our position as one of only 30 U.S. cities with an NBA team puts Portland's current branding and name recognition in markets around the world at severe risk.

1:17:40The moment is now to show that Portland and the state's largest arena are worthy of investment.

1:17:45Please join our state legislators to guarantee the future of this marquee asset in the heart of Portland.

1:17:51Thank you for your time.

1:17:52Thank you very much.

1:17:54Good morning, Council President Dunphy, Vice President Clark, members of the Portland City Council, and Mayor Wilson.

1:18:00My name is Graham Trainor, and I'm proud to serve as president of the Oregon Labor Federation AFL-CIO, representing over 300,000 working Oregonians in every corner of this beautiful state and in every sector of the economy.

1:18:11And we appreciate the opportunity to bring the voice of working people into this conversation about the funding package for the renovation of Oregon's arena, our proud public asset.

1:18:21As council considers this term sheet and funding package, it's important to remember, as you've heard, that the conversation is about so much more than just sports.

1:18:28With 1.5 million annual visitors annually, And the significant economic activity in the city and the region that comes with those visits, and the working people who make it all possible.

1:18:39From the skilled and trained construction workforce that will build a remodeled modern arena to the jobs that sustain and protect the venue for decades to come, the event and guest service workers who help you navigate the arena when you visit, the janitors and security workers, the concessions and food service workers, the audiovisual technicians and stagehands, the maintenance workers, to name just a few.

1:19:00Thank you.

1:19:01This project must raise our region's hard-won standards, not lower them.

1:19:07And this begins with a 2-part process.

1:19:09First, a requirement for a project labor agreement during the construction phase of the project, and 2, ongoing commitments from the owners for operations and maintenance beyond construction.

1:19:20And we do appreciate the owner's existing letter of commitment to negotiate a project labor agreement.

1:19:25The good news is that these types of standards and commitments for stadiums are common.

1:19:29Thank you.

1:19:29And in fact, they are becoming the industry standard on the West Coast and in many parts of the country.

1:19:34We've seen firsthand local, regional, and national examples showcasing that major sports and entertainment venues can operate successfully with clear expectations like these in place that cover all phases of a project.

1:19:48By ensuring that jobs created and maintained at the Moda Center are good family-supporting jobs, the city is helping chart a path where our region's best days are ahead of us.

1:19:59And the labor movement stands ready to partner with you as you adopt a strong term sheet next week and as you negotiate a fair deal and a long-term future for the Moda Center that places working people and a community-led future for Lower Albina at its core.

1:20:14Thank you for your work and the opportunity to engage in this conversation.

1:20:18Thank you all very much.

1:20:19Thank you.

1:20:21That concludes our invited panel of testifiers.

1:20:24The time is currently 10:45.

1:20:26I'd like to give us a 10-minute break to go use the restroom and then come back, and we will spend the rest of our council hearing on public testimony.

1:20:32So if folks could please try to be back at 10:55.

1:20:36Thank you.

1:34:21All right, I'm bringing us back to order, folks.

1:34:24Thank you all so much for your accommodation as we all recognize we are human.

1:34:29Keelan, can we begin calling up folks, uh, in groups of 5 for our public Public testimony.

1:34:36Um, just a second.

1:34:39Okay, so before we get started, just a couple reminders.

1:34:43I will call up testifiers in groups of 5.

1:34:45Each individual will have 90 seconds.

1:34:48For those testifying in person, you will see the timer countdown displayed on the monitor in front of the testimony table.

1:34:55For those testifying virtually, the timer is displayed in Zoom.

1:34:59You will hear the timer chime twice Once when there are 30 seconds left, then a second time when your time is up.

1:35:07Before you begin your testimony, please state your name for the record.

1:35:11Thank you.

1:35:12Our first 5 testifiers are Bea Marston, Randall Friesen, Gisela Marroquin, Linda Sporer, Alex DeRora.

1:35:31Come on down, folks.

1:35:32Thank you.

1:35:33Feel free to jump in, whoever sits down first, and introduce yourself for the record.

1:35:37You are welcome to share your pronouns, and you got 90 seconds apiece.

1:35:41Hello, I'm Bea Marston, pronouns she/her.

1:35:45I'm a proud member of Unite Here Local 8, and I work for a company called Levy Restaurants at the Portland Five venues.

1:35:52The work we do there is the same work that Levy workers at the Moda Center do.

1:35:57But the working conditions and compensation are very different.

1:36:01That's because Moda Center workers don't have a union.

1:36:04I used to be on public assistance, but through the years we have fought for and won better standards.

1:36:09Our cooks make $29.25 an hour.

1:36:12Our dishwashers make $26.25 an hour.

1:36:15A recent posting for a cook at Moda Center on Indeed showed an hourly wage of $20.

1:36:21P5 workers are eligible for good union Full family health insurance, we pay $50 a month, and we get that if we work 960 hours in a year.

1:36:32Moda Center workers do not have good affordable health insurance.

1:36:37This needs to change.

1:36:39Our siblings at the Moda Center deserve better.

1:36:42I know this council agrees, and we thank you for centering workers as you make this decision.

1:36:48Thank you very much.

1:36:50Good morning, President Dunphy and members of the council.

1:36:55For the record, my name is Randall Friesen.

1:36:57I'm the executive director of the Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council.

1:37:00Our council represents over 20,000 building and construction trades professionals across the Portland metropolitan and Southwest Washington regions.

1:37:08We are proud the Blazers have committed to negotiating an agreement with the union labor for the renovation of this historic and vital project.

1:37:15With the passage of Oregon SB 1501 securing state funding for this project, the time is now to move expeditiously to help reach a deal allowing funding to be released for this project.

1:37:25These funds have an expiration date and would be a disservice to the community if the project was delayed, potentially forfeiting the much-needed fiscal support.

1:37:33The proposed $600 million renovation project will provide thousands of family-wage jobs for members of our community and the starting point for many apprentices entering the building and construction trades through our state-registered apprenticeship programs.

1:37:45Thank you.

1:37:46Any project or facility that utilizes public funding has a responsibility to provide community benefits through safe and reliable employment opportunities and the best family benefits possible.

1:37:56It is no secret that the Portland metropolitan region and the state of Oregon face significant economic challenges.

1:38:03This project represents a promising turning point for Portland as we restructure our community and attract new business investment to the region and the state.

1:38:11We ask the city and county work together To get a deal done ensuring this project and facility will benefit the community for decades to come.

1:38:19Thank you for your time and consideration.

1:38:21Thanks.

1:38:21Thank you very much.

1:38:24Buenos días, mi nombre es Gisela Marroquín.

1:38:40Thank you, friends.

1:38:41Gracias.

1:38:42Buenos días, mi nombre es Gisela Marroquín, soy miembro y delegado de CU 49 por 14 años.

1:38:52Quiero contarles un poco de mi historia para demostrar por qué es tan importante crear trabajos con unión.

1:39:01Good morning, council members.

1:39:03My name is Gisela Marroquín.

1:39:04I am a janitor and a member of I'm a steward of SEIU Local 49.

1:39:09I want to share a bit about my story to show why it is so important to create union jobs and to support this term sheet for the Moda Center renovation.

1:39:19I'm a member of SEIU Local 49.

1:39:22I worked for a company of cleaning services for 7 years.

1:39:33Donde no teníamos unión.

1:39:36Solo me aumentaban 5 centavos por año y nunca llegamos a más.

1:39:43Solo gané $8 los 7 años trabajados.

1:39:49Yo no tenía aseguranza, no tenía protección de trabajo.

1:39:55Mis citas médicas eran muy caras, la medicina.

1:39:58Ahora trabajo para ABM.

1:39:59Councilmember Thank you.

1:40:00I'm a janitor, and my salary now is $22.25.

1:40:06I have insurance.

1:40:08I don't have problems with my insurance.

1:40:11I have protection in my job.

1:40:14There was a time I was locked in the elevator for 5 hours in the company that didn't have a union.

1:40:25The same thing happened En ABM, la otra compañía no me dio ni siquiera un ansori.

1:40:34Yo salí hasta las seis de la mañana por ayuda de un trabajador del edificio.

1:40:40Ningún supervisor, ningún de la oficina pudo atender mis llamadas.

1:40:47Lo mismo.

1:40:49Okay, sorry.

1:40:50I previously worked for nearly seven years for a cleaning company where.

1:40:55Where we didn't have a union, my pay only went up by a few cents each year, never rising above $8 an hour.

1:41:02I had no health insurance, and I had to spend a lot of money on medical appointments for my 4 children and myself.

1:41:09I also didn't like at all the way we were treated.

1:41:12Once, while working alone in a building in Hillsboro, I got trapped in an elevator from 1 AM to 6 AM.

1:41:19I called the supervisor many times, But they never answered.

1:41:22When I finally managed to get out, my employer said nothing, not even, we're sorry for what happened to you.

1:41:28I have now been working for ABM, where we have a union, for 14 years.

1:41:34Just look at the difference that makes.

1:41:37I earn $22.25 an hour.

1:41:39That helps a lot now when everything is more expensive.

1:41:42I have good health insurance.

1:41:44I pay only $22 a month for 2 blood pressure medications, and we have grievance procedures that respect our rights.

1:41:50Thank you.

1:42:03That is why we ask you to keep fighting to establish good jobs for everyone at Moda Center and to support this term sheet.

1:42:16We all deserve good jobs.

1:42:18Thank you for your time and attention.

1:42:20Thank you.

1:42:25Good morning, council members.

1:42:27My name is Linda Spoor.

1:42:28I am a security officer executive board member of the SEIU 49.

1:42:35We support the current term sheet, which we think is a good framework to make sure any deal at the Moda Center is a good one for working people.

1:42:46Right now, security officers at the Moda Center don't have a union.

1:42:51That means they might have lower wages and benefits than security officers just blocks away.

1:42:58Sorry.

1:43:00When I started working as a security officer 30 years ago, I didn't have a union.

1:43:06They paid us $9.25 an hour.

1:43:09There is no way you can get by on that.

1:43:12And they charged $300 a month for health insurance.

1:43:16We organized a union in 2012.

1:43:20I make $21 an hour now, and we have good insurance for only $80 a month.

1:43:27When I got breast cancer, it was affordable health insurance I got, the union that kept me alive and not buried in medical bills.

1:43:38Every worker at the Moda Center deserves a good job, Fair pay, benefits, and respect.

1:43:43You can help make that happen by supporting this term sheet.

1:43:48Thank you.

1:43:49Thank you very much.

1:43:52Hello, my name is Alex Jarora, and I'm a concessions worker at the Moda Center.

1:43:56I work for the Trail Blazers' contracted food service provider, which is the largest food service corporation in the world.

1:44:01I have over 500 coworkers.

1:44:04First off, I want to thank City Council for putting forward a Moda Center funding term sheet that includes a labor piece Special thanks to Councilors Dunphy, Koyama Lane, and Pirtle-Guiney for listening to Moda Center workers' concerns, and an extra special thank you to Mitch Green, who is in my district and has vocally supported a labor peace agreement.

1:44:21A labor peace agreement is a path to a union contract without threatening the public interest.

1:44:26We need a union for many reasons.

1:44:28Many of us are food and housing insecure, and many of us rely on city-funded food and housing supports.

1:44:34Councilmember Unfortunately, the jobs do not allow us to work ourselves up out of our situation.

1:44:39Rather, we are pitted against each other in a race to the bottom.

1:44:42This is reflected in the hourly pay, which is extremely low.

1:44:45The company I work for has a unionized location right across the street from Moda at the convention center.

1:44:50My counterpart there makes $9 more an hour and has access to health insurance.

1:44:55I do not.

1:44:56Perhaps the most important union benefit is seniority-based scheduling.

1:45:00This gives workers security and dignity.

1:45:02Just because someone works at the Moda Center doesn't mean they will actually work at the Moda Center.

1:45:07No work is promised to any individual, and if a manager doesn't like you, they can just leave your name off the schedule.

1:45:12This makes us vulnerable, and we are coerced to accept being taken advantage of in ways we should not accept.

1:45:18So thank you again for including a labor peace agreement in the term sheet.

1:45:21I look forward to the day we have a union contract and can make hundreds of people's lives better.

1:45:25Thank you.

1:45:26Thank you all very much for being here today.

1:45:30Next panel of testifiers include Jennifer Graham, Chris Carpenter, Anjanette Banuelos Bolanos, Elijah Hoffman, Jose Avalos.

1:45:42Welcome folks, come on up, introduce yourselves for the record.

1:45:46You're welcome to share your pronouns and you have 90 seconds.

1:45:53Great.

1:45:54Thanks, President Dunphy, members of the council.

1:45:56My name is Chris Carpenter.

1:45:57I'm the political director for IBEW Local 48.

1:46:00We're the electrical workers union here in Portland, Oregon, covering out from North Coast of Oregon out towards the central part of the northern side of the state and Southwest Washington.

1:46:09I'm going to try to keep this pretty brief.

1:46:10I think you've heard a lot about a lot of the long-term and very robust community impacts that this project has.

1:46:16I want to talk just a little bit about some of the work that our members do out there.

1:46:20Right now, as we're looking at this, and we want to— and first I want to acknowledge that we really appreciate the responsible sort of stewardship everybody's showing and the very thoughtful way in which people are approaching this project.

1:46:28I think we want to make sure that as we're looking at a profound amount of investment coming out of the state and from other partners on this, that we don't miss the opportunity to do something huge here with the Moda Center.

1:46:38Our members— and right now in the area, we've seen a lot of work slow down.

