WEBVTT 1 00:06:28.492 --> 00:06:29.487 Good morning. 2 00:06:29.536 --> 00:06:32.391 I'm calling to order this meeting of the Portland City Council. 3 00:06:32.744 --> 00:06:35.038 It is Wednesday, August 5th. 4 00:06:36.192 --> 00:06:39.192 Poor Councilor Koyama Lane is all alone by over there. 5 00:06:39.723 --> 00:06:40.653 Keelan, could we please call the roll? 6 00:06:41.632 --> 00:06:42.016 Good morning. 7 00:06:42.353 --> 00:06:42.867 Koyama Lane. 8 00:06:43.334 --> 00:06:43.675 Here. 9 00:06:44.062 --> 00:06:44.468 Moreno. 10 00:06:45.098 --> 00:06:45.309 Here. 11 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:46.410 Quick. 12 00:06:48.110 --> 00:06:48.627 Here. 13 00:06:49.324 --> 00:06:50.310 Clark. 14 00:06:50.603 --> 00:06:50.812 Here. 15 00:06:51.720 --> 00:06:52.288 Green. 16 00:06:52.711 --> 00:06:53.132 Here. 17 00:06:53.459 --> 00:06:53.865 Zimmerman. 18 00:06:56.204 --> 00:06:56.514 Avalos. 19 00:06:57.180 --> 00:06:58.252 Present. 20 00:06:59.615 --> 00:07:00.002 Smith. 21 00:07:01.149 --> 00:07:01.326 Here. 22 00:07:03.086 --> 00:07:03.295 Kanal. 23 00:07:06.992 --> 00:07:07.605 Here. 24 00:07:09.110 --> 00:07:09.531 Here today. 25 00:07:10.081 --> 00:07:10.307 Ryan. 26 00:07:10.824 --> 00:07:10.937 Here. 27 00:07:11.615 --> 00:07:12.327 Dunphy. 28 00:07:12.747 --> 00:07:12.860 Here. 29 00:07:13.896 --> 00:07:16.305 And could we please call, uh, read the rules of decorum for the chamber? 30 00:07:17.310 --> 00:07:17.793 Good morning. 31 00:07:17.906 --> 00:07:19.259 Welcome to the Portland City Council. 32 00:07:19.613 --> 00:07:25.384 To testify before council in person or virtually, you must sign up in advance in the council agenda at www.portland.gov/council/agenda. 33 00:07:28.110 --> 00:07:30.862 Information on engaging with council can be found on the council clerk's webpage. 34 00:07:31.201 --> 00:07:34.749 Individuals may testify for 3 minutes unless the presiding officer states otherwise. 35 00:07:34.901 --> 00:07:36.891 Your microphone will be muted when your time is over. 36 00:07:37.535 --> 00:07:39.076 The presiding officer preserves order. 37 00:07:39.300 --> 00:07:46.348 Disruptive 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. 38 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:48.677 If you cause a disruption, a warning will be given. 39 00:07:48.870 --> 00:07:51.165 Further disruption will result in ejection from the meeting. 40 00:07:51.437 --> 00:07:54.360 Anyone who fails to leave once ejected is subject to arrest for trespass. 41 00:07:54.584 --> 00:07:57.233 Additionally, council may take a short recess and reconvene virtually. 42 00:07:57.940 --> 00:08:00.380 Your testimony should address the matter being considered when testifying. 43 00:08:00.428 --> 00:08:01.055 Thank you, Council Clerk Rebecca Dobert. 44 00:08:01.136 --> 00:08:02.050 State your name for the record. 45 00:08:02.115 --> 00:08:03.367 Your address is not necessary. 46 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:05.968 If you're a lobbyist, identify the organization you represent. 47 00:08:06.610 --> 00:08:09.742 Virtual testifiers should unmute themselves when the council clerk calls your name. 48 00:08:09.966 --> 00:08:10.206 Thank you. 49 00:08:10.704 --> 00:08:11.620 Thank you very much, colleagues. 50 00:08:11.668 --> 00:08:16.757 We have a few things to get through before I know the main show is here, what I suspect almost everybody's here for. 51 00:08:17.593 --> 00:08:20.884 Our first item is, as every week, is agenda approval. 52 00:08:21.607 --> 00:08:26.456 Are there any requests to amend the agenda, to reorder items, or reschedule an item to a future meeting date? 53 00:08:28.536 --> 00:08:28.718 No. 54 00:08:28.901 --> 00:08:30.966 Uh, do I have unanimous consent to approve the agenda? 55 00:08:32.813 --> 00:08:33.952 The agenda is approved. 56 00:08:34.684 --> 00:08:35.384 Thank you very much. 57 00:08:36.215 --> 00:08:37.988 Item 2, can we please call public communications? 58 00:08:41.047 --> 00:08:44.624 First up, we have Galeb Ben Inhotep El. 59 00:08:47.668 --> 00:08:48.120 I'm coming. 60 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:49.732 Come on down. 61 00:08:50.650 --> 00:08:51.208 Thank you very much. 62 00:08:51.307 --> 00:08:52.847 We'll wait just a second as you come on downstairs. 63 00:08:58.131 --> 00:08:59.591 Is this the time where I tell a joke? 64 00:08:59.639 --> 00:08:59.899 Yes. 65 00:09:00.062 --> 00:09:00.370 Okay. 66 00:09:00.532 --> 00:09:00.759 Please. 67 00:09:01.585 --> 00:09:04.519 What has 5 toes and isn't your foot? 68 00:09:05.995 --> 00:09:06.658 It's my foot. 69 00:09:09.216 --> 00:09:10.527 Oh my God. 70 00:09:10.995 --> 00:09:11.903 Thank you. 71 00:09:12.032 --> 00:09:14.849 I was going to ask if it was like a frog's foot or some other animal. 72 00:09:16.067 --> 00:09:16.493 I know. 73 00:09:18.437 --> 00:09:20.499 You need, you need 9 votes to relieve a council president. 74 00:09:23.292 --> 00:09:32.259 Mr. President, as someone with 4 toes on one foot and 3 on the other, I must take offense at your toeist— Apologies, Councilor Novick. 75 00:09:34.673 --> 00:09:35.336 Welcome, sir. 76 00:09:35.596 --> 00:09:36.568 Introduce yourself for the record. 77 00:09:36.616 --> 00:09:37.995 You're welcome to share your pronouns, and you have 3 minutes. 78 00:09:38.740 --> 00:09:40.336 Hello, um, good morning. 79 00:09:40.788 --> 00:09:44.450 I am Galib Benimotebel, and I'm domiciled in District 4. 80 00:09:45.951 --> 00:09:50.125 As someone who regularly attends these meetings and other committee meetings as well. 81 00:09:51.462 --> 00:10:00.187 I have consistently sought to bring about sustainable, constructive solutions to this chamber. 82 00:10:01.537 --> 00:10:10.818 Through 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. 83 00:10:12.346 --> 00:10:28.557 Today 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. 84 00:10:29.932 --> 00:10:38.003 Based strictly on traditional credentialing, I possess some college education, no actual degree as of yet. 85 00:10:38.730 --> 00:10:49.403 I 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. 86 00:10:49.889 --> 00:10:51.865 I also have an OSHA 10 certification as well. 87 00:10:52.679 --> 00:11:00.015 You 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. 88 00:11:01.652 --> 00:11:07.820 Not 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. 89 00:11:08.561 --> 00:11:10.605 I have an extensive skill set. 90 00:11:10.653 --> 00:11:10.798 Thank you. 91 00:11:11.928 --> 00:11:26.513 Portland has sown a transformation in me, a lived, real-world experience of change, structural adaptation, transparency, and complete and total accountability. 92 00:11:28.460 --> 00:11:50.581 To 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. 93 00:11:55.315 --> 00:11:59.220 The fruits of that transformation, I would be remiss to deny Portland. 94 00:12:00.457 --> 00:12:03.383 And there is one saying in this situation that I think applies very well here. 95 00:12:04.494 --> 00:12:06.585 Use your heart, not your eyes. 96 00:12:08.547 --> 00:12:17.687 My complete packet, including my statement of intent, a verifiable background, and my contact details, have been submitted to the clerk for your review. 97 00:12:19.975 --> 00:12:26.791 And I would ask respectfully that you direct my materials to the BPS leadership and human resources. 98 00:12:27.626 --> 00:12:28.994 A recommendation or two wouldn't hurt. 99 00:12:29.524 --> 00:12:29.799 Thank you. 100 00:12:30.524 --> 00:12:33.326 Thank you for your consideration to a more progressive Portland. 101 00:12:34.998 --> 00:12:41.456 And just know that no matter what you choose or how I feel about that choice, I love you all unconditionally. 102 00:12:42.590 --> 00:12:42.879 Thank you. 103 00:12:43.205 --> 00:12:44.145 Thank you so much for being here. 104 00:12:45.423 --> 00:12:46.255 Also, perfect timing. 105 00:12:47.509 --> 00:12:49.083 Next up, we have David Guither. 106 00:12:57.408 --> 00:12:58.312 Good morning and welcome. 107 00:12:58.586 --> 00:12:58.797 Morning. 108 00:12:59.442 --> 00:13:02.350 Let's go ahead and introduce yourself for the record in 3 minutes. 109 00:13:04.179 --> 00:13:04.548 David Guither. 110 00:13:04.613 --> 00:13:06.445 I'm a lease driver with Radio Cab. 111 00:13:08.792 --> 00:13:22.197 Unfortunately, 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. 112 00:13:22.309 --> 00:13:23.578 They could be curing cancer. 113 00:13:23.676 --> 00:13:36.669 No, 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. 114 00:13:37.730 --> 00:13:45.825 Anyway, the safety comparisons are very interesting to me because they, they generally don't take into account professional drivers. 115 00:13:46.418 --> 00:13:47.676 They say human drivers. 116 00:13:47.773 --> 00:13:48.128 Human drivers. 117 00:13:48.192 --> 00:14:06.193 That'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. 118 00:14:07.073 --> 00:14:10.121 And the police came up with that statistic. 119 00:14:12.731 --> 00:14:28.347 What 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. 120 00:14:28.941 --> 00:14:33.458 Now, they have invested billions of dollars in putting this company together. 121 00:14:33.746 --> 00:14:40.235 They're not coming here to take 5 or 10% of the business or even grow the pie, so to speak. 