1:46:41We have members who have to travel out to Idaho or California to try to find work and leave their families.

1:46:46One of the things that this really shows us and that this project presents with an opportunity for is getting members back on the job.

1:46:52Um, we have about 6,000 members.

1:46:54We have roughly 800 apprentices in our program right now.

1:46:57The way that those programs are run is that they are trained mostly with on-the-job training.

1:47:01So having projects like this in their backyard helps us get the next generation of electricians ready to roll, those folks who are going to be doing all the work on green energy, on housing, on everything else.

1:47:10So we need to make sure that those opportunities are here.

1:47:12So, uh, thank you for your time and really encourage you to keep moving forward and get the deal done.

1:47:16Thank you.

1:47:17Thank you very much.

1:47:20Good morning, councilors.

1:47:21My name is Jennifer Graham.

1:47:22I'm the Oregon Vice President for Unite Here Local 8.

1:47:25Our union represents hospitality workers in Portland, including at the Oregon Convention Center and at area hotels.

1:47:32For many months now, we have heard from food service workers at the Moda Center about their jobs and how they are fighting to make them better.

1:47:39We've also heard that many of them can't afford the cost of living in Portland, And many are struggling with housing insecurity, food insecurity, paying for childcare, and other necessities of daily life.

1:47:51Many need to rely on public social services to get by.

1:47:55You have an opportunity to change people's lives.

1:47:58Imagine workers at the Convention Center, the Moda Center, and the Portland 5 performing arts venues being able to combine their hours to qualify for affordable healthcare and create truly transformational jobs in Portland's hospitality industry.

1:48:14Any investment of public dollars you make is only worth it if the resulting jobs are good jobs, allowing workers to support themselves and their families.

1:48:24I also want to address the proposal for a street pricing policy.

1:48:28Street pricing policy.

1:48:30In our experience, street pricing puts downward pressure on wages and benefits.

1:48:34Workers are experiencing that dynamic at the Portland Airport every day.

1:48:38Street pricing sounds great, but it comes right out of the pockets of workers.

1:48:42Councilmember Smith.

1:48:46Thank you for centering the working people of this city as you move this process forward.

1:48:54Thank you.

1:48:59Good morning, Council President Dunphy and members of Portland City Council.

1:49:03My name is Anjanette Benoist-Balanos.

1:49:06I live in District 1.

1:49:07I'm also a business representative for LIUNA Local 737.

1:49:10We represent approximately 1,000 employees Approximately in the food service industry.

1:49:122,800 Union members across Oregon, including 178 registered apprentices and more than 100 people waiting to dispatch into their first union apprenticeship opportunity.

1:49:22I'm here today to ask, to ask you to move forward with the funding package of the Moda Center renovation and to ensure this investment continues to create quality union jobs.

1:49:32This project is more than, uh, is about more than sports.

1:49:36It's about investing in Oregon's Workforce, supporting working families, and strengthening our communities at a time when many families are struggling with the rising cost of living.

1:49:45And public investment should create careers that provide family-wage jobs, healthcare, retirement security, and opportunities for future generations.

1:49:56I know that because they changed my life.

1:49:5817 years ago, after being released from incarceration, I was looking for a second chance chance through Oregon Trades Women's Pre-Apprenticeship Program and La Yuna's apprenticeship.

1:50:08I found one.

1:50:09Today I celebrate 19 years sobriety and building a career that allows me to help others find the same opportunities.

1:50:15Projects like this create more than temporary jobs, they create lifelong careers.

1:50:20And we encourage the City Council to move this project forward using proven tools like project labor agreements, community benefit agreements, to ensure the public investment benefits Oregon workers and our communities.

1:50:31Thank you for your time and for your commitment to Oregon's working families.

1:50:35Thank you very much.

1:50:39Good morning, Council President Dunphy and council members.

1:50:43For the record, my name is Jose Avalos.

1:50:45I am a business representative and a member of OPCMIA Local 555 Concrete Finishers.

1:50:52I serve on the executive board of the Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council.

1:50:57Local 555 represents more than 700 workers across Oregon.

1:51:03For many Portlanders and Oregonians, projects like this create real pathways into family-supporting careers throughout state-registered apprenticeship programs.

1:51:14They also keep current apprentices and journey-level workers employed, earning wages and supporting their families.

1:51:23Delaying—.

1:51:24Delay could put vital state funding at risk and create uncertainty for workers, contractors, and the success of the project.

1:51:34This is the opportunity to turn public investment into good jobs, stronger apprenticeship pathways, and long-term benefits for working families.

1:51:43I respectfully urge the council to move this agreement forward without delay and help ensure this project delivers for Portland, for Oregon, and for workers who build other communities, our communities.

1:51:57Thank you for the time and consideration.

1:52:00Thank you very much.

1:52:04Good morning, Council President Dunphy, members of Portland City Council, Mayor Keith Wilson.

1:52:08My name is Elijah Hoffman, and I'm a business agent with Teamsters Local 162, and I'm here today representing Teamsters Joint Council 37 and its 7 affiliated local unions.

1:52:18Our union represents more than 35,000 active and retired members from more than 200 area employers in every industry in our local economy.

1:52:26We are urging the City of Portland to do everything in its power to protect and preserve the Moda Center, which is our area's premier entertainment venue, and to grow and preserve jobs.

1:52:35The Moda Center not only generates hundreds of jobs at its onsite operation, there are thousands more impacted outside of Moda in area hospitality.

1:52:43Thank you.

1:52:43Construction, food and beverage, manufacturing, air and ground transportation, and the extensive supply chain of goods and services into and out of the Moda Center.

1:52:53Teamsters are all about jobs, good jobs, jobs that allow workers to provide for their families with job security in their earning years and secure retirement in their golden years.

1:53:04Good jobs are the foundation of a strong community and a thriving economy.

1:53:09Let's all work together for good jobs at the Moda Center and support the term sheet and funding package for Moda.

1:53:14We appreciate your time and consideration in this matter and stand ready to partner with the city in this endeavor.

1:53:19We want the Moda Center to succeed and benefit our entire economy and our entire community.

1:53:25Thank you very much.

1:53:26Thank you.

1:53:26Thank you all very much.

1:53:30Our next panel of testifiers include Burke Nelson, Rich Richard McNeil, Jordan Lewis, Catherine Juergens, Brian Owendoff.

1:53:42Come on down, folks.

1:53:43I see some folks coming from upstairs too, so whoever's sitting down, welcome.

1:53:46Burke, why don't you kick us off?

1:53:48Okay, good morning everyone.

1:53:50Good morning, Mayor and members of Portland City Council.

1:53:53On behalf of National Association of Minority Contractors, NAMAC, Oregon chapter, we write in support of the resolution approving the proposed terms for the Moda Center Arena thank you.

1:54:03The City of Portland has approved a $1.5 billion renovation and post-renovation operations term sheet and authorizing negotiations toward a long-term lease agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers and Rip City Management.

1:54:12As advocates of equitable economic development, workforce inclusion, and long-term investment in Oregon's infrastructure, NEMAC recognizes the significance of this opportunity for the City of Portland, the regional economy, and the diverse contracting community we represent.

1:54:27The Moda Center is not only a premier sports and entertainment venue, it is a critical economic asset that generates thank you.

1:54:33Thank you, Mayor Wilson.

1:54:36The Rose Quarter campus contributes more than $600 million annually in economic impact, supports nearly 6,000 jobs, and generates approximately $290 million in labor income throughout the region.

1:54:49Preserving and strengthening an economic engine through strategic reinvestment is an important step towards sustaining Portland's competitiveness and long-term economic vitality.

1:55:00We understand that this resolution is non-binding and represents the beginning of a negotiation process rather than a final funding commitment.

1:55:07Nevertheless, approving the term sheet is a necessary step in advancing discussions with the Trailblazers organization, Multnomah County, and the state of Oregon.

1:55:15The state's commitment of $365 million, together with anticipated county participation, presents a significant opportunity to leverage outside investment in a city-owned asset while maintaining public ownership of the facility.

1:55:28For these reasons, NAMAC respectfully urges Portland City Council to approve this resolution and continue negotiations.

1:55:34Thank you for your consideration and leadership.

1:55:37Thank you very much.

1:55:39Good morning.

1:55:39My name is Richard McNeil.

1:55:40I'm a resident in District 3, and I am quite upset about the process that this term sheet creation has followed to date.

1:55:51There has been very little public input.

1:55:54Hastily arranged City Council conferences in several districts.

1:56:01We don't have an independent evaluation of the Moda Center repairs and upgrades that are needed, nor do we have a list from the Trailblazers of what those would include.

1:56:11We're negotiating in the dark.

1:56:12We don't even have alternate operators who have evaluated what the opportunity cost of operating the Moda Center would be.

1:56:20Councilmember Herbold.

1:56:23We need public answers to these questions.

1:56:28And according to the Moda Trailblazer organization, their public answers would not be well received by the public.

1:56:36I think that says it all.

1:56:40I strongly suggest that we take more time to figure out a term sheet that works for Portland every dollar that we spend needs to come back into the coffers of Portland City.

1:56:52We do not have funds available.

1:56:55We're already cutting parks and critical city services.

1:57:00We do not have the money to invest.

1:57:04Thank you.

1:57:05Thank you very much.

1:57:08Hello, Portland City Council.

1:57:09My name is Jordan Lewis.

1:57:10I'm a volunteer lobbyist for the Portland Democratic Socialists of America.

1:57:14First, if any NBA execs are watching this right now, I just want to say the hostage situation has affected my enjoyment of the brand.

1:57:22I did not grow up enjoying sports, but this spring I watched my first Blazers game.

1:57:25I had fun, but recent negotiations have given me the ick.

1:57:29I was at a bar during the playoffs and happened to see the Knicks, a team who stuck through this— through their— the Knicks, a team who stuck with their city through hard times.

1:57:37Imagine that.

1:57:38And they won the championship after like a 50-year drought.

1:57:42That was a powerful moment, which the team knew would come.

1:57:45Their brand matters and moving damages the brand.

1:57:49If the Knicks can handle 1976 New York City, the Blazers can handle 2026 Portland.

1:57:55Last week, the Blazers execs showed up just to trash the city.

1:57:58They publicly accused the city of going woke and going broke.

1:58:01You know, the whole, there are poor people outside, Fix it now routine.

1:58:06They whinged about high taxes while asking Portland taxpayers to give them $900 million, which— make that make sense.

1:58:14If our problems are so bad, maybe $900 million would be better spent fixing those problems.

1:58:18I'd like the team to stop speaking out of both sides of their mouths.

1:58:21If they really loved this city and wanted to stay here, they wouldn't be charging $1 billion for the privilege of staying here.

1:58:26This can't be a transformative investment and a bid to maintain what we have at the same time.

1:58:30Thank you.

1:58:31At the moment, it's trendy to bash coastal blue cities and venerate the almighty Sunbelt of Arizona, Texas, North Carolina.

1:58:37Our own governor has done it with her Prosperity Council.

1:58:39All I have to say is, yes, Portland has some problems.

1:58:42We may never butcher a pig as quickly and cheaply as child laborers in Raleigh, and we may not build suburban tract homes on wetlands like Houston does, but we have a lot going on, and I think the Blazers know that and they'll stay here.

1:58:53Thank you.

1:58:53Thank you very much.

1:58:56Brian Owendoff, District 4, former member of the Rose Quarter Advisory Committee.

1:59:02This debate is far more about basketball.

1:59:05It's about whether Portland can remain competitive as a major league city.

1:59:08The question isn't who owns the Moda Center.

1:59:11The question truly is who has the leverage.

1:59:13In third place is the city.

1:59:15The city owns the arena, but the ownership is not leverage.

1:59:18The city purchased Moda Center for $1 because it came with hundreds of millions of dollars of deferred maintenance.

1:59:23The city's proposed investment is only a fraction of that total, while asking the owner to accept relocation restrictions, lease commitments, and other conditions.

1:59:34Some are reasonable, but we need to recognize that Tom Dundon is under no obligation to accept any of these.

1:59:41Tom Dundon is in second place.

1:59:42He invested $4 million to acquire the Trail Blazers.

1:59:44Like any business owner, he has a fiduciary responsibility to maximize the franchise's long-term value.

1:59:48Councilmember Herbold.

1:59:49If other markets offer greater long-term economic opportunities, he has leverage to move, but he cannot move without the NBA.

1:59:55The NBA is first place.

1:59:56The league holds the ultimate decision-making authority.

2:00:00No relocation happens without the NBA.

2:00:02So the negotiation is not really about convincing Tom Dundon.

2:00:05It's about convincing the NBA that remains committed to being a viable NBA market.

2:00:10My recommendation is simple: reduce political rhetoric.

2:00:14Thank you.

2:00:14Stop treating this as a fight with the owner and focus on negotiating a financially responsible agreement that protects taxpayers, modernizes the arena, and demonstrates to the NBA and the world that Portland is serious about keeping the Trail Blazers for generations to come.

2:00:30Thank you.

2:00:31Thank you all very much.

2:00:36Catherine, Catherine is joining us online.

2:00:39Welcome, Catherine.

2:00:39My name is Catherine Durgan.

2:00:40And I live and work in District 4.

2:00:42I moved to Portland in 2001, answering the call of a city that was affordable, creative, and dynamic.

2:00:48Much has happened in those 25 years.

2:00:51Politicians have come and gone.

2:00:52Whole neighborhoods have been built from the ground up.

2:00:55The New York Times fell in and out of love with us.

2:00:57We built a tram, but we didn't build enough housing.

2:01:00We mismanaged a homelessness crisis impacting the livability of all residents, and we took sustained economic.

2:01:06Economic growth for granted.

2:01:08Through all of this, one thing has stayed the same: our Portland Trail Blazers.

2:01:13From Bill Walton and the championship team to Wallace and Stoudemire in the conference finals, to the short-lived dream of Oden, Roy, and Aldridge, to the best moments of our GOAT Damian Lillard— since 1970, the Blazers have united us in heartbreak and in joy.

2:01:30This is what I want you to remember when debating the term sheet in front of you.

2:01:34I urge you to consider the benefits that can't be enumerated by a hired economist, to try and calculate the ROI of hope, to quantify the power of inspiring Blazer mania in future generations.

2:01:46I ask you to seriously consider the immense long-term damage of losing something important and irreplaceable.

2:01:52Portland should do big things that bring civic pride to its residents.

2:01:56We believe that Portland can thrive.

2:01:59We can build a modern Moda Center.

2:02:00That is an anchor to a revived Albina and a reimagined Lloyd, and we can keep our team here for decades to come.

2:02:07Thank you.

2:02:08Go Blazers.

2:02:09Thank you very much.

2:02:11Our next panel of testifiers include Christopher Olsen, Katie Woodruff, EJ Wilsniewski, Donald Kenny, Adriana Locke.

2:02:24Come on down, folks.

2:02:31Whoever's sitting down, you're welcome to go first.

2:02:33Please introduce yourself for the record.

2:02:34You got 90 seconds.

2:02:39Okay, go ahead.

2:02:40Right in the middle here.

2:02:42Who, oh, me?

2:02:42Sure.

2:02:43Yeah, my bad.

2:02:43Sorry.

2:02:44All good.

2:02:45Um, yeah, okay.

2:02:46So I'm all for sports and community events, and respectfully, those who appeal to the loss of a basketball team miss the point.

2:02:54Keith Wilson, when asked if he was prepared to lose the Blazers, said it would result in job and population loss.

2:03:00He said, quote, I can't fathom losing the Blazers.

2:03:04I'm not prepared to lose the Blazers.

2:03:07You're not prepared to lose a basketball team with a 52% win-loss ratio who haven't won a championship since 1977, rarely make the playoffs, and only play 41 home games a year.

2:03:19I'm sure you could replace that with different talent if you lost them.

2:03:25Homelessness is increasing under Keith Wilson's leadership.

2:03:28The city of Portland and Multnomah closed 6 shelters, which resulted in layoffs at my job, and the mayor is not prepared to lose a basketball team.

2:03:37Tina wants to give $365 million to renovations, yet just proposed a $421 million cut to Medicaid.

2:03:45This state right now is on fire.

2:03:50We are inheriting a world that's burning from climate change, and the mayor is unprepared to lose a basketball team.

2:03:57You walk outside and you'll see crumbling infrastructure in our roads and our transportation system.

2:04:03Sick and homeless people are everywhere in desperate need of help.

2:04:06Real work needs to be done.

2:04:08Real work.

2:04:09And that real work is not getting done because it's tied to someone's profit.

2:04:12Thank you.

2:04:13Instead, we are here arguing over $600 million.

2:04:16$600 million for Dundon and Hawkins, who admit they have— they don't have a plan.

2:04:23They don't know what they'll need the $600 million for.

2:04:25They only have concepts of a plan.

2:04:29This is shameful.

2:04:31It is.

2:04:32And it makes you look weak.

2:04:33You're lying to us, and you know that you're lying to us.

2:04:37Thank you for being here.

2:04:38Concepts of a plan.

2:04:39A plan that is a black box.

2:04:41Thank you.

2:04:42Unfortunately, that's your time.

2:04:44Insane.

2:04:45Thank you.

2:04:48Fucking insane.

2:04:49Whoever wants to jump in.

2:04:56I'll go next.

2:04:56Uh, good morning, members of the council.

2:04:58My name is Donald Kenny.

2:05:00For 17 years, I've owned and operated Spirit of '77, just a short walk from the Moda Center in the Lloyd District.

2:05:06Spirit of '77 has been Portland's Blazers bar community, and members of our community have been coming through our doors before games and returning afterwards and building traditions around this team.

2:05:18This is about more than basketball, however.

2:05:20The Moda Center hosts roughly 150 events a year, and more than 100 of those are not Trail Blazers games.

2:05:26And those alternate uses will dwindle to none without this investment.

2:05:31If you come out tonight before the Benson Boone concert or tomorrow before the Portland Fire game, you'll see the value of the Rose quarter is not an abstract economic impact number to us.

2:05:41I see it in our employees, our local vendors, and the families and members of the community who support our business.

2:05:47The city purchased this building in 2024 to gain control, a greater control over its future and make an investment possible and negotiate a long-term agreement.

2:05:56And that moment is now.

2:05:58The entire Lloyd District represents less than 0.5% of Portland's land area.

2:06:03And less than 2,000 registered voters, and it contains some of the city's most important civic convention entertainment and transportation infrastructure.

2:06:11Public investment in a public building should secure something meaningful in return, and a binding 20-year commitment and real protection against relocation.

2:06:18The Blazers are not a replaceable tenant.

2:06:20If they leave, Portland still owns the building and its future costs, enormous future costs, but loses the anchor tenant paying rent that makes this building possible.

2:06:30Portland is showing up.

2:06:31Now the NBA needs to show up as well.

2:06:33Let's move to a growth mindset for our city.

2:06:36I urge you to move forward with this term sheet.

2:06:38Thank you very much.

2:06:40Hey, good morning, councilors.

2:06:42My name is Chris Olson, and I'm coming to you today as an Oregon taxpayer and resident of District 2 who doesn't live too far away from the Moda Center.

2:06:49There are 2 reasons that we are in this mess right now, and it's really simple: billionaires and corporate Democrats.

2:06:55In 2024, the corporate Democrats on the Old Portland City Council purchased the Motor Center for a dollar from the Blazers.

2:07:01And as I've heard it said before, when you're buying anything for a dollar, it's buying a liability and not an asset.

2:07:07The billionaire Paul Allen's family knew that dumping their largest liability onto the people of Portland would make the sale of the Blazers more attractive to new ownership.

2:07:15And the corporate Democrats on the Old Portland City Council and in Salem sold us out by prioritizing the profits of a billionaire over the interests of working people, and I urge this council not to make the same mistake with this term sheet.

2:07:26The Moda Center is now our stadium whether we like it or not, so public investment is reasonable, but footing the entire bill is not, especially when corporations have received hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks at the state level, which led to cuts in education, public transportation, and road maintenance, to name a few.

2:07:43Plus, on top of that, Kotek says that over $400 million in Medicaid cuts are expected.

2:07:48And at the same time, the city of Portland has had its largest budget deficit ever, leading to layoffs and cuts in services working people rely on.

2:07:56But there's really only one enemy here, and that's Tom Dundon, who purchased the Blazers intending to rip off Portlanders instead of investing into the community or even the team that he bought.

2:08:05Remember, when working people are in tight spots, we cut back.

2:08:09We have to make sacrifices.

2:08:11And the people here need healthcare, safe roads, green infrastructure, and schools, and those should be our priorities.

2:08:16The term sheet must include private investment, and the man who's worth over $2 billion can spend a little bit more money on the team he just bought.

2:08:24Thank you.

2:08:25Thank you very much.

2:08:27Good day, City Council, and my fellow Oregonians.

2:08:30Uh, my name is Adriana Locke.

2:08:33Oregon is bracing for $421 million in cuts to Medicaid next year, so when I heard that the state legislature approved $365 million to renovate the Moda Center, I felt deeply betrayed.

2:08:44At a time when so many of us are having to tighten our belts, investing so much public money requires a careful scrutiny that I did not see.

2:08:52My small business is within walking distance of the Moda Center, but we don't benefit from its business.

2:08:59Like the center itself, however, we benefit from the public services offered by the state, county, and city.

2:09:04These include healthcare, childcare, and transportation.

2:09:08How many Moda Center employees are on OHP?

2:09:102.

2:09:10How many employees use Preschool for All?

2:09:13How many event attendees use TriMet services?

2:09:16Let's be clear that lots of public funds are already invested in the Motor Center economy.

2:09:22It's important that the opportunity of a new lease does not cost us the infrastructure that allows all businesses to thrive.

2:09:30The Blazers are a beloved Oregon tradition, but gone are the days of Paul Allen investing millions of his own money in the places and teams that he loved.

2:09:39It's a shame that the new owners don't share his community-minded values, love of the team, or respect for the thousands of jobs that hang in the balance.

2:09:48But that's why we elected you, to be good stewards of our city.

2:09:53We need you to play a different game and find a way forward to create good jobs without risking state and local public funds.

2:10:02Thank you very much.

2:10:03Katie is joining us online.

2:10:10Katie, you're muted.

2:10:22Thank you.

2:10:23Good morning.

2:10:24My name is Katie Woodruff.

2:10:26I believe professional sports means so much more than the Thank you.

2:10:31The Trail Blazers are not simply a team that plays here.

2:10:34They are a part of how Portland sees itself.

2:10:38In 1977, our incredible team brought Portland its first and only NBA championship, creating a connection that has lasted for generations.

2:10:50Clyde Drexler once said the Blazers and their fans had a unique relationship.

2:10:55I'm not sure there is I think that's a great question.

2:10:56I don't think there's ever been a love affair between an NBA team and its fan base like we had.

2:11:02That is Rip City.

2:11:05Opposing teams prepare for the raucous energy inside the Moda Center because our fans don't simply attend games, they create that atmosphere.

2:11:16That connection reaches beyond the arena in so many ways.

2:11:20It lives in our youth programs, our neighborhood courts revitalized by the city and the Trail Blazers, giving young people a place to play, build confidence, and feel they belong.

2:11:31It lives in the first game our kids attend at Moda, their first Blazer jersey, or simply watching with a family who remember 1977.

2:11:40Yes, there is an economic conversation here, but there is also a human one.

2:11:46The Trail Blazers are a part of who Portland is.

2:11:48Thank you.

2:11:49And we must protect that connection.

2:11:52Mayor, council members, please do what it takes for our kids and generations to come.

2:11:59Thank you.

2:12:00Thank you very much.

2:12:03Uh, colleagues, I'm going to invite up one of our panelists who was an invited panelist earlier but wasn't able to make it.

2:12:08Uh, we have Chair of Multnomah County, Jessica Vega Peterson.

2:12:17Welcome, Chair.

2:12:18Thank you so much.

2:12:19I really appreciate the flexibility.

2:12:20Thank you all for having this discussion day.

2:12:23Good morning, Council President Dunphy and Portland City Councilors.

2:12:26My name is Jessica Vega Peterson.

2:12:28I'm the Multnomah County Chair.

2:12:29Thank you for providing me the opportunity to speak today.

2:12:32This is part of a large debate that's happening right now over the Motor Center renovations, and rightly so.

2:12:38It is a large public investment in a civic asset, and both the City of Portland and Multnomah County just went through a grueling budget process.

2:12:46Today is a critical discussion.

2:12:48The action that the state, Multnomah County, and the City of Portland collectively do or do not take at this moment will have an enormous impact on the future of Portland and Multnomah County.

2:12:58I want to make the case that despite legitimate concerns and a frustrating negotiating process with the Blazers, this is a deal we must get done, and it must be a deal that benefits our entire community.

2:13:12These are not mutually exclusive concepts.

2:13:15In fact, they must be paired together for us to reach a deal.

2:13:19Tomorrow, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners will vote on a resolution that will guide our negotiations with you, the City of Portland.

2:13:26Our resolution will lay out the terms we expect to be included as the city, the owner of the Moda Center, negotiates directly with the Blazers.

2:13:32Thank you, Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane.

2:13:34I believe many of the conditions I'm hopeful our board will approve tomorrow are aligned with what I have heard from many of you during this public discussion.

2:13:42To start with, we need a commitment that this deal will ensure the Blazers stay in Portland for at least the next 20 years.

2:13:49But this is so much bigger than the Blazers.

2:13:51We need a deal that includes strong community and neighborhood benefits.

2:13:55A significant Moda Center renovation should serve as the foundation of a Roseway thank you.

2:14:00Councilor Herbold, you have the floor.

2:14:00Thank you, Mayor.

2:14:00I urge the council to support the deal to purchase the West Quarter and Lower Albina revitalization in partnership with local community organizations like the Albina Vision Trust, who are already doing transformational work to reconnect and renew this historic neighborhood.

2:14:12Our deal should include robust labor agreements that ensure good-paying union jobs are part of the renovation and future operations and maintenance.

2:14:21With this condition, we have heard robust support from local unions, including SEIU, the Teamsters, and IATSE.

2:14:29They understand how crucial a deal is to preserving current jobs provided by Moda Center activity and how beneficial new job opportunities through renovation project are for the working families of Multnomah County.

2:14:41A deal should provide direct revenue streams for the governments contributing towards the project that can be reinvested in crucial public services.

2:14:49We need to ensure renovations accommodate the unique needs of a Moda Center's newest tenant, the Portland Fire of the WNBA.

2:14:57We must have protections for our investment that ensure we are not responsible for cost overruns and have the ability to claw back dollars if the terms of our agreements are broken.

2:15:07And we need the Blazers to show up as better partners in this work.

2:15:11We might not get every term we ask for, but we must start with a strong line of what we want to see and what it will ultimately get approval, both by the votes of our respective governments and the approval of the community we are elected to serve.

2:15:25This is an incredibly important moment for our region.