122 00:14:40.461 --> 00:14:43.616 They're here to make incredible amounts of money, which— That's not true. 123 00:14:44.066 --> 00:14:46.136 I don't know where they expect to get it from. 124 00:14:47.275 --> 00:14:56.890 One of the problems with the safety aspect is they don't take into account the distraction that their vehicles cause by just driving around. 125 00:14:58.046 --> 00:15:03.149 When they stop, moving them is virtually impossible for the fire or police. 126 00:15:03.985 --> 00:15:06.168 Towing them requires special equipment. 127 00:15:06.857 --> 00:15:09.522 And the monitors are in the Philippines. 128 00:15:09.586 --> 00:15:12.219 Hopefully somebody has those on a speed dial at PBOT. 129 00:15:12.267 --> 00:15:12.379 Thank you. 130 00:15:13.116 --> 00:15:20.583 To 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. 131 00:15:21.369 --> 00:15:25.759 The other side problems, collateral damage, is public transit. 132 00:15:26.658 --> 00:15:37.282 They 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. 133 00:15:37.330 --> 00:15:42.801 And And that hinders our public transit considerably. 134 00:15:44.988 --> 00:15:50.523 All of the other cities involved have sales taxes, so they have a chance to recoup some of the costs. 135 00:15:52.552 --> 00:15:54.288 And they also have high tech bases. 136 00:15:54.500 --> 00:16:12.008 Austin, 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. 137 00:16:16.207 --> 00:16:17.971 Next up, we have Jennifer McMillan. 138 00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:21.543 Good morning. 139 00:16:21.881 --> 00:16:22.302 Welcome. 140 00:16:24.868 --> 00:16:27.256 Go ahead and introduce yourself for the record. 141 00:16:27.304 --> 00:16:29.129 You're welcome to share your pronouns, and you have 3 minutes. 142 00:16:29.975 --> 00:16:33.033 Jennifer McMillan representing AFSCME Local 3135. 143 00:16:34.596 --> 00:16:34.852 Thank you. 144 00:16:34.917 --> 00:16:35.140 Go ahead. 145 00:16:35.974 --> 00:16:37.384 Good morning, Chair and Councilors. 146 00:16:37.576 --> 00:16:41.629 For years, my 2 children and I have lived in Home Forward's public housing. 147 00:16:42.222 --> 00:16:43.649 Now I am a homeowner. 148 00:16:44.129 --> 00:16:51.163 For the last 15 years, I have worked for Home Forward, and I am currently a policy and quality control coordinator. 149 00:16:52.236 --> 00:17:01.947 I also have the honor of representing AFSCME Local 3135, which is the voice of more than half of the employees at Home Forward. 150 00:17:03.054 --> 00:17:08.817 As union president, I have publicly spoken about concerns regarding Home Forward's leadership. 151 00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:15.480 These concerns are real, and our members have called for greater accountability and meaningful change. 152 00:17:16.138 --> 00:17:20.039 We have been through a difficult period, and important work is still ahead. 153 00:17:21.098 --> 00:17:25.417 Our union has begun working with Michael and Chair Kim. 154 00:17:26.333 --> 00:17:31.759 We are encouraged by their willingness to engage with employees and address longstanding challenges. 155 00:17:32.452 --> 00:17:35.151 Our expectations have not changed. 156 00:17:35.425 --> 00:17:41.015 We will continue to advocate for accountability, transparency, and strong leadership. 157 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:54.063 We have already requested that employees have a voice in hiring the next executive director and CFO because we believe that lasting solutions require collaboration. 158 00:17:55.146 --> 00:18:08.518 We 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. 159 00:18:09.705 --> 00:18:17.635 Many of you have been asking difficult questions of Home Forward, and that oversight is important and accountability matters. 160 00:18:18.453 --> 00:18:24.858 But I also know what Home Forward can accomplish when it has strong leadership and effective governance. 161 00:18:25.613 --> 00:18:32.881 I am living proof that the opportunities the agency can create, and I remain committed to helping it succeed. 162 00:18:33.618 --> 00:18:37.244 That is why I've taken time off of work today to speak to you today. 163 00:18:38.367 --> 00:18:46.181 For more than 6 months, the Board of Commissioners has operated without a full board, with most vacancies existing even longer. 164 00:18:46.854 --> 00:18:52.050 No commission can be at its best when one-third of its 2 seats are vacant. 165 00:18:53.028 --> 00:19:07.839 Every vacancy represents another voice missing from the conversation, another perspective absent from important decisions, and one less commissioner providing oversight and accountability. 166 00:19:08.529 --> 00:19:11.287 A full board isn't simply about filling positions. 167 00:19:11.398 --> 00:19:17.875 It's about strengthening governance at a time when Home Forward needs to rebuild trust and address significant challenges. 168 00:19:17.923 --> 00:19:18.050 Thank you. 169 00:19:18.676 --> 00:19:23.204 Today I respectfully ask you to move forward with the appointments for the Home Forward board. 170 00:19:23.589 --> 00:19:33.913 Filling 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. 171 00:19:34.491 --> 00:19:38.153 Thank you for your time, your service, and your consideration. 172 00:19:38.442 --> 00:19:40.096 Thank you so much for being here this morning. 173 00:19:41.413 --> 00:19:43.211 Next up we have Jacob Schnorr. 174 00:19:54.759 --> 00:19:55.846 Jacob Schnorr. 175 00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:01.807 Next we have Kathleen Sadat. 176 00:20:06.855 --> 00:20:08.606 Yeah. 177 00:20:18.167 --> 00:20:18.696 Good morning. 178 00:20:19.595 --> 00:20:21.053 My name is Kathleen Sadat. 179 00:20:21.694 --> 00:20:23.617 I've been an activist and a bureaucrat. 180 00:20:24.242 --> 00:20:28.667 I've held positions with the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and Oregon state government. 181 00:20:29.229 --> 00:20:40.962 I 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. 182 00:20:41.010 --> 00:20:41.171 Thank you. 183 00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:43.991 LGBTQ+ communities. 184 00:20:44.913 --> 00:20:45.365 There's only—. 185 00:20:45.396 --> 00:20:46.590 There's— that's enough. 186 00:20:46.994 --> 00:20:48.059 I only have 3 minutes. 187 00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:58.930 I'm here to express my feelings and present recommendations regarding the way I see our Portland city government members treating one another. 188 00:21:00.103 --> 00:21:00.971 I am angry. 189 00:21:02.031 --> 00:21:11.208 I am frustrated seeing the name-calling, slights, and disrespect I am confused. 190 00:21:12.309 --> 00:21:26.315 I 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. 191 00:21:28.136 --> 00:21:32.172 There is a difference between advocacy and governing. 192 00:21:34.588 --> 00:21:37.301 We elected you to govern. 193 00:21:39.432 --> 00:21:42.451 We hired you to set policy and facilitate change. 194 00:21:43.287 --> 00:21:50.595 We want you to work together without recreating in Portland what we currently see at the federal level. 195 00:21:53.470 --> 00:21:58.788 Please keep manifestations of your personal likes and dislikes out of council chambers. 196 00:21:59.874 --> 00:22:01.818 They are not the business of the people. 197 00:22:04.125 --> 00:22:12.555 In 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. 198 00:22:14.506 --> 00:22:28.961 I 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. 199 00:22:29.009 --> 00:22:29.124 Thank you. 200 00:22:30.055 --> 00:22:34.366 And how the policy expresses the values of the city of Portland. 201 00:22:34.865 --> 00:22:38.067 And I expect each of you to reflect those values. 202 00:22:40.086 --> 00:22:42.134 I don't want to see you paid to bicker. 203 00:22:42.906 --> 00:22:48.323 I don't want to pay you to call one another names or disparage one another. 204 00:22:49.710 --> 00:22:58.851 For 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. 205 00:22:58.898 --> 00:23:02.680 Some of your behaviors thank you. 206 00:23:04.172 --> 00:23:12.445 You, because of your positions, are now role models for the— for diversity, for younger people, for people aspiring to elected office. 207 00:23:12.685 --> 00:23:17.913 You are modeling how to work together and how to disagree with dignity and self-control. 208 00:23:18.394 --> 00:23:26.299 I 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. 209 00:23:26.636 --> 00:23:26.958 Thank you. 210 00:23:34.868 --> 00:23:36.571 Thank you very much. 211 00:23:37.221 --> 00:23:40.123 Um, our alternate today is Robert Butler. 212 00:23:43.527 --> 00:23:44.285 Robert Butler. 213 00:23:46.753 --> 00:23:48.028 That completes communications. 214 00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:49.221 Thank you very much, Keelan. 215 00:23:49.398 --> 00:23:50.346 Uh, Councilor Kanal. 216 00:23:50.845 --> 00:23:52.323 Yeah, thank you, Council President. 217 00:23:52.531 --> 00:23:57.835 Um, I just wanted to clarify something because it, uh, for— it came up in, um, Miss McMillan's testimony. 218 00:23:58.078 --> 00:23:59.390 Um, there were Yes. 219 00:23:59.470 --> 00:24:13.503 There 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. 220 00:24:13.936 --> 00:24:14.819 That is not the case. 221 00:24:15.060 --> 00:24:18.962 The proposer of the document was the mayor, and it was withdrawn by the mayor. 222 00:24:19.172 --> 00:24:24.212 As soon as those appointments are resubmitted, those will be placed on a Committee of the Whole agenda. 223 00:24:24.951 --> 00:24:26.362 As promptly as possible and considered. 