2:15:28If we don't have a long-term turnaround in our economic trajectory, Multnomah County's budget, the City of Portland's budget, the state's budget, our school district's budgets will all be suffering for years to come.

2:15:41A renovated, activated Moda Center is a key part to that recovery.

2:15:45The Moda Center is a crucial economic engine for our county, and it's imperative that we negotiate in good faith to sustain this civic asset for future generations.

2:15:55It not only generates hundreds of jobs at its on-site operations, there are thousands more impacted outside of the Moda, from the people living and visiting the area to the small businesses throughout the neighborhood.

2:16:07In front of us is an opportunity.

2:16:09I implore you to take action today to move Portland one step closer to joining the state of Oregon and Multnomah County in our shared commitment to our region's economy and overall well-being.

2:16:19Thank you.

2:16:20Thank you, Chair.

2:16:21Lovely to see you.

2:16:24Our next panel of testifiers include Diane Riley, Benjamin Gilbert, Eric Bailey, Gabriel Pascuzzi, Cash Carter.

2:16:33Come on down, folks.

2:16:34As you're arriving, uh, you know, whoever wants to sit down gets to go first.

2:16:38Introduce yourself for the record.

2:16:40You're welcome to share your pronouns, and you got 90 seconds.

2:16:44Hi, my name is Diane Riley.

2:16:46I use she and her pronouns.

2:16:49I'm honored to be here today and show up with all of the Portlanders and people who are speaking today.

2:16:56I, I can't say that there's a lot that I disagree with from any of the people who have testified.

2:17:02We are in a dilemma.

2:17:04I believe that Portland is being tested and that we need to step up to our values.

2:17:12And those values include integrity, compassion, and understanding about our neighbors, our city, and our state.

2:17:24I've never heard of an economic development plan including sports that actually produced the kind of outcomes that we think it does.

2:17:35Councilor Smith.

2:17:36It is a great investment in culture.

2:17:38It's a great investment in joy.

2:17:41I believe in both of those things, but it is not necessarily an economic—.

2:17:47It doesn't produce the economic outcomes that we suppose it does.

2:17:51If it did, we wouldn't be in this position right now 'cause we have the Blazers.

2:17:58I would like us to think about healthcare for all, Healthcare for All Oregon, not firing any more of our public school teachers, and stepping up for all the things that are basic.

2:18:13If we wanna keep the Blazers, we've gotta wrangle it away from a tyrant who wants to change us completely from who we really are.

2:18:24Thank you very much.

2:18:26Hi, I'm Eric Bailey.

2:18:28I'm a small business owner in District 2.

2:18:30Basketball is the 2nd most popular sport in the world with professional leagues on every continent.

2:18:35But unlike soccer, which has several top leagues, there's undeniably one top league in basketball, and that is the NBA.

2:18:41Even the 30th and worst team would wax any other team in the world.

2:18:44Any major city, domestic or abroad, would die to have an NBA team, but this is our team and they can't have it.

2:18:50Let's be clear, the deal that was made between the state, city, county, and the Blazers to renovate Moda and have a long-term lease signed was made before Dundon became owner.

2:18:57I have little doubt that Dundon wants to move the team, but— councilor but I'm equally convinced that if we pass this original deal, Commissioner Silver will make Dundon ultimately sign on the dotted line.

2:19:06ESPN said recently that moving the Blazers to any one of several markets would make the franchise worth $1 billion plus more than they are right now.

2:19:13The Blazers generate $600 million a year in economic activity in our area.

2:19:17That's $12 billion over a 20-year span.

2:19:20If the team is moved, Dundon becomes richer and the city becomes poorer.

2:19:24We cannot let that happen.

2:19:25The 6% ticket tax on all events at Moda Combined with the parking revenue from Blazer games, generate between $5 and $8 million a year for the city.

2:19:33That's money that goes away if we lose our major tenant, causing the arena to become an annual drain on the budget for basic repairs.

2:19:39My most cherished childhood memories are of going to games with my dad.

2:19:42Some of my favorite fatherhood memories are of going with my son.

2:19:45I vividly remember cheering with my dad as Kevin Duckworth came out of the tunnel with a broken hand and playing Game 7 of the 1990 Western Conference Finals.

2:19:52Councilors, the job you have before you is not to convince Dundon of anything.

2:19:56It's to show the NBA directly how serious we are about keeping this team.

2:19:59Start by passing this deal and also sending over a much more reasonable term sheet.

2:20:03Our city, our team, our arena.

2:20:06Thank you very much.

2:20:08Hello, my name is Benjamin Gilbert, and I'm a volunteer lobbyist for the Portland Democratic Socialists of America, with over 3,700 dues-paying members in the Portland metro area.

2:20:19The city should not spend the people's money without transparency on how it will be spent.

2:20:23And if our money is being spent, we need private investment and a ton of community benefits.

2:20:28Many of our members are also proud members of their unions, so seeing a deal that directly benefits working Portlanders is of the utmost importance to us.

2:20:36The Blazers' Mr.

2:20:37Predatory Lending Texas billionaire owner Tom Dundon has done nothing to build relationships with Rip City, but we are counting on you councilors to hold them accountable with a stronger term sheet.

2:20:48One that recognizes that Dundon has no interest in the rights or conditions of Portland workers.

2:20:52And has every incentive to rip Rip City off.

2:20:57Anyone who votes to hand public money away without private investment will have an albatross around them.

2:21:02The city survey, survey showed clear public opposition to a giveaway.

2:21:05So let's make sure this isn't a giveaway.

2:21:08This must not be funded with PCF dollars.

2:21:10Robbing our climate adaption fund while we're covered in smoke would be outrageous.

2:21:15We need more public process, need to keep our leverage, and have to negotiate from a place of strength and transparency.

2:21:21Backdoor deals are bad for Portland.

2:21:23Just like workers benefit from open bargaining, the public needs transparency, not NDAs.

2:21:29There is a false sense of urgency.

2:21:30Let's keep our powder dry and push for a better process.

2:21:34Thank you.

2:21:35Thank you.

2:21:37All right, thank you.

2:21:38My name is, uh, Cash Carter and my pronouns are him.

2:21:43God is great.

2:21:44But I have something to say.

2:21:46Blazer fans, I'm sorry to tell you, the team is moving.

2:21:49We are being relocated.

2:21:50But to where?

2:21:51The NBA Finals.

2:21:53The NBA Championship.

2:21:55And that starts today.

2:21:59With that being said, we got 5 years.

2:22:02Now reimagine what an NBA Championship parade would look like if we won right now.

2:22:08Would we have enough law enforcement?

2:22:10To secure that perimeter?

2:22:13What's the answer?

2:22:15No.

2:22:16How long would that parade look like?

2:22:19Look at our current big parade for the Rose Festival.

2:22:22It gets shorter and shorter and shorter every year.

2:22:26So that means our city is not in alignment to win a championship right now, but we have 5 years or less to get ready for that.

2:22:36To envision that, to see that.

2:22:38Go outside, see that route, see what empty building is sitting there.

2:22:45Envision what business is going to be there.

2:22:48Envision what food vendors are going to fill that parade route.

2:22:53And most importantly, envision what Portland musicians besides Damian Lillard are going to be performing at that parade.

2:23:01Where's it going to be at?

2:23:03This is not Paul Allen's team anymore.

2:23:06We have an outsider who came here, and sometimes the best things are seen from the outside.

2:23:11And he's telling us that our vision does not align with his vision.

2:23:15He's a winner.

2:23:16I'm a winner.

2:23:18The year I, I worked for the Timbers, they won a championship.

2:23:22That building at the Moda Center, my father helped build that.

2:23:26His name is on the building.

2:23:27Thank you.

2:23:28I came home every day.

2:23:30I came home every day.

2:23:31Thank you very much.

2:23:33Last thing I want to stand here and say— Sorry, we're at time.

2:23:36Sorry.

2:23:37Thank you very much, friend.

2:23:39Thank you.

2:23:40Thank you.

2:23:41Thank you all very much.

2:23:43Uh, checking to see if Gabriel Pascuzzi is here.

2:23:52Next up we have Rowan Harvey.

2:23:54Devin Ruiz, Jonathan Pulvers, Quinn Hadley, Eden Krolwich.

2:24:02Come on down, folks.

2:24:05Take your time, don't rush.

2:24:10Devin, why don't you kick us off?

2:24:12Good morning, Council.

2:24:13My name is Devin Ruiz.

2:24:14I live in District 2, and I'm a registered lobbyist for NextUp, a nonprofit organization that works to achieve a more just and equitable Oregon for young people.

2:24:22Nearly every time I've stood in front of this council, it's been to plead with each of you to consider the affordability crisis, crisis that young people are facing as they're building their lives in Portland.

2:24:32We are here today because losing the Blazers is being dangled above our city by a billionaire who is unwilling to spend his money on a team he purchased, all while sporting events and concerts are becoming a luxury working Portlanders are priced out of.

2:24:46Working-class Portlanders are already consistently asking for safety nets and investments in the city.

2:24:50Councilmember if we agree to a term sheet that doesn't actually have material benefits or revenue, I'm afraid of what our city will lose.

2:24:58The Blazers are not working with the city or the fans they claim to love.

2:25:01They should be making investments in our city, significantly contributing to union jobs, revitalization, our school district, things that will make Portland better.

2:25:10Instead, we are being rushed into a deal that will only drive Portland's affordability crisis further while a billionaire becomes richer.

2:25:17As Councilor Avalos mentioned last week, other groups that get funding from the city are subjected to a rigorous process that the Blazers, as we saw in the KATU article last night, are refusing to answer simple questions.

2:25:29We urge Portland City Council to require private capital investment for renovations to be secured for any agreement.

2:25:34We support Morillo 1 for more transparency and oversight of city bonds, Morillo 2 for street pricing inside of Moda Center, and support Green Avalos.

2:25:42Portlanders should know where the money they pay in property taxes is going.

2:25:43Thank you.

2:25:44We are giving to this project is sourced from, all while having a limit for that contribution.

2:25:49I will submit my full written testimony.

2:25:51Thank you.

2:25:51Thank you.

2:25:59Hi everyone, my name is Idan Krawlowitz.

2:26:02Thank you very much for your hard work on this.

2:26:04This isn't a referendum on whether we love the Blazers.

2:26:06I think you can see— look around the room and say that everyone loves the Blazers.

2:26:10I support investing public dollars to keep them in Portland, but public investment deserves a public return.

2:26:16Today you're being asked to commit more than $1 billion in public resources to a city-owned arena that, as proposed, returns less than 10 cents on every taxpayer dollar invested.

2:26:242 Years ago, the city estimated about $253 million in needed improvements.

2:26:28Today we're considering more than twice that amount, yet the public still hasn't seen what the money buys.

2:26:32We've been told that the choice today is a weak deal today or a dark arena tomorrow.

2:26:36Councilmember that's a false choice.

2:26:38This term sheet may be technically non-binding, but it is politically binding.

2:26:42It tells the Blazers and the NBA what you won't fight for.

2:26:46So put a true market rate proposal on the table.

2:26:49Meaningful private investment, revenue sharing, fair rent, and real economic returns.

2:26:53These are things many other cities, even small market teams, receive.

2:26:57And if Portland truly has no choice, if no fair market partnership is possible, If meaningful public protections are unacceptable and taxpayers are simply expected to pay whatever is demanded, then the public deserves to hear that plainly.

2:27:11Don't call it a partnership.

2:27:13Tell the public there is no negotiation.

2:27:16I don't believe that's true.

2:27:17I believe the Blazers want to stay.

2:27:19I believe the NBA wants the Blazers in Portland, and I believe a fair market partnership is possible.

2:27:25The only way we'll find out is if this council has the courage to ask for one.

2:27:28Thank you.

2:27:28Thank you.

2:27:29Thank you very much.

2:27:33All right, good morning, councilors.

2:27:34My name is Rowan Harvey.

2:27:36I'm a D3 resident and a field organizer with Next Up, a civic home for diverse young people to build up their organizational power.

2:27:42And I'm here to urge you to continue to push for clear private capital investments and to pass both Murillo 1 and 2 and the Green Avalos Amendment.

2:27:49This Moda Center controversy began because some of our public officials in office at the state, county, and city levels decided for the public that we didn't need to be a part of the discussion at any point.

2:28:00They decided that the public didn't know what was best for them, which is apparently giving millions of our tax dollars to a Texas billionaire instead of negotiating a better deal on our behalf.

2:28:09Working-class young people are being priced out of attending large-scale sports events and concerts at our local venues.

2:28:14We deserve to have our voices heard and taken seriously, and what we're saying is we don't want to pay for upgraded locker rooms and executive suites when we can barely afford our own rent Groceries, childcare, you name it.

2:28:27We want better-paying jobs so maybe we can afford to attend an event at this beloved venue, something a lot of us can afford maybe once or twice a year.

2:28:35Dundon doesn't just get to waltz into our city, buy our team, and demand us to foot millions, again with minimal community input, to renovate a venue that people who live, work, and play here cannot afford to access.

2:28:47If he wants an upgraded arena, then he can pay his part.

2:28:50And find capital, private capital investments, and buying a team he clearly doesn't care about isn't it.

2:28:57We urge you to require private capital investment for the renovation.

2:29:00We support Morillo 1 for more transparency and oversight of city bonds and Morillo 2 for street pricing inside the Moda Center and the Avalos Green Amendment.

2:29:08Thank you.

2:29:08Thank you very much.

2:29:11Jonathan is joining us online.

2:29:14Thank you, President Dunphy, Vice President Clark, Mayor Wilson and councilors, my name is Jonathan Pulvers.

2:29:19I'm a lifelong Blazer fanatic.

2:29:20I'm here as part of Rip City, Not Ripoff.

2:29:23I live in Southeast Portland, right near Brooklyn.

2:29:25I watched with sadness last week as top Blazer brass came before you, forced to say things that they obviously don't behest of the father of Stanley Cup winner Dax Dundon.

2:29:37His venality is the apotheosis of a years-long campaign of municipal negging, showing contempt for the team the fans and the city, and manipulating our shared love for Portland and the Blazers into a demand for tax cuts and subsidies for large companies and wealthy individuals.

2:29:53Make no mistake, the term sheet that you approve next week will be as good as it gets for the public in these negotiations.

2:30:00I deeply appreciate that all 12 of you have shown a willingness to examine the facts and precedents and to stand up for our city.

2:30:08There is no earthly reason that we can't make a deal that is as good as other crappier mid-sized markets have made with their sports teams.

2:30:15A partnership that brings revenue back to the city in the form of private capital, rent, naming rights, pilot, etc.

2:30:23Please include these items in your term sheet.

2:30:26Give your negotiating team the strongest hand that it can play over the next, next 4 months.

2:30:34The chips, and you'll have a decision to thank you so much for your time and your consideration.

2:30:39Go Portland, go Blazers.

2:30:41Thank you, Jonathan, and thank you for maybe saying apotheosis for the first time in City Council history.

2:30:48I'm checking to see if Quinn Hadley is here.

2:30:54Next up we have Brian Steelman, Annie Ellison, Brianne Margolin, Welcome, folks.

2:31:11Whoever wants to jump in.

2:31:15Good morning, Mayor and city councilors.

2:31:20My name is Brienne Margolin.

2:31:22I'm a native Oregonian, and I've lived, worked, and built my life in the Portland community for over 20 years.

2:31:27Some of my earliest memories are of my mom carefully painting the Blazers pinwheel on my cheek before home games.

2:31:35Those weren't just memories of basketball, they were memories of family traditions, community, and the excitement of cheering on our home team.

2:31:46Whether you're there for sports, music, family entertainment, or graduation, it's a place where people come together To create lasting memories.

2:31:56I'm here today in support of authorizing the term sheet.

2:32:00This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity— hundreds of millions of dollars in annual economic output and $450 million in funding that would otherwise not be available to help preserve this public treasure.

2:32:14As negotiations continue, I encourage the city to keep its eye on the prize, put its strongest commitment on the table and not let relatively small financial differences stand in the way of an agreement that can actually cross the finish line.

2:32:28Just as Portlanders invest in our parks because they enrich our lives, we should also invest in Moda Center.

2:32:35It too is a public asset that deserves long-term stewardship.

2:32:39Great cities invest in their future.

2:32:41They preserve the public places that bring people together, welcome visitors, That's the kind of community we all deserve.

2:32:51Please authorize the term sheet.

2:32:53Thank you.

2:32:54Thank you very much.

2:32:56Good afternoon, councilors and mayor.

2:32:59My name is Brian Steelman and I own a restaurant called Porque No, and I live and work in District 2.

2:33:03I'm not here to talk about tax mechanisms or term sheets, and I'm not here to point any fingers at an owner that needs to find a heart.

2:33:11I am here to convey a few things.

2:33:12One, that I love this city very much.

2:33:15And I want to negotiate— I want us to negotiate a fair deal for the Moda Center remodel, like so many other cities that are of our size.

2:33:22Secondly, I want to tell you what a Trail Blazers or Fire home game night actually looks like at my restaurant.

2:33:29And most importantly, I also want to speak about 2 transformational projects happening on Lower Albina called Albina Vision Trust and the 1803 Fund, which are working to make historical wrongs right.

2:33:39And we have to do everything in our capacity to make sure that these 2 organizations have all the wind in their sails To do this work.

2:33:45I opened my business on North Mississippi near the Moda Center 21 years ago.

2:33:48Our first winter was dreadfully slow, and the only weeknights that created enough business to actually break even during that first winter were Blazer home game nights.

2:33:55And accepting Chalupa coupons for free tacos when the Blazers scored 100 points were part of Porque No gaining momentum.

2:34:03To this day, when business owners slow— when business slows in the winter, those Blazer and Fire games add extra joy to the whole neighborhood.

2:34:12I'm going to skip to the most important part.

2:34:14Most importantly, modernizing the Moda Center is essential for the future of the Albina District, supporting the investments that Albina Vision Trust and 1803 is making in a neighborhood that has experienced generations of displacement.

2:34:24A renovated arena will help support housing, more businesses, more jobs, and more investment in our central city.

2:34:29And these visions of these 2 organizations are foundational to what Portland can look like in the future.

2:34:33The ED of Albina Vision Trust, Winohana, Ms. Winohana said something very pertinent when giving testimony at the Multnomah County last month.

2:34:41She explained how the Lower Albina area was cleared of majority Black housing to make room for the veteran memorial and motor center.

2:34:49And to not maintain it would be a travesty.

2:34:52Thank you very much.

2:34:55Hi, Alex Dangey, District 2.

2:34:57I want to talk a little bit about numbers.

2:34:59So we're talking about $120 million in public Public funding for a 20-year lease, right?

2:35:04So if you divide that, that's $6 million a year.

2:35:06And just for a taxpayer's perspective, the arts tax brings in between $10 and $13 million every year.

2:35:13So we're talking about an amount of money that's maybe half the arts tax, right?

2:35:17If you bonded it, maybe it's like $9 million a year or something, right?

2:35:20I'm surprised we're having this many public hearings about $9 million a year.

2:35:27You know, we own 3 arenas, Moda Center, Memorial Coliseum, Last year, the Blazers attendance matched the entire visitor count at Providence Park, and it was more than 2 times the attendance at Memorial Coliseum.

2:35:42The money that we get from tickets and parking for all 3 of those arenas goes into a fund that pays for maintenance.

2:35:48That was an $18 million fund last year.

2:35:50And as somebody stated, we would lose, you know, $5 to $8 million of that fund if the Blazers left, meaning that we would have to We have less money to maintain 3 facilities that we still own.

2:36:03But we are investing in the buildings.

2:36:04We spent $25 million last year renovating Memorial Coliseum.

2:36:09Per person, per visitor, it's basically the same amount as this $120 million that we're talking about for the Blazers.

2:36:15One more thing.

2:36:17I don't think it's worth including the property tax offset in the term sheet.

2:36:22That's $99 million over 20 years that we're asking from, for the team.

2:36:26When they've said they don't want to spend any money and Councilor Canales, you're suggesting making it more, they're going to say no.

2:36:33Thank you.

2:36:34Thank you very much.

2:36:36Good afternoon.

2:36:38Annie Ellison, many affiliations here as an individual from Rose City Park.

2:36:45I moved to Portland because it was the center of the universe for me.

2:36:48I was a young queer woman athlete.

2:36:51Now I'm just a queer.

2:36:53A lot of this conversation around the Moda Center has been focused on the men's NBA.

2:36:59Okay.

2:37:00I became a Thorns season ticket holder in 2014.

2:37:03Portland had the best supported women's club in the world at that time.

2:37:08Any sport, any country, planet Earth, that, that's who we are.

2:37:13And we also had the best players in the world.

2:37:17This is a world-class city for women's sports.

2:37:18Thank you.

2:37:20And not unrelated to women's sports, this is a world-class city to be a queer.

2:37:24Okay, speaking from experience, definitely to be a queer parent.

2:37:28And there is something about that to be incredibly proud of.

2:37:32So the invitation is, when you get like morally stuck with this deal, because I know that's what a lot of you are grappling with, like think about the women athletes, coaches, and fans who fought for the women's game not to be an afterthought.

2:37:48You know, at this moment, Moda Center is not sufficient to attract the best athletes in the W. That's just a fact.

2:37:54So don't treat them like afterthoughts.

2:37:56We are hosting the NCAA Final Four in 2030, and it is not the men's Final Four.

2:38:01Okay?

2:38:02Ask yourself, is what you're about to say, do, tweet good for the fire?

2:38:07Is it good for the W?

2:38:08Is it good for women's sports?

2:38:09Because if it's good for women's sports, it's good for Portland.

2:38:11Thank you.

2:38:12Thank you.

2:38:13Thank you very much.

2:38:15Thank you all.

2:38:22Uh, Sean O'Connor.

2:38:27Next up we have Dr.— uh, oh, I'm sorry, I don't think they are here.

2:38:34Uh, Everett Creel, Matthew Gilbert, Keely Hughes.

2:38:40Darren Hertzberg.

2:38:42Israel Palacios.

2:39:04I'd give another joke while they're walking down, but that didn't go well last time.

2:39:07Anybody else?

2:39:12Okay.

2:39:20Mr. President.

2:39:23Councilor Novick.

2:39:24I'm sure they'll be down here lickety-brindle.

2:39:32It's a Bill Shanley line.

2:39:35Lickety brindle up the middle.

2:39:38Appreciate it.

2:39:41Welcome down, folks.

2:39:42Whoever wants to jump in, feel free to go first.

2:39:46Uh, sure, I can go first.

2:39:48Uh, my name is Darren Herzberg.

2:39:49I am a resident of District 4.

2:39:51Thank you, City Council, for coming out here and listening to us.

2:39:55This term sheet is not acceptable.

2:39:57You can negotiate better than this.

2:40:00The Moda Center does need to be renovated.

2:40:02There are things we need to take care of.

2:40:03We have 4 to 5 years to negotiate this.

2:40:05It's not like the Blazers are just going to pop out of here, not to mention we have a lot of other fantastic teams that have already been mentioned, considering— I mean, there's, there's a lot to consider here, but we are facing one of the most catastrophic wildfire seasons in Oregon's history.

2:40:20We have houselessness on the rise, unemployment on the rise, teachers are being fired, TriMet lines are being cut, people are losing their health insurance, and we're concerned about a $600 million Moda Center renovation largely funded by taxpayers.

2:40:37And we have not— like, I cannot believe that we have considered using PCEF funds, climate funds that are intended for the most vulnerable communities here in Portland, to fund a, a Moda Center renovation at the behest of a Texas billionaire who doesn't live here and really seems to have come here to take advantage of our unfortunate situation of, of paying a dollar for a, a, a Moda Center that needs millions in renovations.

2:41:09So obviously this is a cheap deal for him.

2:41:12You need to negotiate better on the behalf of Portland and Portlanders, and don't work with the billionaires who are trying to screw us over hand over fist.

2:41:23Thank you very much.

2:41:27Okay, so listen, I really understand everyone who is arguing to, you know— Don't forget to say your name.

2:41:37What?

2:41:38Don't forget to say your name.

2:41:39What?

2:41:39Say your name for the record.

2:41:40Oh, sorry.

2:41:40My name's Everett.

2:41:42I use he/him pronouns.

2:41:43Good.

2:41:44I really understand everyone who does not want to accept the deal because, like the guy who went before me mentioned, you know, climate change, houselessness, but I feel like to lose the Blazers would be a real bummer.

2:42:01I'm a huge fan.

2:42:04I know, yeah, well, I feel like just the sense of community in Portland for the Blazers is amazing.

2:42:11What other city do you go to and you see trash cans painted for the Blazers?

2:42:16You know?

2:42:18Yeah, my friends, we bond over the Blazers.

2:42:21And yeah, I'm not just talking about me.

2:42:23Like, everyone who's been to a Blazers game knows, like, what other city sells out just regular season games?

2:42:31You know, that's how important the Blazers are to us.

2:42:33So I really hope they stay.

2:42:37Also, you know, let's be honest, Portland doesn't have a bunch of huge attractions that pull people downtown like Seattle or some of the cities near us, but the Blazers, they really bring people out into Portland.

2:42:50My parents say, you know, Portland's on the rise again, and the Blazers are really part of that, you know.

2:42:56They bring people here and they really help the community shine.

2:43:01So thank you.

2:43:01Thank you.

2:43:02Thank you very much for being here.

2:43:09Hello, my name is Israel Palacios.

2:43:11I'm a current college student at the University of Washington.

2:43:13I've grown up here in Portland all my life.

2:43:16Growing up, the Moda Center has been an integral part of my life, from Blazer games to my mom's El Grito event to March Madness games this past spring.

2:43:24But the Moda Center isn't just another stadium.

2:43:26It is an iconic place in the heart of Portland.

2:43:28A place that has witnessed historical achievements in sports like the Portland Fire's first game back, as well as hundreds of artists and organizations that have performed there over the years.

2:43:37Some of my fondest memories have been going with my friends and family to experience these live events, and it's hard to picture Portland without the Moda Center.

2:43:45Going to school at the University of Washington has opened my eyes to what it's like to lose a sports team you once cherished, as many of my friends and their families remember that day back in 2008.

2:43:54You go up to anyone in the city of Seattle and ask them if they miss the Sonics, the answer would be yes.

2:43:59You look at a city like Oakland, which has lost every major sports team it once had, and the impact it's had on their communities.

2:44:05That perspective makes me realize I cannot imagine the city without one of its most iconic brands that millions of people tune into every year.

2:44:12With the amount of money it generates and the millions of people who go there every year, it should be a place that is invested in and cared for for years to come, as the memories it has given Portlanders can never be forgotten.

2:44:21Thank you.

2:44:22All in all, the Moda Center will forever be a place I love and cherish for the memories and experiences I have been lucky enough to have, and it will always have a special place in my heart and in the heart of every Portlander.

2:44:30Thank you.