224 00:24:26.555 --> 00:24:29.936 Just wanted to make sure everyone was aware of how that got to be added and then removed. 225 00:24:30.145 --> 00:24:30.402 Thank you. 226 00:24:30.707 --> 00:24:31.380 Thank you, Councilor Kanal. 227 00:24:32.390 --> 00:24:35.002 Colleagues, our 3rd item on the agenda is the presidential update. 228 00:24:35.050 --> 00:24:43.067 I'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. 229 00:24:43.324 --> 00:24:43.949 City Administrator. 230 00:24:44.653 --> 00:24:47.123 Thank you, Council President, and good morning, City Council. 231 00:24:47.875 --> 00:24:54.385 The parties have conferred and will continue to work with the court to set a briefing and hearing schedule. 232 00:24:54.886 --> 00:25:05.888 The building owner has until September the 8th, 2026, to file its final writ of review challenging, uh, the city's hearing officer's decision. 233 00:25:06.582 --> 00:25:14.286 That will then put the issue squarely, uh, in the hands of the County Circuit Court for consideration. 234 00:25:15.045 --> 00:25:17.012 And this is related to the land use. 235 00:25:18.026 --> 00:25:24.788 As we look at the chemical ammunitions, as you know, the period for comment closed earlier. 236 00:25:25.973 --> 00:25:31.340 We are looking at the permanent ban rule to go into effect around August 26th. 237 00:25:32.366 --> 00:25:34.962 I believe we do have staff here to answer any questions. 238 00:25:35.027 --> 00:25:44.992 I 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. 239 00:25:45.057 --> 00:25:45.249 Thank you. 240 00:25:45.673 --> 00:25:47.211 And that's the latest that we have. 241 00:25:48.144 --> 00:25:49.258 Thank you very much, City Administrator. 242 00:25:50.486 --> 00:25:51.221 Colleagues, any questions? 243 00:25:53.588 --> 00:25:54.933 Okay, thank you very much. 244 00:25:56.098 --> 00:25:57.444 Keelan, can we please move to item number 4? 245 00:25:58.942 --> 00:26:10.661 Document 2026-224, reappoint Marcelino Alvarez and Eric Kress to the Prosper Portland Board of Commissioners for terms to expire September 5th, 2029. 246 00:26:10.759 --> 00:26:11.564 Thank you very much. 247 00:26:11.946 --> 00:26:16.200 Colleagues, this is a, uh, report coming to us out of, uh, the Committee of the Whole. 248 00:26:16.329 --> 00:26:22.249 We have had some conversation about this, but we are— have folks available, uh, in the room for technical or clarifying questions. 249 00:26:22.798 --> 00:26:25.626 And I understand there are some folks signed up for public testimony. 250 00:26:26.580 --> 00:26:35.471 Um, colleagues, before we invite testimony, are there any technical or clarifying questions about these appointments? 251 00:26:35.794 --> 00:26:37.798 We will not be having a second, uh, presentation. 252 00:26:39.848 --> 00:26:45.784 Okay, Keelan, can we please call public testimony on this item if there's anybody signed up? 253 00:26:46.471 --> 00:26:47.122 No one signed up. 254 00:26:47.269 --> 00:26:48.471 Okay, my notes are wrong. 255 00:26:48.585 --> 00:26:48.894 Great. 256 00:26:49.722 --> 00:26:50.340 Councilor Kanal. 257 00:26:51.510 --> 00:26:53.201 Thank you, uh, Council President. 258 00:26:53.980 --> 00:26:57.472 Um, I'll try to make this brief just because I know we have the main event, as you put it, to get to. 259 00:26:57.940 --> 00:27:02.028 Um, during the Committee of the Whole, I asked questions of one of the 2 reappointees. 260 00:27:02.125 --> 00:27:06.460 Both are reappointees, but one was appointed One was appointed in April of this year for the first time. 261 00:27:06.525 --> 00:27:07.567 No concerns about that. 262 00:27:07.615 --> 00:27:21.041 The 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. 263 00:27:21.170 --> 00:27:26.977 At the time, we were told that Prosper would consider chipping in its share of it. 264 00:27:27.040 --> 00:27:31.002 That information does not appear to have made its way onto a Prosper agenda. 265 00:27:31.050 --> 00:27:31.179 Thank you. 266 00:27:31.531 --> 00:27:51.976 And 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. 267 00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:57.406 I feel sufficiently comfortable with the response I got to know that that will be on an agenda. 268 00:27:57.471 --> 00:28:00.163 And I spoke to the Deputy City Administrator who liaises with Prosper. 269 00:28:00.211 --> 00:28:00.355 Thank you. 270 00:28:00.693 --> 00:28:01.532 With Prosper as well. 271 00:28:01.807 --> 00:28:10.054 So, 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. 272 00:28:10.215 --> 00:28:10.458 Thank you. 273 00:28:10.604 --> 00:28:11.977 Thank you very much, Councilor Kanal. 274 00:28:12.865 --> 00:28:14.805 Colleagues, any further discussion about these appointments? 275 00:28:17.871 --> 00:28:19.593 Seeing none, Keelan, can we please call the roll? 276 00:28:21.133 --> 00:28:24.374 For this report, we'll want a motion to accept the report. 277 00:28:24.599 --> 00:28:25.734 Can I have a motion to accept? 278 00:28:26.759 --> 00:28:26.922 Second. 279 00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:30.005 Councilor Kanal moves, Vice President Clark seconds. 280 00:28:30.525 --> 00:28:31.579 Oh, I'm sorry, Zimmerman. 281 00:28:31.807 --> 00:28:33.056 I see everybody screwed up. 282 00:28:33.121 --> 00:28:37.402 I always hear dark, deep voices from the left side of me. 283 00:28:37.724 --> 00:28:41.108 Not— um, could we please, uh, call the roll now? 284 00:28:46.038 --> 00:28:51.827 Okay, so for this report moved by Councilor Zimmerman, seconded by Clark, Koyama Lane. 285 00:28:52.195 --> 00:28:52.356 Aye. 286 00:28:52.920 --> 00:28:53.272 Morillo. 287 00:28:53.643 --> 00:28:53.691 Aye. 288 00:28:54.301 --> 00:28:54.624 Novick. 289 00:28:56.311 --> 00:28:58.884 Deep Voices from the Left is a great book from the 1930s, by the way. 290 00:28:59.108 --> 00:28:59.156 Aye. 291 00:29:00.571 --> 00:29:00.828 Clark. 292 00:29:01.278 --> 00:29:01.327 Aye. 293 00:29:02.645 --> 00:29:02.789 Green. 294 00:29:04.334 --> 00:29:04.509 Aye. 295 00:29:05.779 --> 00:29:06.086 Zimmerman. 296 00:29:06.295 --> 00:29:07.483 I'll sign it for you, Novick. 297 00:29:07.709 --> 00:29:07.885 Aye. 298 00:29:09.076 --> 00:29:09.950 Avalos. 299 00:29:10.532 --> 00:29:10.582 Aye. 300 00:29:11.181 --> 00:29:11.489 Smith. 301 00:29:12.153 --> 00:29:12.201 Aye. 302 00:29:12.897 --> 00:29:13.351 Kanal. 303 00:29:14.176 --> 00:29:14.192 Aye. 304 00:29:14.435 --> 00:29:15.229 Pirtle-Guiney. 305 00:29:15.796 --> 00:29:15.925 Aye. 306 00:29:16.460 --> 00:29:16.671 Ryan. 307 00:29:17.092 --> 00:29:17.173 Aye. 308 00:29:18.690 --> 00:29:18.705 Aye. 309 00:29:19.208 --> 00:29:21.603 The appointments are confirmed with a vote of 12 ayes. 310 00:29:22.444 --> 00:29:23.173 Thank you very much. 311 00:29:23.287 --> 00:29:25.294 Can we please call item number 5? 312 00:29:28.329 --> 00:29:49.410 Document 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. 313 00:29:49.410 --> 00:29:57.390 Before 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. 314 00:29:57.690 --> 00:30:04.640 But 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. 315 00:30:05.349 --> 00:30:14.710 We 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. 316 00:30:14.710 --> 00:30:16.832 Thank you, Councilor Rip City Management, and the NBA. 317 00:30:17.762 --> 00:30:22.949 The term sheet that has been filed for your consideration has not been subjected to back-and-forth negotiations. 318 00:30:23.623 --> 00:30:40.176 It 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. 319 00:30:41.066 --> 00:30:45.998 After sharing a first draft with Rip City management, we expected that there would be some official back and forth. 320 00:30:47.027 --> 00:30:51.855 Had that happened, staff would be bringing council trade-offs and identifying openings. 321 00:30:52.609 --> 00:31:00.117 We 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. 322 00:31:01.442 --> 00:31:02.378 But that did not happen. 323 00:31:04.025 --> 00:31:08.599 We were glad to have our, our Friends with the from the Blazers joined us in the work session last week. 324 00:31:09.307 --> 00:31:17.232 But 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. 325 00:31:18.086 --> 00:31:32.878 The 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. 326 00:31:33.898 --> 00:31:44.778 The 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. 327 00:31:45.083 --> 00:31:48.752 To be clear, Portland City Councilors are not the city's negotiators. 328 00:31:49.266 --> 00:31:56.523 By charter, the mayor and our negotiating team are under his authority, and they are the negotiating body of our government. 329 00:31:57.582 --> 00:32:06.916 City 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. 330 00:32:08.088 --> 00:32:15.184 Importantly, via our power of the purse, we must formally approve this and any negotiated deal that commits public funds. 331 00:32:17.107 --> 00:32:28.548 We 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. 332 00:32:29.808 --> 00:32:34.077 Anybody who's been following this conversation can see that the compromise is already built into this sheet. 333 00:32:35.057 --> 00:32:42.503 Our good faith and discipline is something to be proud of, balanced with recognition that there is absolutely more that we could be asking for. 334 00:32:43.241 --> 00:32:48.666 So to that end, today we will hear testimony from invited panelists and from the public on this term sheet. 335 00:32:49.147 --> 00:32:50.448 We expect it to take the full day. 336 00:32:51.394 --> 00:32:57.355 Tomorrow we will return as a body to discuss what we have heard before returning next week for a final vote. 337 00:32:59.431 --> 00:33:03.583 Last week, this body went through the term sheet in detail. 338 00:33:04.321 --> 00:33:06.458 There have been some minimal adjustments since that time. 339 00:33:07.396 --> 00:33:17.203 In 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. 340 00:33:17.430 --> 00:33:23.164 There are also, as I understand it, some Amendments that are being proposed. 341 00:33:23.229 --> 00:33:27.142 I'd like to recognize councilors to not to introduce them, but to explain them. 342 00:33:27.686 --> 00:33:33.250 We'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. 343 00:33:33.298 --> 00:33:37.436 So Councilor Novick and then Councilor Green. 344 00:33:37.950 --> 00:33:40.980 Thank you, Mr. President. 345 00:33:41.156 --> 00:33:42.840 And I have 3 amendments. 346 00:33:42.921 --> 00:33:47.618 One is to raise the ticket revenue user fee from 6% to 7%. 347 00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:51.682 7%, With the additional percent to be spent as the city sees fit. 348 00:33:52.307 --> 00:33:59.180 Another is to state that the city gets 100% of non-Blazer event parking revenues. 349 00:33:59.854 --> 00:34:09.166 And 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. 350 00:34:10.130 --> 00:34:10.836 Thank you, Councilor Novick. 351 00:34:10.998 --> 00:34:13.164 Councilor Green and Morillo. 352 00:34:13.501 --> 00:34:14.289 Yeah, thank you. 353 00:34:14.545 --> 00:34:17.452 My amendment does 2 broad objectives. 354 00:34:17.516 --> 00:34:42.405 The 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. 355 00:34:42.550 --> 00:34:43.550 So that's the first piece. 356 00:34:44.309 --> 00:35:03.903 The 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. 357 00:35:04.706 --> 00:35:16.628 And 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. 358 00:35:16.916 --> 00:35:17.798 So that's what the amendments do. 359 00:35:18.199 --> 00:35:18.456 Thanks. 360 00:35:18.585 --> 00:35:19.003 Thank you, Councilor. 361 00:35:19.083 --> 00:35:19.932 Councilor Murillo, do you have anything? 362 00:35:21.329 --> 00:35:22.356 Thank you, Council President. 363 00:35:22.436 --> 00:35:24.346 I have 2 amendments that I'm bringing forward. 364 00:35:25.019 --> 00:35:32.949 The 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. 365 00:35:32.949 --> 00:35:32.949 Thank you, Mayor. 366 00:35:32.949 --> 00:35:32.949 I have a question for Deputy City Administrator Donnie Oliveira. 367 00:35:32.949 --> 00:35:44.250 So 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. 368 00:35:45.230 --> 00:35:58.710 So 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. 369 00:35:59.331 --> 00:36:23.193 The 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. 370 00:36:24.373 --> 00:36:38.512 So 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. 371 00:36:38.882 --> 00:36:39.139 Thank you. 372 00:36:39.621 --> 00:36:40.423 Thank you, Councilor Morillo. 373 00:36:40.809 --> 00:36:42.110 I have 2 colleagues in the queue. 374 00:36:42.190 --> 00:36:43.268 Is it also for amendments? 375 00:36:43.315 --> 00:36:43.766 Councilor Smith? 376 00:36:44.650 --> 00:36:45.929 No, it's a technical question. 377 00:36:46.074 --> 00:36:47.775 Okay, Mr. President, thank you. 378 00:36:47.985 --> 00:36:54.536 Um, I want to make sure that folks know that this term sheet is a non-binding term sheet. 379 00:36:55.177 --> 00:36:55.884 Is that correct? 380 00:36:56.927 --> 00:36:57.505 That is correct. 381 00:36:57.809 --> 00:36:58.628 Okay, thank you. 382 00:36:58.934 --> 00:36:59.592 Thank you, Councilor Smith. 383 00:37:00.152 --> 00:37:00.715 Councilor Knoll. 384 00:37:01.581 --> 00:37:02.288 Thank you, Councilor Dunphy. 385 00:37:02.384 --> 00:37:03.893 I'm also considering 2 amendments. 386 00:37:04.230 --> 00:37:08.788 Um, one of them, evidently, uh, Councilor Novick and I had some similar notes at Lippe Piers. 387 00:37:09.043 --> 00:37:22.460 Um, 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. 388 00:37:22.862 --> 00:37:25.313 So that's 3 components of a single amendment. 389 00:37:25.666 --> 00:37:47.956 The 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. 390 00:37:48.856 --> 00:38:04.157 For 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. 391 00:38:04.414 --> 00:38:04.706 Thanks. 392 00:38:05.302 --> 00:38:06.291 Thank you, Councilor Kanal. 393 00:38:06.371 --> 00:38:08.583 Councilor Maru. 394 00:38:08.632 --> 00:38:19.427 Just 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? 395 00:38:19.653 --> 00:38:19.992 Correct. 396 00:38:20.168 --> 00:38:26.659 So anything that is in this term sheet moving forward are the only things that our negotiating team is going to carry out for us? 397 00:38:28.420 --> 00:38:29.744 Okay, thank you, Councilor Morillo. 398 00:38:30.132 --> 00:38:30.682 Councilor Avalos. 399 00:38:33.869 --> 00:38:35.971 I guess I do have one more follow-up on that. 400 00:38:36.552 --> 00:38:40.173 Yes, I understand that that is essentially the ceiling, right? 401 00:38:40.288 --> 00:38:45.728 The term sheet is the ceiling, and that is what the negotiating team believes they have authority to do. 402 00:38:45.826 --> 00:39:03.775 But 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? 403 00:39:03.855 --> 00:39:06.322 And I don't know how you define better, which is why I'm asking. 404 00:39:06.418 --> 00:39:10.902 I'm trying to understand how they are going to be— what they feel their limitations are. 405 00:39:11.030 --> 00:39:11.094 Okay. 406 00:39:15.534 --> 00:39:36.733 So 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. 407 00:39:36.797 --> 00:39:36.943 Thank you. 408 00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:37.740 Provided more with us. 409 00:39:37.918 --> 00:39:39.730 And City Administrator, if you can help from there. 410 00:39:40.179 --> 00:39:43.355 You're 100% correct, Council President and Councilor Avalos. 411 00:39:43.771 --> 00:40:05.585 You 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. 412 00:40:06.670 --> 00:40:17.280 And 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. 413 00:40:17.610 --> 00:40:24.250 Help me understand, what are the ways that you're going to inform council about new developments, right? 414 00:40:24.250 --> 00:40:36.070 Like, 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? 415 00:40:36.076 --> 00:40:38.047 That we would be interested in? 416 00:40:38.175 --> 00:40:43.719 Is that something that, you know, will be brought to an executive session and say, hey, new development, what do you think? 417 00:40:44.409 --> 00:40:53.623 Is it something where along this— between now and December, council can or should update this term sheet, or update—. 418 00:40:53.878 --> 00:40:57.115 Maybe not the term sheet, but the resolution, or write another resolution? 419 00:40:57.164 --> 00:41:04.550 I'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. 420 00:41:04.599 --> 00:41:14.612 I 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. 421 00:41:15.894 --> 00:41:33.425 If 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. 422 00:41:34.259 --> 00:41:41.969 And 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. 423 00:41:42.338 --> 00:41:47.291 The public deserves to understand where things are going, and the councilors deserve progress updates as we receive them. 424 00:41:47.340 --> 00:41:52.213 So I will be ensuring that this council continues to get good information. 425 00:41:53.335 --> 00:41:53.751 Thank you. 426 00:41:53.960 --> 00:42:14.480 And 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. 427 00:42:15.489 --> 00:42:18.829 So that's, that's why I'm planting this and getting clarity. 428 00:42:18.829 --> 00:42:23.150 But I appreciate that it sounds like we will have space in exec session to further discuss that. 429 00:42:23.150 --> 00:42:23.250 Councilor Smith, I appreciate that. 430 00:42:25.998 --> 00:42:31.057 Thank you, Councilor. 431 00:42:31.460 --> 00:42:32.282 Yes, absolutely. 432 00:42:32.427 --> 00:42:33.121 Councilor Pervikini. 433 00:42:33.862 --> 00:42:34.878 Thank you, Council President. 434 00:42:34.925 --> 00:42:39.315 I just want to put a finer point on the conversation that Councilor Avalos was just having. 435 00:42:39.427 --> 00:42:43.608 I think it was important because we heard 2 different perspectives on what this term sheet means. 436 00:42:45.000 --> 00:43:06.530 Should 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. 437 00:43:06.675 --> 00:43:13.612 And 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. 438 00:43:13.659 --> 00:43:14.302 But it seems like we're not at that point. 439 00:43:14.800 --> 00:43:14.960 Thank you. 440 00:43:15.137 --> 00:43:19.280 It seems from what we've heard that this is going to be a more fluid process than that. 441 00:43:19.393 --> 00:43:20.179 Is that accurate? 442 00:43:20.565 --> 00:43:21.592 That's my understanding, yes. 443 00:43:21.784 --> 00:43:22.748 Okay, thank you. 444 00:43:23.775 --> 00:43:24.643 Thank you, Councilor Pirtle-Guiney. 445 00:43:25.494 --> 00:43:51.025 Okay, 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. 446 00:43:54.980 --> 00:43:55.175 Good morning. 447 00:43:55.646 --> 00:43:58.543 Good morning, Council President Dunphy and everyone on the council. 448 00:43:58.918 --> 00:43:59.568 Good to be here. 449 00:44:00.911 --> 00:44:01.773 My name is Mike Phelan. 