2:44:32Thank you very much.

2:44:35Matthew Gilbert and Keeley Hughes.

2:44:41Next up we have Claire Denalin-Manson, Lupe W., David Bloom, Jessica Wadley, Jim Rice.

2:44:55Come on down, folks.

2:44:57Thanks so much.

2:45:08Take us away, right here in the middle.

2:45:10Yeah.

2:45:11Thanks for meeting with us, City Council.

2:45:14My name's Lupe.

2:45:15I'm in District 4.

2:45:17Rip City, Not Ripoff City shows that this deal will cost taxpayers $1.1 billion.

2:45:24Texas billionaire Tom Dundon is holding our city hostage, and I don't think we should negotiate with an extortionist.

2:45:31He won't even tell us where our money will go, so we only guess it'll mostly be spent on his luxury booth and making our seats smaller like in other cities.

2:45:39The Trailblazers are contracted at Moda through 2030, so this false urgency and the corrupt secrecy of Project Mount Hood that our mayor and governor colluded in is even more infuriating.

2:45:53Let me tell you what's really urgent.

2:45:55Hundreds of thousands of Oregonians are struggling to survive, and you are cutting vital services.

2:46:01Homeless services, cut.

2:46:03Education, cut.

2:46:04Councilmember Loretta Smith.

2:46:06Healthcare cut, public transit cut.

2:46:10I mean, this city isn't even ADA compliant.

2:46:13And now Oregon has record-breaking wildfires like the one in Warm Springs, and we've got a government that is denying FEMA funds to us.

2:46:21Yes, we have a government actively preventing our own taxpayer money from being used to help us.

2:46:26Sound familiar?

2:46:27And that is exactly what you would be doing by stealing over a billion dollars from all of these vital services and handing it over to the most I've recently seen Bruce Springsteen, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, and multiple basketball games at the Moda Center.

2:46:43If the Moda Center is good enough for the Boss, it's good enough for me.

2:46:48Thank you so much.

2:46:53Whoever wants to jump in.

2:46:55My name is David Bloom.

2:46:57I am a small business owner.

2:47:00I own the Civic Taproom.

2:47:01It is a beer bar right next to the Moda Center.

2:47:03To the Timbers Stadium, Providence Park.

2:47:06And I know for a fact, as being a business next to an arena, the impact that it has.

2:47:13And we have now secured a long lease with them, right?

2:47:17All— if the Timbers were to leave, my business closes.

2:47:22All the other businesses around in Goose Hollow would close.

2:47:26I mean, we are strictly a business based off of events.

2:47:31And people coming and going.

2:47:32So if the Blazers were to leave, all those businesses around— you heard from Spirit of '77, all those like Lazy Day Brewing— those, those businesses are impacted.

2:47:42And I just want you to remember that, that when we're not just— when we're agreeing for this term sheet of 20 years, it's 20 years of stability for those businesses too.

2:47:51Okay?

2:47:51And for all this talk about Tom Dundon and all these things, I mean, he's a businessman.

2:47:56He's a businessman.

2:47:57Okay, he invested $800 million around Raleigh with his real estate firm because it was a good business opportunity.

2:48:06Now, if we sign a 20-year lease with him and the Blazers and we show Portland's on the rise, he will also invest money around his arena.

2:48:14So think about that.

2:48:15He has done it before.

2:48:17Let him do it again.

2:48:19Thank you.

2:48:19Thank you very much.

2:48:26Hi, my name is Claire Dunderline Manson.

2:48:28I am publicity director for Pink Martini, an avid concertgoer, casual Blazers fan, and enthusiastic Fire season ticket holder, and a proud longtime Albina neighborhood resident.

2:48:38But I'm not here as a fan, but as a passionate teller of Portland's continuing story.

2:48:42From where I stand, this vote has a PR problem.

2:48:46You've heard from plenty of people passionately arguing that This is fiscally detrimental to a city to pay for the development in a time of undeniable high human need and deep budgetary deficits.

2:48:57Many others today have said that an already strained spirit and character of the city cannot afford to lose the Blazers, and we must do whatever we can to keep the team here.

2:49:06I believe this narrative is a false dichotomy and that Portland does not have to, and in fact cannot, get into the trap of either standing up to or bending to the whim of an outside billionaire in the service of This is why it is so important to clearly articulate the how this renovation can make economic sense for our city beyond just, quote, the benefits to the Blazers, as well as the why it makes emotional sense to the character of the city.

2:49:32After hearing from so many today, I hope you understand that many of your constituents see this vote as an unfair trade-off of good vibes for bad budget.

2:49:39We've heard proposals that substantially protect and benefit Portlanders that justify and reward the city for investment instead of just i have faith that this council has the best interest of Portland and all its residents.

2:49:53It is incumbent upon you to take the time to ink the best deal for the city, to show your work, and to clearly articulate it so that all Portlanders can cheer for the Moda Center as loud as we cheer for events, artists, and the teams who play inside.

2:50:06Thank you very much.

2:50:10My name is Jim Rice, small business owner here in Portland.

2:50:14Daily we watch businesses, living wage jobs, and tax revenue leaving.

2:50:20We're ranked 80th out of 81 cities for investment.

2:50:24You all just finished fighting over the budget cuts, and next year is going to be worse.

2:50:31We all watched city council members with what appeared to be an anti-billionaire agenda protesting the new owners of the Trail Blazers, forcing him to clarify the obvious.

2:50:41Portland is competing with other cities, and we're losing.

2:50:47Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, after seeing businesses leaving and facing a $488 million budget deficit, finally admitted that her actions weren't being helpful.

2:50:57These actions are not being helpful.

2:51:01We lose when— the question is, is why would businesses actually want to come here?

2:51:07What are we doing?

2:51:08Are we attracting them?

2:51:10When we lose the Blazers to Nashville or a dozen other eager competitive cities, we lose a lot.

2:51:19We lose tax revenue.

2:51:20We lose businesses.

2:51:21We lose jobs.

2:51:23It's an overall impact on the entire city.

2:51:26We need the Blazers more than the owner needs us.

2:51:29We need to be recruiting the Trail Blazers owner, not We're at a crossroads.

2:51:38Will we, will we be the ones to be able to stop the doom loop that we've been entered into, or are we going to continue down that loop?

2:51:50Thank you.

2:51:50Thank you very much.

2:51:52Jessica's joining us online.

2:51:56Good morning.

2:51:57My name is Jessica Wadley, and I'm a resident of Woodlawn.

2:51:59I am a Portland resident and devoted Trail Blazers fan.

2:52:03I never feel more like a Portlander than when I'm standing in the Moda Center screaming alongside 20,000 other Blazer maniacs.

2:52:11The Blazers are part of our civic identity, our shared history, and the cultural fabric of this city.

2:52:17I want them to remain here.

2:52:19Beloving this team does not require Portland to accept any deal placed in front of us.

2:52:26I bring a message for Tom Dundon.

2:52:29Owning something does not make you special.

2:52:32Portland built Rip City.

2:52:34We celebrated this team during its greatest years.

2:52:37We kept showing up through the difficult ones, and you were nowhere to be found.

2:52:41Having the money to purchase a franchise does not excuse anyone from basic soft skills— respect, communication, good faith, and an understanding of the community whose loyalty gives this asset its value.

2:52:53Thank you.

2:52:54Are what close deals, not bullying, not posturing.

2:52:58The proposal asks the public to contribute up to $573 million, including as much as $120 million from the city.

2:53:06There are worthwhile protections here, but Portlanders deserve transparency and certainty before that money is committed.

2:53:13While Portland City Council is doing a good job bringing this term sheet forward, it is incumbent on the team to work productively if they want to convince us that they're actually serious about continuing the legacy of the Blazers in this please keep negotiating, but do not confuse urgency with surrender.

2:53:29Keep the Blazers in Portland while securing a deal that is fair, enforceable, transparent, and worthy of the city that created Rip City.

2:53:36Thank you.

2:53:37Thank you very much.

2:53:41Next up we have Emerson Odom, Julie Garner, Tom Kilbane, Skyland Wonders, Jay Banky.

2:53:53Welcome, folks.

2:53:55Feel free, please go ahead, start us off here.

2:53:59All right, um, hello, I'm Emerson Odom, and I want to speak about why the city should pay for the renovations for Moda Center, uh, to avoid relocation for the Trail Blazers.

2:54:09Portland and the Blazers go hand in hand.

2:54:11You can't have one without the other.

2:54:14The Blazers put Portland on the map and have brought Portlanders together for nearly 60 years.

2:54:19From Bill Walton to Clyde Drexler to Damian Lillard, these players have become cultural icons that mean so much to our city.

2:54:28Rip City is a huge part of the community here, and the Trail Blazers are more than just a basketball team.

2:54:33They are a rallying point for this city and state.

2:54:36As one of the most historic franchises in basketball, we cannot lose the Blazers, and we will not let Tom Dundon steal our team.

2:54:42Thank you.

2:54:43What I encourage the City Council to consider is that Dundon has already said he won't cover any costs to help with the Moda Center renovation costs.

2:54:50If you care about keeping the team in Portland, then you know that the city needs to pay for the renovations for Moda Center, not because it should be the city's responsibility, but because otherwise we face a major risk for losing our team.

2:55:03Thank you.

2:55:04Thank you very much.

2:55:05Good afternoon, councilors.

2:55:08My name is Julie Garner.

2:55:09From District 1.

2:55:11I'm a Rose City till I die Thorns supporter, in case you didn't notice.

2:55:16Well, I know what it means to love a team and what sports mean to this city.

2:55:20Yet every budget is a statement of values.

2:55:23Right now, Portland needs more affordable housing.

2:55:26We need to strengthen TriMet by increasing services for the people who depend on them every day.

2:55:30We need to ensure every Portlander has access to life's basic necessities.

2:55:34See, these are the kind of investments that strengthen our city and make everyday life more affordable.

2:55:40I know firsthand what it's like when every dollar matters just to get through the month.

2:55:45I'm actively looking for work, but I'm currently unemployed and rely on several public benefits like OHP and SNAP just to keep my head above water.

2:55:54Why shouldn't every public dollar be treated with the same care?

2:55:58Even valuable projects should be measured against more urgent public needs.

2:56:03When Portlanders are struggling to afford the basics, Our priorities should reflect that reality.

2:56:08What message does it send if we're prepared to commit more than half a billion taxpayer dollars to renovating a sports arena while so many basic public needs remain unmet?

2:56:18I don't believe Portland should be forced to choose between investing in its people and rewarding threats of relocation with public dollars.

2:56:26Our budget reflects our values, so let's invest in Portland first.

2:56:30Thank you.

2:56:30Thank you.

2:56:31Thank you very much.

2:56:37Council President Dunphy, members of council, um, my name is Tom Kilbane.

2:56:42I live in District 4.

2:56:44We all know that Portland has been through a challenging few years, and we're seeing signs of recovery.

2:56:49One of the clearest signs of this recovery is the progress that we've seen on several large redevelopment projects in the central city.

2:56:56You know them all.

2:56:57OMSI, Albina Vision Trust, Lloyd Center, all promising to deliver vibrant new neighborhoods.

2:57:04Just across the river, we can add the city's Broadway corridor to that list.

2:57:10One of the things all these have in common is that they will require a significant amount of private investment to be successful.

2:57:17No matter how you feel about real estate investors, that's how these projects work.

2:57:22If the Blazers were to leave Portland, it would have a chilling effect on investor sentiment, which is already negative.

2:57:29It would make moving these projects forward even more difficult than it already is.

2:57:34I want to acknowledge the difficult position that the city is in.

2:57:38This is a strange negotiation.

2:57:41You have a counterparty that doesn't really seem to be at the table, which makes this especially challenging.

2:57:47And I recognize that you're working to protect taxpayer dollars.

2:57:51As a Portland taxpayer, I appreciate that.

2:57:54My ask is that you continue working together, give the negotiating team the support they need, and get a deal done, because it would be a serious blow to the Portland economy and to the Portland psyche for— to lose the Blazers right now.

2:58:11Thank you.

2:58:11Thank you very much.

2:58:14Jay is joining us online.

2:58:15Excellent.

2:58:17Hello everyone, my name is Jay Benke, she/they pronouns.

2:58:21I'm a child abduction and sex trafficking survivor who was trafficked right here in the Pacific Northwest.

2:58:26Among my many roles, I am also the co-founder of the Sex Trade Survivor Caucus.

2:58:30Portland is at a breaking point.

2:58:32Our city is a human trafficking hub.

2:58:33We don't have enough public defenders to move trafficking cases through the courts.

2:58:37We have the highest rate of sex offenders per capita.

2:58:39Oregon's women and girls experience rape at rates well above the national average, and our streets have a reputation across the country as some of the most dangerous and volatile places for people being bought and sold for sex acts.

2:58:50Our crisis is escalating.

2:58:52Oregon lost $15 million in VOCA funding.

2:58:54As a result, programs closed, services paused indefinitely, staff lost their jobs, victims have been left without support.

2:59:01The Oregon DOJ's Human Trafficking Division was essentially dismantled.

2:59:04Our state's only labor trafficking specialist was laid off and the remaining staff were reassigned, all while Oregon has consistently received an F on the National Human Trafficking Report Card.

2:59:15In a city where victims lack legal protections, services are disappearing, prosecutions are delayed, and trafficking happens in plain sight, especially around sporting events, orgs like mine are expected to fill the gaps with no support.

2:59:27Oregon, Multco, Portland, and the Blazers have contributed exactly $0 to our work.

2:59:33I didn't get to finish high school because I was abducted and trafficked to Oregon sex buyers.

2:59:37I nearly died from my injuries and live with permanent disabilities.

2:59:40If I can build an award-winning organization from and with nothing to help Portland's victims, then surely the owner of the Blazers can find a way to pay for some of his own paint and 2x4s so Portland can contribute to our growing human trafficking crisis.

2:59:56Thank you so much.

2:59:57Thank you so much for being here.

2:59:59Skyland Wonders.

3:00:06Next up we have Randy Swanson, Anthony D'Andrea, Tim Halliburton, Theo Cho, and Lay's Hendrick.

3:00:18Welcome.

3:00:20Hello.

3:00:23Go ahead and introduce yourself for the record and Go ahead.

3:00:26Good afternoon.

3:00:27It's nice to see your faces.

3:00:28Um, for the record, my name is Theo Cho, and thank you for letting me speak today.

3:00:35Relocating the Blazers would mean more than losing just a basketball team, but a part of our city's identity.

3:00:42As one of the city's only major pro sports teams, the Blazers have brought people together for generations and created countless unforgettable memories, from Damian Lillard 3s To Brandon Roy driving layups.

3:00:56Portland is known for having one of the most passionate and loyal fan bases in the NBA, and that connection can't be replaced.

3:01:04In my opinion, relocating the team now would just destroy 60 years of history between us and the city, and in my eyes would be a lose-lose for both the city and the team.

3:01:14I encourage the council to carefully consider all aspects of the Trail Blazers' impact on Portland, and that means not only the financial impact on the city but the community, culture, history, and future of the city before making any decisions.

3:01:29Thank you for your time and consideration.

3:01:32Thank you so much for being here today.

3:01:38Blaze is joining us online.

3:01:44Blaze, you're muted.

3:01:49Good morning.

3:01:50You hear me now?

3:01:51We can hear you.

3:01:53Good morning.

3:01:54My name is Blaze Hondrick, and I was named after the Portland Trail Blazers.

3:01:58Even though I currently reside in the state of Texas, I have been following the local media like 105.9 The Fan because I am still an Oregonian.

3:02:06Living in Texas, I understand the difference between the 2 states, unlike Tom Dundon.

3:02:10He doesn't understand 3 simple words.

3:02:13Keep Portland weird.

3:02:15It's who we are.

3:02:17We are different.

3:02:18Unlike Texas, we only have one team, and they are our identity.

3:02:23Forget about the billionaire for a second and understand that this is an opportunity to update our arena to allow the next generation of Blazers fans to love our team.

3:02:33For me, it's about taking my kids to games like my dad did with me.

3:02:37It may be all for business.

3:02:39For Tom, but for us it's personal.

3:02:41I mean, I even named my son after Brandon Roy.

3:02:44I'll stick to what makes this personal by ending with a few names: Harry Glickman, Paul Allen, Rick Adelman, Jerome Kersey, Kevin Duckworth, Drazen Petrovic, Clifford Robinson, Brian Wheeler, Maurice Lucas, Bill Walton, Dr. Jack Ramsey, and Mr. Rip City Bill Shanley.

3:03:03These people meant and still mean something.

3:03:06We are all Trail Blazers, and the Moda Center is our house.

3:03:10Let's make it as nice as we can.

3:03:12Vote yes, and let's show the NBA that we love our Blazers, because this isn't business, this is personal.

3:03:19If we show up in good faith, the NBA will not allow Tom to steal our team.

3:03:25Thank you for hearing me today, and I know I don't have a dog in the fight because I live there, but this is my team.

3:03:31Thank you.

3:03:32Thank you very much.

3:03:36Okay, uh, checking to see Randy Swanson, Anthony D'Andrea, Tim Halbur.

3:03:45Next up we have Sean McDavid, Debbie Kitchen, Mira Alt, Edith Gillis, Elijah Murillo.

3:03:58Take it away, Debbie.

3:04:01Good afternoon, Chair and, uh, council members.

3:04:05I really appreciate— I'm Debbie Kitchen.

3:04:07I live in District 2.

3:04:09I really appreciate the opportunity to be here today.

3:04:12Um, I know you've heard through all this testimony, um, that the arena is more than the Blazers.

3:04:19It includes the fire, it includes concerts, events, and graduation.

3:04:23I have fond memories of taking my daughter to Disney on Ice when she was about 6 years old and was gobsmacked by all the Disney characters.

3:04:31So, and then I'm a huge fan of the Fire.

3:04:34They have just been really wonderful to see, and I love that we are an epicenter for women's sports.

3:04:41I think what I wanna talk about today is just the importance of what you have before you and really urge City Council Councilor Smith.

3:04:50I would encourage the council to come together, find the path.

3:04:53I know all of you, and I know that all of you have what's best for Portland in your hearts.

3:04:59I see it all the time, every day, in the work that you do together as a council.

3:05:04And I think that a united Portland is much stronger.

3:05:09The division, it creates weakness, and, and it prevents the best deal from being achieved.

3:05:16So, you know, the whole space around winning hearts and minds of Portlanders, the Blazers have abandoned that.

3:05:23Take that space, jump in there, bring Portland together, find the common ground to get a deal that renovates our facility, creates a world-class arena, and keeps the Blazers here, the fire, and all the good things that can happen for our community.

3:05:40Thank you.

3:05:41Thank you very much.

3:05:44Whoever wants to jump in.

3:05:46Uh, hello, my name is Elijah Murillo.

3:05:48I'm a student athlete out of Jefferson High School and a really big Blazer fan.

3:05:51I just want to talk about my experience as a fan and just how the Blazers can help bring, bring the community together.

3:05:57You can't really find another place in Portland that can have 20,000 people cheering for the same thing, for a Blazers win.

3:06:04And as, as a fan, I'm always going to cherish those memories going to games with my dad, rooting for For the team who's in the bottom of the standings and also a team who's trying to compete for a playing spot.

3:06:14Even besides basketball, the Moda Center could bring a lot of opportunities to young kids.

3:06:19At my school, we had Michael Holton, who was an ex-Blazers announcer.

3:06:23He would bring people to the Moda Center and show them opportunities of jobs you can get besides being a basketball player and showing that you can do things for the NBA that aren't Being a basketball player.

3:06:37And yeah, that's kind of all I want to say.

3:06:38Thank you.

3:06:40Thank you very much.

3:06:43Good afternoon.

3:06:45Sean McDavitt, longtime Portland resident, uh, working in downtown Portland every day as well.

3:06:51This is a 2022 Trail Blazers Summer League championship shirt.

3:06:57Uh, it's my pride and joy.

3:06:59It brings me back On that day, a group of spare parts, has-beens, never-quite-will-bes, and never-weres celebrated on my TV screen without a hint of irony.

3:07:14The chosen leaders of that team celebrated too, offering feel-good platitudes seemingly meant only to either fuel their own delusions of grandeur or to appeal to the hearts of the people of Portland.

3:07:26Thank you.

3:07:27To real sickos that lurk in obscure corners of the internet, or one particular member of my beloved Blazers group chat.

3:07:35This shirt is quite clearly a joke.

3:07:38It is satire.

3:07:41It pokes fun at what was a deeply painful era for the Blazer fans in the room.

3:07:47Fading hope, a hollowed-out core, a series of ego-driven poor decisions that set our opportunity at NBA relevance A leadership team that became complacent with previous unearned success, confused circumstance with superiority, and took their place among the Western Conference's elite for granted, only to fumble the ball so hard that they ran a once-in-a-generation civic treasure out of town.

3:08:17My shirt is also a powerful metaphor.

3:08:19Thank you.

3:08:20Councilmember Thank you very much.

3:08:27Uh, Edith Gillis is joining us online.

3:08:35Edith, go ahead.

3:08:46My name is Edith Gillison, District 3.

3:08:48Can you hear me?

3:08:50We can hear you, Edith.

3:08:51The state requires cities in Oregon to be responsible for water, roads, clean air, public safety, housing, and democracy, mandating strict procedural financial planning and public safety rules.

3:09:03Portland City Council claimed that our priorities are to address our emergencies with housing, which is denied most Portlanders, climate justice and resilience, social economy, and economic justice, police accountability and public safety, earthquake disasters prevention and resilience and justice, and local sustainability with water, food security, Superfund site cleanup, and clean air and public health.

3:09:27Robbing all of those priorities and requirements in order to give charity to a billionaire extortionist is violating your mandate.

3:09:36The public treasure we need to invest in is our people who are otherwise being unhoused, trespassed, and repeatedly victimized by crimes.

3:09:48My happy memories of being in Portland with my family are creating kind acts, helping our unhoused, disabled, hungry, scared neighbors, not skipping meals and sanitary napkins to pay for overpriced tickets For passive audience that does not create the active, strong self-trust, self-respect, community courage, and hope that we need, as well as karma, for building a better Portland.

3:10:16Passive entertainment doesn't do it.

3:10:19What we need is to build stronger— change what you're requiring.

3:10:25Give us more time to think it through.

3:10:28Thank you.

3:10:29I have no control over whether someone leaves but we have control over what we choose and what we choose.

3:10:37Thank you so much, Edith, for being here.

3:10:40Uh, checking to see if Mira Alt is here.

3:10:45Next up we have Alex Klein, Michael Johnson, Calvin Porterfield, Amira Sanders, Claire Russell.

3:10:56Come on down, folks, and Folks hanging out in the balcony, there are additional seats down here below if you are interested in coming down.

3:11:02My name is Alex Klein, and I'm a resident of District 2.

3:11:09I'm an attorney who works downtown, and I live 2 stops away from the Rose Quarter Transit Center at the 7th Avenue stop.

3:11:17The MAX is my primary mode of transportation, and I don't own a car.

3:11:21I used the Green Line to come here today.

3:11:24I bring up my reliance on TriMet because while the city, county, and state were colluding behind closed doors to give Tom Dundon $600 million in public dollars, while some elected representatives in this room were attending private parties celebrating that collusion, they also failed to fully fund TriMet.

3:11:43That real failure means that soon I would not be able to get on the line I rode to come here today.

3:11:48Councilmember Smith.

3:11:50That's not completely on City Council, but it's one very tangible contrast to the lengths that elected leaders have gone to give a billionaire more money instead of investing in Portland.

3:12:01During a year where politicians have told the community that there isn't enough money to make our lives better, it is reprehensible to allocate millions without significant investor investment by the owner.

3:12:14I urge City Council to only approve public money for the billionaire Tom Dundon once there is a significant funding commitment from him and once City Council is provided with concrete plans for how our public dollars will be spent.

3:12:27Thank you.

3:12:28Thank you very much.

3:12:31Whoever wants to jump in?

3:12:35Hi, how y'all doing today?

3:12:37My name is Calvin Porterfield, pronouns he/him.

3:12:40I've lived in Portland my whole life, been a Portland Trail Blazers fan for as long as I can remember.

3:12:46And I just wanted to come here to say that we have time to come to a better, more transparent deal than this.

3:12:52A lot of this conversation is made up on the assumption that the Blazers will be snatched away at any minute.

3:12:59Tom Dundon doesn't have an immediate or easy way to move the Portland Trail Blazers.

3:13:04I understand that some public investment in the Moda Center is perfectly reasonable.

3:13:09We do own the building.

3:13:12Pledging hundreds of millions of dollars at the behest of a billionaire who has basically given our city the middle finger since he realized it existed without a clear plan of where that money is going is criminal, especially when the city is already being asked to live with cuts to so many other public services.

3:13:32I just wanted to say that I hope that we can talk to Dundon in a language that he is all too familiar with.

3:13:38Councilor Smith.

3:13:40Thank you for your time.

3:13:45I yield the remainder of mine.

3:13:47Thank you very much.

3:13:52Hi there.

3:13:52My name is Claire Russell, she/her.

3:13:55I'm a small business owner in District 3 and a proud transsexual woman.

3:13:59I moved to Portland 4 years ago and have come to love and care deeply for the city.

3:14:03I have a cautionary tale for you.

3:14:05I'm originally from San Diego, and I saw the same thing happen to my city.

3:14:07Saw the Chargers leave in 2017.

3:14:10San Diego agreed to renovation after renovation over the years, but it was never enough.

3:14:16Dean Spanos, billionaire owner of the Chargers, could not be satisfied in his greed.

3:14:21After the city refused to spend $1 billion on the latest demand for renovation, he moved the team to LA.

3:14:28Do you know what happened?

3:14:30San Diego had a very small dip in economic output for one year.

3:14:34Yeah.

3:14:34And then the city carried on with expected economic growth ever since.

3:14:38That's all.

3:14:39Compared to being in debt for the decade— for decades after accepting this renovation deal, I'd say that's not half bad.

3:14:46Please do not let these billionaire owners of the Trail Blazers hold us all hostage for our tax dollars.

3:14:52Do not fear economic backlash because it will not come.

3:14:57Their promises of private donations do not make up for the strain this will cause to our city budget.

3:15:03These are scare tactics these billionaires and their lobbyist groups are using to manipulate us and use our love and adoration for our team against us.

3:15:12Let's support our local unions and businesses by funding the building of vitally needed public infrastructure instead of billionaire vanity projects.

3:15:20It is better for our local businesses to support things like Vienna-style public housing, health thank you very much.

3:15:41Okay, uh, Michael Johnson, Amira Sanders.

3:15:45Okay, uh, we're gonna circle back.

3:15:51Uh, Dr. J.W.

3:15:53Matt Hennessey.

3:16:00Hi, apologies, can you hear me?

3:16:03Oh, hi Lorena.