450 00:44:01.887 --> 00:44:06.896 I've spent my entire career trying to build stages that are national and global for the culture of our city. 451 00:44:07.416 --> 00:44:13.568 And 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. 452 00:44:14.164 --> 00:44:20.010 What I've learned, the biggest takeaway in building culture, is within an ecosystem, the best strategy is don't lose what you have. 453 00:44:20.670 --> 00:44:22.420 Hold on to the assets that you have. 454 00:44:22.934 --> 00:44:25.632 Every time I go to a game, I eat at a local restaurant. 455 00:44:25.681 --> 00:44:28.541 Usually for me, it's Nong's Khao Man Gai right before a Blazer game. 456 00:44:29.585 --> 00:44:37.018 Every 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. 457 00:44:37.342 --> 00:44:40.967 They collectively form our local, our national, and our global identity. 458 00:44:41.449 --> 00:44:43.128 It's taken years for these to develop. 459 00:44:43.177 --> 00:44:46.824 It can take minutes of bad decisions to, to unravel them. 460 00:44:47.782 --> 00:44:49.634 Part of this deal is pretty straightforward. 461 00:44:49.748 --> 00:45:02.925 I 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. 462 00:45:03.422 --> 00:45:05.889 That's so lost from the dialogue often in the public. 463 00:45:06.161 --> 00:45:08.740 I'm having a hard time understanding why that isn't a good deal. 464 00:45:09.349 --> 00:45:13.195 I also want to challenge us what this could do if we don't get it right. 465 00:45:13.498 --> 00:45:15.036 Will it derail other momentum? 466 00:45:15.661 --> 00:45:23.016 You 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. 467 00:45:23.369 --> 00:45:27.646 I couldn't help but wonder what happens if we have an empty arena right in the middle of that. 468 00:45:27.998 --> 00:45:32.693 What a middle finger that is to one of the most ambitious projects in the history of our country. 469 00:45:32.740 --> 00:45:32.836 Thank you. 470 00:45:35.371 --> 00:45:39.606 As a— as also as a city, we don't control both sides of the deal. 471 00:45:39.862 --> 00:45:45.606 And 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. 472 00:45:45.750 --> 00:45:46.697 It's not our job. 473 00:45:46.920 --> 00:45:59.240 Our 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. 474 00:45:59.289 --> 00:45:59.786 We all know. 475 00:45:59.849 --> 00:46:00.219 Thank you, Mayor. 476 00:46:00.492 --> 00:46:02.884 Blazers are 20% of what happens at the Moda Center. 477 00:46:03.123 --> 00:46:04.521 There's the fire, there's concerts. 478 00:46:04.905 --> 00:46:05.900 It's bigger than concerts. 479 00:46:05.965 --> 00:46:06.945 It's bigger than a building. 480 00:46:07.458 --> 00:46:08.855 It's bigger than a neighborhood. 481 00:46:08.902 --> 00:46:10.572 It's about the future of our city. 482 00:46:10.925 --> 00:46:16.815 It's about a signal and a direction that shows that we're able to do things that contribute to a much, much larger vision. 483 00:46:17.409 --> 00:46:21.405 I don't think history is going to be kind to us if we end up on the wrong side of this one. 484 00:46:21.920 --> 00:46:26.911 I think that impact will resonate far beyond this media and this election cycle. 485 00:46:27.458 --> 00:46:28.469 And I challenge all of us. 486 00:46:28.516 --> 00:46:28.644 Thank you. 487 00:46:31.259 --> 00:46:33.177 Thank you. 488 00:46:35.112 --> 00:46:38.483 Hola, buenos días. 489 00:46:38.918 --> 00:46:44.431 Mi nombre es Victoria Lara, and good afternoon, Mayor and councilors. 490 00:46:45.010 --> 00:46:57.952 For 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. 491 00:46:59.059 --> 00:47:05.403 I'm indigenous, and I'm— I came from Mexico almost 30 years ago. 492 00:47:06.126 --> 00:47:11.411 That's why I accepted the honor of serving as one of the co-chairs of We Are Rip City. 493 00:47:12.085 --> 00:47:14.864 But today I want to speak from my heart. 494 00:47:15.523 --> 00:47:21.530 Do you know, as a business owner or community leader, I want to speak to you as a mom. 495 00:47:22.672 --> 00:47:36.635 My 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. 496 00:47:37.373 --> 00:47:43.599 One of those events is El Grito Portland that I have organized for the last 20 years. 497 00:47:44.096 --> 00:47:51.315 It's a free event for everyone every September 15th and is the largest Latino event in the Pacific Northwest. 498 00:47:51.750 --> 00:47:54.221 It's not just parties and mariachis and tequila. 499 00:47:54.284 --> 00:47:54.445 Thank you. 500 00:47:54.797 --> 00:47:59.396 It's a platform for free resources for a lot of families. 501 00:47:59.829 --> 00:48:02.585 We get 10,000 to 15,000 people there. 502 00:48:03.835 --> 00:48:08.610 And every background, language, and neighborhood come together in one place. 503 00:48:09.427 --> 00:48:15.403 Every time we walk through the Moda doors, my son Israel, he seems everything powerful. 504 00:48:15.996 --> 00:48:21.188 He sees that his community belongs and everybody feels so proud. 505 00:48:21.237 --> 00:48:21.445 Thank you. 506 00:48:22.086 --> 00:48:35.217 As 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. 507 00:48:35.891 --> 00:48:40.043 Because not just a Latino and a Mexican, he's an American too. 508 00:48:40.764 --> 00:48:49.903 He celebrates what he is, and every child deserves to grow up believing that there is a place for them in this city. 509 00:48:50.032 --> 00:48:50.465 Councilor Sameer Kanal. 510 00:48:51.188 --> 00:48:54.175 The Moda Center is more than an arena. 511 00:48:54.961 --> 00:49:05.706 It's where memories are made for us, for my son, where dreams begin for businesses, because we support and have supported thousands of businesses. 512 00:49:06.204 --> 00:49:12.855 And if you want to know, go there and check it out, because small businesses have grown. 513 00:49:13.528 --> 00:49:21.063 It's where thousands of workers earn a living And because of that, a lot of others get resources. 514 00:49:21.353 --> 00:49:25.173 It's where Portland comes together as one community. 515 00:49:26.800 --> 00:49:33.400 I really appreciate your commitment to protecting workers and ensuring fair wages and benefits. 516 00:49:33.981 --> 00:49:46.112 But 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. 517 00:49:46.161 --> 00:49:49.244 Councilmember this is more than a building. 518 00:49:49.757 --> 00:49:51.713 This is more than a negotiation. 519 00:49:52.161 --> 00:49:55.657 This is more than making sure and looking good in a negotiation. 520 00:49:56.010 --> 00:50:00.788 We cannot change the other side of the person or making him like a good person. 521 00:50:00.884 --> 00:50:03.416 I know he's a bad person. 522 00:50:04.170 --> 00:50:04.956 We know that. 523 00:50:05.132 --> 00:50:06.398 We cannot change him. 524 00:50:06.831 --> 00:50:08.949 I mean, forget about changing him. 525 00:50:09.702 --> 00:50:11.289 We cannot make nothing. 526 00:50:12.282 --> 00:50:15.378 Trying to do something that we cannot change is insanity. 527 00:50:15.601 --> 00:50:16.099 Councilor Smith. 528 00:50:16.373 --> 00:50:25.195 What we can do is look for Portland and fight for Portland and what it is and have hope and be persistent. 529 00:50:25.757 --> 00:50:29.918 Please don't let Portland lose something that we never get back. 530 00:50:30.240 --> 00:50:30.657 Thank you. 531 00:50:31.445 --> 00:50:32.233 Muchas gracias. 532 00:50:32.586 --> 00:50:33.567 Thank you very much. 533 00:50:37.038 --> 00:50:38.739 My name is Kara Stoudemire Phillips. 534 00:50:38.932 --> 00:50:41.719 I'm a native Portlander here today wearing 3 hats. 535 00:50:42.253 --> 00:50:45.476 First hat, I'm proud to help lead We Are Rip City. 536 00:50:46.262 --> 00:50:50.481 Second hat, I'm the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Moda Health. 537 00:50:51.300 --> 00:51:01.005 Moda 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. 538 00:51:01.983 --> 00:51:08.592 In seeking a naming rights partner, the Blazers wanted a homegrown Oregon company with an established commitment to community. 539 00:51:08.641 --> 00:51:08.737 Thank you. 540 00:51:09.780 --> 00:51:18.952 Moda 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. 541 00:51:20.251 --> 00:51:30.387 My third hat— like everyone in this room today and so many Portlanders, both native and transplants, I have my own personal Blazers love story. 542 00:51:31.253 --> 00:51:34.684 Mine began as a little girl listening to Blazer games on the radio. 543 00:51:34.862 --> 00:51:40.625 In my grandmother's living room, just blocks from the Memorial Coliseum in the Lower Albina neighborhood. 544 00:51:42.005 --> 00:51:45.378 My cousin Damon Stoudemire holds the same Blazers love story. 545 00:51:46.420 --> 00:51:50.402 He too grew up in Grandma's living room listening to Blazer games on the radio. 546 00:51:51.719 --> 00:52:00.726 Damon 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. 547 00:52:00.773 --> 00:52:00.967 Thank you. 548 00:52:01.271 --> 00:52:03.373 Less than half a mile from the Moda Center. 549 00:52:04.384 --> 00:52:09.019 That young man with hoop dreams grew up to play for the Portland Trail Blazers. 550 00:52:10.159 --> 00:52:16.592 In our City of Roses, roses do grow and bloom past thorns, and dreams do meet reality. 551 00:52:17.570 --> 00:52:20.248 So I ask each of you today to do 2 things. 552 00:52:20.746 --> 00:52:27.916 First, think about the economic vitality that the Moda Center brings to the entire city, peaking during the Blazers season. 553 00:52:28.606 --> 00:52:32.199 And second, recall your own personal Blazers love story. 554 00:52:32.952 --> 00:52:39.817 It may be one of triumph, it may be one of heartbreak, but it is your story and you remember it and you love it. 555 00:52:40.875 --> 00:52:45.541 Every Portlander for generations to come should have their own Blazers love story too. 556 00:52:46.487 --> 00:53:00.335 I 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. 557 00:53:01.025 --> 00:53:03.369 As my shirt says, Rip City runs deep. 558 00:53:03.610 --> 00:53:04.751 It runs deep for all of us. 559 00:53:05.184 --> 00:53:05.521 Thank you. 560 00:53:06.389 --> 00:53:07.416 Thank you all so much. 561 00:53:08.411 --> 00:53:19.427 Next, 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. 562 00:53:31.442 --> 00:53:32.427 Jump in, whoever wants to go. 563 00:53:33.898 --> 00:53:34.576 Okay, I'll jump in. 564 00:53:35.949 --> 00:53:41.947 Um, Mayor Keith Wilson, councilors, my name is Clare Hamill and I am president of your Portland Fire. 565 00:53:42.887 --> 00:53:56.833 I'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. 566 00:53:58.481 --> 00:54:03.070 First, some context about who you're investing alongside in Raj Sports. 567 00:54:03.570 --> 00:54:10.454 Raj Sports are the owners of Portland Thorns and the Fire, and they're making a substantial investment in this region. 568 00:54:11.353 --> 00:54:28.400 First, 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. 569 00:54:29.331 --> 00:54:39.420 Additionally, 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. 570 00:54:40.463 --> 00:54:49.690 That's new economic activity flowing into this region and the state today from an ownership group actively growing its footprint here. 571 00:54:50.876 --> 00:54:52.980 Now the building itself, the Moda Center. 572 00:54:53.380 --> 00:54:56.396 The Moda Center hasn't been meaningfully updated in 30 years. 573 00:54:57.086 --> 00:55:00.280 It was designed decades ago around a single tenant. 574 00:55:00.922 --> 00:55:05.338 The Moda Center isn't just home to our teams, Blazers and the Fire. 575 00:55:05.885 --> 00:55:10.601 It's where this city hosts concerts, major events that draw people from across the region. 576 00:55:11.715 --> 00:55:24.021 A 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. 577 00:55:25.567 --> 00:55:28.528 Now back to what I know best, basketball. 578 00:55:29.673 --> 00:55:50.172 The 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. 579 00:55:51.349 --> 00:55:53.985 That's the equity piece we ask you to hold on to. 580 00:55:54.697 --> 00:56:00.568 The renovation is a chance to build the fire facilities at the Moda Center to a genuine first-class standard. 581 00:56:01.106 --> 00:56:09.713 From the ground up, just like we are doing with our $150 million investment at the Performance Center, not an afterthought squeezed in later. 582 00:56:10.418 --> 00:56:17.552 Equitable access means a new framework where women athletes get the same treatment as their male counterparts, full stop. 583 00:56:18.659 --> 00:56:25.534 The arena standards in the WNBA are comparable to the arena standards in the NBA, not lesser standards. 584 00:56:26.047 --> 00:56:30.313 These renovations are needed for our collective future in the Moda Center. 585 00:56:31.403 --> 00:56:35.846 We are an ownership group investing, hiring, and building in this community. 586 00:56:36.793 --> 00:56:45.661 We 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. 587 00:56:46.639 --> 00:56:50.487 At Raj, we believe Portland is the global epicenter of women's sports. 588 00:56:51.065 --> 00:56:52.989 We're building that investment every day. 589 00:56:53.791 --> 00:56:55.219 And we ask you to join us. 590 00:56:56.503 --> 00:57:00.929 A vote to fund the Moda Center renovation will send a message loud and clear. 591 00:57:01.251 --> 00:57:03.896 Portland is the epicenter of women's sports. 592 00:57:04.778 --> 00:57:10.264 In a few weeks, we are hosting our 2nd Epicenter Women's Sports— Women's Global Sports Summit. 593 00:57:11.114 --> 00:57:16.824 We will close that week with a fire game against Washington Mystics in the Moda Center on August 23rd. 594 00:57:17.289 --> 00:57:21.733 Join us and see what an investment in the Moda Center could do for Portland. 595 00:57:21.780 --> 00:57:21.909 Thank you. 596 00:57:23.643 --> 00:57:27.469 Thank you very much. 597 00:57:29.911 --> 00:57:33.664 Good morning, President Dunphy and members of the Portland City Council, Mayor Wilson. 598 00:57:33.938 --> 00:57:35.666 Thank you all for allowing me to speak today. 599 00:57:35.940 --> 00:57:39.748 I am here on behalf of Gresham City Council and Mayor Travis Stovall. 600 00:57:40.621 --> 00:57:42.311 I'm not here to tell you how to do your job. 601 00:57:42.956 --> 00:57:46.820 As a fellow policymaker, I know these decisions are rarely simple. 602 00:57:47.367 --> 00:57:55.614 Every major public investment requires balancing competing priorities while protecting taxpayers, and all of us take that seriously. 603 00:57:56.400 --> 00:58:01.309 I'm simply here to say that our region is rooting for you to find the right deal. 604 00:58:01.952 --> 00:58:06.572 For more than 50 years, the Portland Trail Blazers have been part of what it means to be an Oregonian. 605 00:58:07.150 --> 00:58:16.182 If 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. 606 00:58:16.711 --> 00:58:17.708 That's a lot like life. 607 00:58:18.623 --> 00:58:24.324 I still remember taking a picture with Bobby Gross, which dates me, and I still have an old Clyde the Glide t-shirt. 608 00:58:24.661 --> 00:58:26.427 Those memories are not unique to me. 609 00:58:26.829 --> 00:58:29.092 They are shared by generations of Oregonians. 610 00:58:29.719 --> 00:58:32.898 Rip City isn't just a slogan, it's a part of our identity. 611 00:58:33.572 --> 00:58:38.358 The Blazers and the Moda Center are also an economic anchor for the entire region. 612 00:58:39.257 --> 00:58:47.186 They support thousands of jobs, bring people into our downtown, drive tourism, and create opportunities that extend well beyond Portland's borders. 613 00:58:47.925 --> 00:58:51.438 And today, with these comments, it's not just about the Blazers. 614 00:58:51.711 --> 00:58:58.338 The Moda Center must be reinvented for all of the other uses that we have. 615 00:58:59.172 --> 00:59:02.831 In many ways, though, their success is our region's success. 616 00:59:03.585 --> 00:59:08.686 We also know Oregon's tax structure makes decisions like this especially challenging. 617 00:59:09.199 --> 00:59:12.971 I don't envy the responsibility before you, but I deeply respect it. 618 00:59:13.050 --> 00:59:13.179 Thank you. 619 00:59:14.641 --> 00:59:20.967 Each of you were selected to ask hard questions, weigh the facts, and make thoughtful decisions for your community. 620 00:59:21.465 --> 00:59:24.565 That is exactly what we hope you will continue to do. 621 00:59:25.481 --> 00:59:32.900 Over the last several years, our region has heard plenty from critics and cynics, but they won't write Oregon's next chapter. 622 00:59:33.206 --> 00:59:33.494 You will. 623 00:59:34.315 --> 00:59:42.313 And 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. 624 00:59:42.360 --> 00:59:42.456 Thank you. 625 00:59:43.228 --> 00:59:46.052 On behalf of the City of Gresham, thank you for your leadership. 626 00:59:46.438 --> 00:59:47.385 Thank you for your service. 627 00:59:48.059 --> 00:59:57.081 May 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. 628 00:59:57.675 --> 00:59:57.996 Thank you. 629 00:59:58.398 --> 00:59:59.456 Thank you both for being here. 630 01:00:00.565 --> 01:00:02.715 Rosetta is attempting to get online. 631 01:00:03.068 --> 01:00:18.623 I'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. 632 01:00:19.940 --> 01:00:20.418 Come on down. 633 01:00:20.634 --> 01:00:22.056 Introduce yourself for the record, please. 634 01:00:29.351 --> 01:00:32.130 Good morning, Council President Dunphy and members of the council. 635 01:00:32.210 --> 01:00:33.389 My name is Yasmine Ibarra. 636 01:00:33.454 --> 01:00:36.992 I'm the political director for SEIU Local 49. 637 01:00:37.411 --> 01:00:46.326 Our union represents over 15,000 service workers that are janitors, Thank you. 638 01:00:49.416 --> 01:00:54.518 As a community, our North Star must be to support the inclusive redevelopment of a neighborhood. 639 01:00:54.871 --> 01:00:55.981 This is not about a team. 640 01:00:56.722 --> 01:00:59.103 It should never be about billionaires or a corporate handout. 641 01:01:00.300 --> 01:01:05.797 Moda Center is Oregon's arena, our city's publicly owned asset and gathering place. 642 01:01:06.777 --> 01:01:18.831 As 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. 643 01:01:19.315 --> 01:01:20.701 This is so much more than just sports. 644 01:01:21.480 --> 01:01:29.275 This is about how we invest public funds in ways that benefit working people, make a real investment in the Rose Quarter and Lower Albina. 645 01:01:30.132 --> 01:01:41.054 Any 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. 646 01:01:42.273 --> 01:01:53.175 SEIU 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. 647 01:01:53.978 --> 01:02:05.588 The 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. 648 01:02:07.704 --> 01:02:17.545 Raising standards means creating union jobs with good wages, quality affordable benefits, and respect and security that come with a collective bargaining agreement. 