3:16:05Um, just a second, we haven't called you yet.

3:16:07Just a second.

3:16:13Okay, um, we'll move on.

3:16:16Next up we have Slater Waring.

3:16:20Lorena Gayette, Sean Sosnowiec, Nakia Hunter, Santino Juarez.

3:16:31Hey, Lorena, you want to kick us off?

3:16:38I'll let a few of the in-person people go first.

3:16:41You're good, go ahead.

3:16:44Oh, okay.

3:16:48My name— sorry, that's confusing.

3:16:52I apologize.

3:16:53My name is Lorena Gayette.

3:16:54I'm advocating for a worksheet that focuses on accountability towards the Moda Center as well as equity in regards to the shared responsibility for it.

3:17:05I'm going to be very, very honest.

3:17:06I am not usually a sports person.

3:17:08The last time I was at the Moda Center was for a Hozier concert.

3:17:12I still very much at understand the vital importance of sports to a community, but I am having a hard time swallowing the narrative being presented to me as a taxpayer.

3:17:23I find this a very difficult time to see this after some of the most recent budget negotiations and seeing how certain jobs were slashed.

3:17:31And now I'm being told that my tax dollars, while can't save as many city worker jobs, is able to completely help the Blazers owners to avoid their contractual obligations to be responsible to the necessary maintenance of the Moda Center.

3:17:46This is apparently an investment that's so important that Dundon— or that Dundon considers so important and necessary that he's not even willing to use his own money to even cover the cost of a consultation to provide a city with plans, just concept, or concept of a plan.

3:18:02I definitely feel like that's I find that this is a bit of a Darvo situation.

3:18:12I do want good things for the city and I want the Blazers to stay, but I also believe that that means that we need to make sure that we're having the negotiating team be given a sheet that is able to advocate for fair and an equitable deal that preserves that responsibility.

3:18:28Thank you.

3:18:29Thank you very much.

3:18:31No problem.

3:18:34Good afternoon, Council.

3:18:35My name is Nakia Hunter, and I'm a representative of both union and non-union carpenters here in our region.

3:18:40I'm here to support the Moda Center renovation.

3:18:43I also believe that this project is an opportunity to strengthen Portland's economy.

3:18:48The city owns this property, and as its stewards, you have the responsibility to ensure that any agreement with private partners who lease and profit from this public asset deliver a measurable return to the people of Portland.

3:19:00That means putting expectations in the contract from the beginning.

3:19:03Opportunities for Oregon workers, investment in apprenticeship, local contractors' participation, transparency reporting, and clear accountability for the communities that are— for the commitments that are made.

3:19:16Apologies.

3:19:17Public investment should create public opportunity.

3:19:19Let's build more than an arena.

3:19:21Let's build family wage careers, strengthen local businesses, and keep more than these dollars circulating in Portland's economy.

3:19:27Councilmember Herbold.

3:19:29That's how we protect the public investment and ensure that this project leaves a lasting benefit for generations to come.

3:19:36Thank you.

3:19:37Thank you very much.

3:19:39All right, cool.

3:19:41My name is Tino.

3:19:42I'm with the North Coast States Carpenters Union, and I just want to thank you guys for your time.

3:19:46Real quickly, I just want to— we heard a lot about today, and there's a lot of folks in this room that, man, a lot smarter than I am, but I just want to give my little 2 cents.

3:19:55If I can, you know, when we're talking about a project like this, we're talking about construction.

3:20:00And what's so valuable to construction that it brings to the city, man, is that, you know, I've heard a lot of people recently talk about mental health and suicide prevention and things like that.

3:20:10And I've seen many of you on your socials address that type of topic, man.

3:20:14But you know what, man?

3:20:15Portland doesn't need another program, man, or this and that.

3:20:17You know what?

3:20:18We need to get to work.

3:20:20We need to build buildings, man.

3:20:21Councilmember We need things to start happening in our city.

3:20:24Look outside at the construction market.

3:20:27It sucks.

3:20:28And some of you know what's happening in affordable housing.

3:20:31Not all those jobs are what they're supposed to be, you know?

3:20:35And I think this is a great opportunity to do it correctly, get responsible contracting, build with contractors that benefit the community.

3:20:44And I know the businesses and all the offshoot that it talks about, But what about the worker, the person that's getting up at 5, 6 o'clock in the morning, lacing up their boots, man, to go to a job that's close to their neighborhood where they can make some good money for the damn family, man?

3:20:59Let's, uh, I think there's so much opportunity at this table that we can bring, man.

3:21:03Thank you guys for your time.

3:21:05Thank you very much.

3:21:10I'm happy to.

3:21:11I'll just jump in.

3:21:12My name's Sean.

3:21:14I'm here to support the renovation.

3:21:15I'm a humble citizen, husband, father of 3, worked downtown the last 14 years, born here.

3:21:21Clyde Drexler, Bill Shanley raised me.

3:21:24You know, I remember watching Damon Stoudamire when he was at Wilson High School as I was a kid.

3:21:28It was one of the most formative experiences of my youth.

3:21:32When he came back to play for the Blazers and I was in high school, it was like the prodigal son had returned.

3:21:36He gave $250,000.

3:21:37I still remember it so vividly.

3:21:39Thank you.

3:21:39To the Portland Public Schools.

3:21:42You know, these leaders, you see Terry Porter, you see CJ McCollum, you see even Chris Dudley, you see, you know, Damian Lillard.

3:21:50Like, what they do goes way beyond anything, like, no disrespect to the consultants, like, you could possibly begin to quantify.

3:21:57So, you know, I know it's difficult, this ownership group.

3:22:02I don't get it.

3:22:02I really don't.

3:22:03I know it's hard.

3:22:04You guys are in a tough position.

3:22:05You didn't ask for this.

3:22:06You didn't run expecting to have to deal with this.

3:22:07So I really sympathize with you.

3:22:08And I think, frankly, you're doing a You're doing a very admirable job.

3:22:11Please keep doing that.

3:22:12Keep taking the high road no matter what.

3:22:14Stay optimistic, stay positive.

3:22:17And I hope you vote for this next week.

3:22:19I really do.

3:22:20I know it's not perfect, but don't let perfect get in the way.

3:22:23It's non-binding.

3:22:23You move to negotiating the particulars of the lease.

3:22:27And even there, I would say whether it's a great deal, good deal, or even a below-average deal, like within a few months, certainly within a few years, no one will remember any of it.

3:22:35But if we lose this team, it'll be just crushing.

3:22:37Thank you.

3:22:37So let's get this behind us.

3:22:40I appreciate the work that you're doing, and we support you.

3:22:42Thank you very much.

3:22:44Thank you very much.

3:22:48Hi, my name is Slater Waring from District 4.

3:22:53I live in downtown, work in downtown.

3:23:02I mean, we all love the Blazers.

3:23:04Right.

3:23:06Important team to the city.

3:23:08But when I talk to clients and friends in Milan and in London and in Tokyo and in Mumbai, you know what they know Portland for?

3:23:20Not the Blazers.

3:23:22They know us for our microbreweries, for our culture, and for our music, for our queer community, for our restaurants, for Thank you.

3:23:30They know us for our incredible lounges and bars and quirky places and fashion, but they don't know us for the Blazers.

3:23:40This idea that the Blazers is integral to outside investment because it's part of the city's identity, it's just not.

3:23:48I love having them here and I hope they'll stay, but like at the behest of Thomas Duncan, who is a MAGA Republican from Texas who has given money to the Trump campaign.

3:24:02We're subsidizing a billionaire's effort to fund the Blazers, who, if he funded it himself, he would still be a billionaire.

3:24:12And if he can't still be happy with billions of dollars, then he doesn't deserve billions of dollars or our hundreds of millions Thank you all very much.

3:24:28Um, okay, let's check in Dr. J.W.

3:24:31Matt Hennessey.

3:24:38Yes, thank you so much, and I'm ready when you're ready, if you can hear me.

3:24:42Yep, go ahead.

3:24:42Thanks.

3:24:43Wonderful.

3:24:44Thank you to the mayor, uh, President Dunphy, Vice President Clark, and the Portland City Councilors.

3:24:50Let me begin by saying that as a nearly 36-year Portlander who has lived and rather served in senior levels in business community, city and state administration, in the faith community, I love each of you and respect you and want you to play at the top of your game always.

3:25:07Some of you may not know me, but that doesn't diminish the fact that I respect and appreciate the work that you're elected to do and the challenges that that you are dealing with right now.

3:25:18I want to be a servant who says to you, number one, I really, really want to see, as you're making these decisions, the best decision possible.

3:25:30I support the statements that have been made today about the Modus Center.

3:25:35I absolutely believe it's important as a key economic engine of the city.

3:25:40For it to be here, and for, as my former boss at Nike, Claire Hamill, mentioned today, the Portland Fire as well.

3:25:50I also want to ask you to work with us in community on how things go at the City Council table so that there's an esprit de corps that gives our children a good model.

3:26:05And number— and the last is to say that we want to work with you to do everything that we can to be the people that people in the world have always known us to be in Portland.

3:26:18Keep up the good work and know that there are many of us who support you.

3:26:22Thank you very much.

3:26:25Next up, we have Robert Millis, Lakota Toe, Lightning Super Creativity, Jim Atwood, and Samuel Chavez.

3:26:35Kick us off.

3:26:37Awesome.

3:26:38City Council, thank you.

3:26:40My name is Lakota Tao.

3:26:41I'm a representative with the North Coast States Carpenters Union, and I'm here in support of funding for the Moda Center improvements.

3:26:49When people look at a project like this, they see the finished building, but I see the people who build it.

3:26:56The investment— this investment means family-wage jobs for skilled tradespeople and real opportunities for apprentices who are learning a craft while earning a paycheck.

3:27:06It gives young people a path to a rewarding career without taking on overwhelming debt while helping experienced workers continue supporting their families and contributing to our local economy.

3:27:17These projects don't just improve buildings, they strengthen communities.

3:27:21The wages earned on these jobs are spent at local businesses, restaurants, and stores creating benefits that extend far beyond the job site.

3:27:29As someone in the construction industry, I've seen firsthand how these opportunities can change lives.

3:27:34They develop highly skilled professionals, create long-term careers, and ensure projects are completed with quality, safety, and pride.

3:27:44This decision is about more than improving an arena.

3:27:47It's about investing in the people who build Portland, creating opportunities for the next generation of skilled workers thank you very much.

3:28:01Please.

3:28:06Good afternoon.

3:28:07My name is Jim Atwood, and my father was born in Portland 104 years ago and lived his entire life here, and I've been here for 78 years myself, so I care deeply about the city.

3:28:20I think the elephant in the room is not just the funding of Moda Center, but it's our very high tax structure.

3:28:29We have the Portland City business license tax, the Multnomah County business income tax, the Preschool for All tax, the homeless tax, the TriMet payroll tax, and the self-employment tax, not to mention the corporate activity tax.

3:28:44Activity tax.

3:28:46So if you want to keep taxing the socks off of everybody, you're going to have to give them something for their money.

3:28:53We're not just supporting a billionaire here, we're supporting ourselves.

3:28:57The Blazers only play 41 regular season home games in the Moda Center.

3:29:01There's another 320 nights a year that are available for concert use and other uses and other sports teams that are all important.

3:29:10We're not just Just looking at the Blazers alone.

3:29:15So, and yeah, I've heard a lot of people want certain things in the agreement.

3:29:21Myself, I'd like you to have them sell hot dogs and sodas for the same price as Costco.

3:29:26But if everybody puts their own 2 bits worth into the deal, you won't get any deal at all.

3:29:32So I'd encourage you to make the deal as quickly as you can.

3:29:36Portland's a dying city, and I want you to do what you can to help it survive.

3:29:39Thank you.

3:29:40Thank you.

3:29:40Thank you very much.

3:29:43Lightning?

3:29:43Yes, my name is Lightning.

3:29:45I represent Lightning Super Creativity Humanity Lab.

3:29:49Again, your economy is flatlined.

3:29:53You're trying to save it.

3:29:55You're getting desperate.

3:29:57You're going to give this group anything they want, how much money they want, the terms they want.

3:30:04And you know what?

3:30:06Your little, uh, standard in there on first-class standard arena.

3:30:11If you don't remove that, they're going to walk anyway, and they're going to challenge you in court.

3:30:15We're going to be in court again.

3:30:17They're going to relocate.

3:30:19They're going to relocate.

3:30:22Austin, possibly Vegas, is still in the running.

3:30:27Now here's why Vegas.

3:30:30Adam Silver needs to understand one thing.

3:30:32Your preference may be Portland, But that's not your job to make the final determination.

3:30:39Ask the commissioner, and you better get that straight real fast.

3:30:44They want to move to Las Vegas.

3:30:46They should have the opportunity to go to Las Vegas, and Las Vegas will be the most valuable NBA franchise in history.

3:30:57It will surpass everything.

3:30:58Thank you.

3:31:00And they're already coming in bids at $10 billion.

3:31:03It'll go up to $12 billion, but Tom Dundon will go in with a relocation fee in place and he will win.

3:31:11He will win $8 billion to $12 billion on the relocation.

3:31:17He's not going to turn that away, and you're not going to stop him.

3:31:22Your little 5-year bridge agreement is nothing but a trap to trap him in.

3:31:26Thank you.

3:31:26If he wants to leave, let him leave.

3:31:30Let him go.

3:31:31What's your problem?

3:31:33The fire could be your main marquee tenant.

3:31:37Thank you.

3:31:37Let him go.

3:31:38Thank you very much.

3:31:40Appreciate you.