649 01:02:18.282 --> 01:02:25.143 Today you'll hear directly from 2 of our members whose lived experiences show exactly what those standards mean in practice. 650 01:02:25.719 --> 01:02:34.646 Linda Sporer, security officer, union steward, and executive board member, and then Gisela Marroquin, a janitor and union steward. 651 01:02:35.657 --> 01:02:49.257 Through 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. 652 01:02:49.594 --> 01:03:00.150 And 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. 653 01:03:00.264 --> 01:03:13.338 And 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. 654 01:03:14.219 --> 01:03:20.481 We are pleased to see that the city's draft term sheet includes explicit commitments to community and labor peace agreements. 655 01:03:20.724 --> 01:03:27.259 Those provisions send a clear message about the community standards we expect to see reflected in the final agreement. 656 01:03:28.773 --> 01:03:31.882 The Oregon labor movement remains eager to work with the city to ensure that. 657 01:03:32.186 --> 01:03:43.351 Renovating 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. 658 01:03:43.706 --> 01:03:44.320 Thank you for your time. 659 01:03:44.983 --> 01:03:45.306 Thank you. 660 01:03:50.137 --> 01:03:51.235 Good morning, councilors. 661 01:03:51.494 --> 01:03:57.047 My name is Wente Johannes, and I have the privilege of serving as the executive director of the Albina Vision Trust. 662 01:03:57.885 --> 01:04:05.989 The Albina Vision Trust exists to rebuild a historic neighborhood in a way that is both world-class and working class. 663 01:04:06.728 --> 01:04:15.295 I'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. 664 01:04:15.393 --> 01:04:15.601 Thank you. 665 01:04:16.099 --> 01:04:29.092 I 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. 666 01:04:30.090 --> 01:04:33.101 Their community leaders offered us a cautionary tale. 667 01:04:34.018 --> 01:04:36.347 It is obvious that the sky did not fall. 668 01:04:37.257 --> 01:04:41.288 However, that is not to say that the impact has not been severe. 669 01:04:42.097 --> 01:04:42.161 Okay. 670 01:04:42.242 --> 01:05:01.400 The 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. 671 01:05:02.186 --> 01:05:23.699 And 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. 672 01:05:24.838 --> 01:05:33.092 As you know, we believe that having a mothballed arena in our district no way advances the Albina vision. 673 01:05:33.831 --> 01:05:46.677 It 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. 674 01:05:47.255 --> 01:05:51.318 That is the opportunity in front of you today and in our work in coming years. 675 01:05:51.382 --> 01:05:51.494 Thank you. 676 01:05:51.675 --> 01:05:52.103 Thank you. 677 01:05:52.728 --> 01:05:53.369 Thank you very much. 678 01:05:55.731 --> 01:05:56.230 Good morning. 679 01:05:56.695 --> 01:06:11.264 My 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. 680 01:06:12.480 --> 01:06:17.597 I'm here today in strong support of the city's proposed investment in the renovation of the Moda Center. 681 01:06:18.967 --> 01:06:30.489 The 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. 682 01:06:31.387 --> 01:06:43.181 In 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. 683 01:06:44.673 --> 01:06:53.141 Today, 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. 684 01:06:54.161 --> 01:06:56.105 That's something Portland should be proud of. 685 01:06:57.806 --> 01:07:03.228 Over the past 3 decades, the Trail Blazers have invested more than $2 million in our organization. 686 01:07:03.945 --> 01:07:16.577 Their 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. 687 01:07:17.699 --> 01:07:25.764 As 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. 688 01:07:26.590 --> 01:07:32.815 Trailblazers like Scoot are continuing a tradition of community engagement that stretches back generations. 689 01:07:34.414 --> 01:07:37.398 But my support today extends well beyond the Trailblazers. 690 01:07:39.054 --> 01:07:42.927 A vibrant Moda Center is an important economic engine for our city. 691 01:07:43.753 --> 01:07:52.824 It brings people downtown, supports local restaurants, hotels, and retailers and small businesses, and it strengthens the broader economy. 692 01:07:54.442 --> 01:08:03.961 Those businesses in turn become donors, sponsors, and partners for nonprofit organizations like ours that depend on private philanthropy to serve children and families. 693 01:08:04.010 --> 01:08:04.204 Thank you, Mayor. 694 01:08:05.338 --> 01:08:09.842 When Portland's economy is strong, our nonprofit community is stronger. 695 01:08:10.467 --> 01:08:16.094 More young people have access to opportunities, and more families receive the support they need. 696 01:08:17.520 --> 01:08:36.108 For 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. 697 01:08:37.087 --> 01:08:43.011 I respectfully urge you to support the city's $120 million investment in the Moda Center renovations. 698 01:08:43.445 --> 01:08:45.340 Thank you for your time and consideration. 699 01:08:45.774 --> 01:08:46.577 Thank you very much. 700 01:08:46.657 --> 01:08:47.460 And thank you all 3. 701 01:08:48.327 --> 01:08:50.140 Rosetta was able to join us online. 702 01:08:50.286 --> 01:08:53.176 Excuse me, I have to go to work real quick, but if you subsidize—. 703 01:08:53.224 --> 01:08:55.262 All right, thank you, Brent. 704 01:08:59.097 --> 01:08:59.877 Thank you very much. 705 01:09:00.884 --> 01:09:02.313 Rosetta, go ahead and join us. 706 01:09:04.050 --> 01:09:05.347 Hello, can you hear me okay? 707 01:09:06.500 --> 01:09:07.015 Yes, go ahead. 708 01:09:07.273 --> 01:09:07.787 Sounds good. 709 01:09:09.092 --> 01:09:12.573 Uh, good morning, Council President Dunphy and members of Portland City Council. 710 01:09:12.878 --> 01:09:14.555 My name is Rosetta Venitucci. 711 01:09:15.215 --> 01:09:17.762 I represent IATSE Local 28. 712 01:09:18.152 --> 01:09:20.423 We are the stagehands that work at the Moda Center. 713 01:09:20.667 --> 01:09:22.257 We have been there since the day it opened. 714 01:09:23.106 --> 01:09:35.838 I 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. 715 01:09:36.496 --> 01:09:45.908 As 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. 716 01:09:46.438 --> 01:09:54.519 1.5 million annual visitors and the significant economic activity in the city and the region that comes with those visits. 717 01:09:55.256 --> 01:10:06.317 The 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. 718 01:10:06.975 --> 01:10:22.427 It 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. 719 01:10:23.182 --> 01:10:44.164 The 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. 720 01:10:45.015 --> 01:10:46.957 We are there for every show. 721 01:10:47.279 --> 01:10:52.222 We have over 200 people there right now at the Moda Center loading in Benson Boone. 722 01:10:52.737 --> 01:10:54.246 We need help with the arena. 723 01:10:54.646 --> 01:10:56.878 We— all the reservations are needed. 724 01:10:57.136 --> 01:10:58.676 This is not glitz and glamour. 725 01:10:58.837 --> 01:11:04.503 This is all things we need to continue work and to get more work in the future and to help our city. 726 01:11:05.001 --> 01:11:13.157 From the construction workforce that will build a remodeled modern arena to the jobs that sustain and protect the venue for decades to come. 727 01:11:13.846 --> 01:11:18.230 This project must raise our region's hard-won standards, not lower them. 728 01:11:18.743 --> 01:11:27.414 And that means creating good union jobs with good wages, quality affordable benefits, and the security of our collective bargaining agreements. 729 01:11:28.153 --> 01:11:34.961 The good news is that these types of standards and commitments for stadiums are common, and in fact they are the industry standard. 730 01:11:35.283 --> 01:11:37.594 On the West Coast and many parts of the country. 731 01:11:38.353 --> 01:11:50.832 By 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. 732 01:11:51.250 --> 01:11:55.329 We need the city, the state, and the county to all work well for all the humans. 733 01:11:56.007 --> 01:11:59.042 Thank you for this opportunity to share my testimony this morning. 734 01:11:59.479 --> 01:12:01.255 Apologize for the hiccups with the Zoom. 735 01:12:01.416 --> 01:12:04.112 I am over at Metro negotiating our P5 contract. 736 01:12:04.159 --> 01:12:04.404 Thank you. 737 01:12:04.958 --> 01:12:07.605 Special thanks for all of you for taking care of us. 738 01:12:07.686 --> 01:12:08.381 Thank you very much. 739 01:12:09.301 --> 01:12:09.994 Thank you very much. 740 01:12:11.091 --> 01:12:19.563 Our last 3 invited testifiers are Jim Etzel from Sports Oregon, Megan Conway with Travel Portland, and Graham Trainor with the Oregon AFL-CIO. 741 01:12:28.649 --> 01:12:32.247 Good morning, uh, Council President Dunphy and members of the City Council. 742 01:12:32.649 --> 01:12:38.552 I'm Jim Etzel, CEO of Sport Oregon, the state's nonprofit sports commission and co-chair of We Are Rip City. 743 01:12:39.350 --> 01:12:53.573 I'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. 744 01:12:55.439 --> 01:12:57.069 Let's be honest about where we sit. 745 01:12:57.875 --> 01:13:01.100 By metro population, we're one of the smallest markets in the NBA. 746 01:13:01.756 --> 01:13:04.496 And Portland has no natural right to a team. 747 01:13:05.201 --> 01:13:26.899 What 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. 748 01:13:27.252 --> 01:13:27.867 In the world. 749 01:13:29.371 --> 01:13:32.444 Sport Oregon does not exist to protect one team. 750 01:13:33.220 --> 01:13:41.849 We exist for our city and state so that we can compete for the events that only a modern large-capacity venue can host. 751 01:13:42.779 --> 01:13:45.529 Great infrastructure creates great opportunity. 752 01:13:46.532 --> 01:13:55.161 A modern Moda Center means we can continue to compete for NCAA championships, major concert tours, family entertainment, and other major events. 753 01:13:55.671 --> 01:13:57.069 Including the Women's Final Four. 754 01:13:57.984 --> 01:14:01.774 Major events like the Final Four are awarded years in advance. 755 01:14:01.935 --> 01:14:13.815 We 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. 756 01:14:14.362 --> 01:14:20.720 The most recent cycle to, to bid for the Final Four, we are not eligible because of the state of our arena. 757 01:14:21.042 --> 01:14:21.716 In this current year. 758 01:14:22.649 --> 01:14:29.042 Being passed over now doesn't just cost us the next 3 to 5 years, it can cost us the next 10 to 15. 759 01:14:30.103 --> 01:14:32.694 A place like the Moda Center is more than economic. 760 01:14:32.791 --> 01:14:37.653 It's emotional, it's social, it's aspirational, it's inspirational. 761 01:14:38.248 --> 01:14:41.636 It's a place that brings our community together day in and day out. 762 01:14:41.944 --> 01:14:47.588 It unifies people from every background, whether you're from Rockwood, St. Johns, Lents, or Hillsdale. 763 01:14:47.985 --> 01:14:51.291 Every neighborhood, every corner of Portland and beyond. 764 01:14:52.396 --> 01:14:54.466 We didn't have a choice in who bought the Blazers. 765 01:14:54.724 --> 01:14:59.680 We have more, far more to lose in this than the team's owner, new owner does. 766 01:15:00.033 --> 01:15:05.135 At the end of this process, the owner still owns the franchise here or somewhere else. 767 01:15:06.048 --> 01:15:12.899 I know that puts hard choices in front of this council in a process none of us asked for and none of us fully control. 768 01:15:13.509 --> 01:15:14.534 But I'm here to tell you. 769 01:15:14.695 --> 01:15:15.194 It's worth it. 770 01:15:15.996 --> 01:15:22.177 If the Blazers leave, we will not get another major league team in Portland for the next 30 years, maybe not ever. 771 01:15:22.900 --> 01:15:35.729 Portland 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. 772 01:15:36.645 --> 01:15:39.823 Thank you all for your work and the opportunity to speak with you this morning. 773 01:15:39.872 --> 01:15:39.969 Thank you. 774 01:15:41.123 --> 01:15:41.780 Thank you very much. 775 01:15:43.192 --> 01:15:47.713 Good morning, Mayor Wilson, Council President Dunphy, Vice President Clark, and the members of the council. 776 01:15:48.179 --> 01:15:52.636 I'm Megan Conway, CEO of Travel Portland, the city's destination marketing organization. 777 01:15:53.295 --> 01:16:00.094 Thank you for the opportunity to express the tourism industry's strong support for funding Moda Center renovations and keeping the Blazers in Oregon. 778 01:16:01.007 --> 01:16:11.319 The 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. 779 01:16:12.153 --> 01:16:18.551 Visitors spent $5.5 billion and created 35,000 incremental jobs in 2025 alone. 780 01:16:19.432 --> 01:16:23.698 Looked at through a tourism lens, there is much more to this story than basketball. 781 01:16:24.340 --> 01:16:34.251 Beyond infrastructure upgrades impacting sports franchises, a reimagined Moda is necessary for modern-day concerts demanding improved sound, rigging, and loading capabilities. 782 01:16:35.164 --> 01:16:50.301 In 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%. 783 01:16:51.472 --> 01:16:59.162 26 Blazer games in the same year coinciding with conventions oftentimes increased occupancy by more than 20 percentage points. 784 01:17:00.221 --> 01:17:04.235 5% Of the 6% lodging tax on the city goes to the general fund. 785 01:17:04.300 --> 01:17:04.588 Thank you. 786 01:17:05.342 --> 01:17:13.057 Increased occupancy rates drive compression that drives room rates and results in higher lodging tax collections for the city general fund. 787 01:17:14.164 --> 01:17:18.414 To have this conversation, we must also evaluate what's at risk without investment. 788 01:17:19.377 --> 01:17:22.119 The reputation of our city remains fragile. 789 01:17:22.905 --> 01:17:28.006 We know all too well the damage that occurs every time Portland is at the center of yet another negative news cycle. 790 01:17:28.680 --> 01:17:39.280 As 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. 791 01:17:40.146 --> 01:17:45.054 The moment is now to show that Portland and the state's largest arena are worthy of investment. 792 01:17:45.840 --> 01:17:51.148 Please join our state legislators to guarantee the future of this marquee asset in the heart of Portland. 793 01:17:51.533 --> 01:17:52.221 Thank you for your time. 794 01:17:52.880 --> 01:17:53.505 Thank you very much. 795 01:17:54.498 --> 01:17:59.679 Good morning, Council President Dunphy, Vice President Clark, members of the Portland City Council, and Mayor Wilson. 796 01:18:00.047 --> 01:18:11.542 My 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. 797 01:18:11.974 --> 01:18:20.358 And 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. 798 01:18:21.095 --> 01:18:28.757 As 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. 799 01:18:28.966 --> 01:18:38.725 With 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. 800 01:18:39.365 --> 01:19:00.867 From 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. 801 01:19:00.914 --> 01:19:01.027 Thank you. 802 01:19:01.796 --> 01:19:06.747 This project must raise our region's hard-won standards, not lower them. 803 01:19:07.645 --> 01:19:09.135 And this begins with a 2-part process. 804 01:19:09.262 --> 01:19:20.094 First, 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. 805 01:19:20.141 --> 01:19:24.581 And we do appreciate the owner's existing letter of commitment to negotiate a project labor agreement. 806 01:19:25.350 --> 01:19:28.939 The good news is that these types of standards and commitments for stadiums are common. 807 01:19:29.082 --> 01:19:29.274 Thank you. 808 01:19:29.756 --> 01:19:33.673 And in fact, they are becoming the industry standard on the West Coast and in many parts of the country. 809 01:19:34.188 --> 01:19:48.202 We'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. 810 01:19:48.796 --> 01:19:58.827 By 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. 811 01:19:59.389 --> 01:20:14.414 And 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. 812 01:20:14.783 --> 01:20:17.831 Thank you for your work and the opportunity to engage in this conversation. 813 01:20:18.617 --> 01:20:19.563 Thank you all very much. 814 01:20:19.738 --> 01:20:20.076 Thank you. 815 01:20:21.021 --> 01:20:24.296 That concludes our invited panel of testifiers. 816 01:20:24.474 --> 01:20:26.417 The time is currently 10:45. 817 01:20:26.561 --> 01:20:32.796 I'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. 818 01:20:32.845 --> 01:20:36.025 So if folks could please try to be back at 10:55. 819 01:20:36.219 --> 01:20:36.604 Thank you. 820 01:34:21.319 --> 01:34:24.354 All right, I'm bringing us back to order, folks. 821 01:34:24.628 --> 01:34:28.534 Thank you all so much for your accommodation as we all recognize we are human. 822 01:34:29.670 --> 01:34:35.050 Keelan, can we begin calling up folks, uh, in groups of 5 for our public Public testimony. 823 01:34:36.212 --> 01:34:37.439 Um, just a second. 824 01:34:39.752 --> 01:34:43.092 Okay, so before we get started, just a couple reminders. 825 01:34:43.270 --> 01:34:45.341 I will call up testifiers in groups of 5. 826 01:34:45.600 --> 01:34:48.073 Each individual will have 90 seconds. 827 01:34:48.506 --> 01:34:55.329 For those testifying in person, you will see the timer countdown displayed on the monitor in front of the testimony table. 828 01:34:55.685 --> 01:34:59.323 For those testifying virtually, the timer is displayed in Zoom. 829 01:34:59.798 --> 01:35:07.055 You will hear the timer chime twice Once when there are 30 seconds left, then a second time when your time is up. 830 01:35:07.618 --> 01:35:11.028 Before you begin your testimony, please state your name for the record. 831 01:35:11.172 --> 01:35:11.430 Thank you. 832 01:35:12.220 --> 01:35:28.798 Our first 5 testifiers are Bea Marston, Randall Friesen, Gisela Marroquin, Linda Sporer, Alex DeRora. 833 01:35:31.329 --> 01:35:32.301 Come on down, folks. 834 01:35:32.381 --> 01:35:32.802 Thank you. 835 01:35:33.045 --> 01:35:37.252 Feel free to jump in, whoever sits down first, and introduce yourself for the record. 836 01:35:37.333 --> 01:35:40.505 You are welcome to share your pronouns, and you got 90 seconds apiece. 837 01:35:41.930 --> 01:35:44.965 Hello, I'm Bea Marston, pronouns she/her. 838 01:35:45.417 --> 01:35:51.534 I'm a proud member of Unite Here Local 8, and I work for a company called Levy Restaurants at the Portland Five venues. 839 01:35:52.389 --> 01:35:56.384 The work we do there is the same work that Levy workers at the Moda Center do. 840 01:35:57.301 --> 01:36:00.551 But the working conditions and compensation are very different. 841 01:36:01.036 --> 01:36:03.137 That's because Moda Center workers don't have a union. 842 01:36:04.131 --> 01:36:08.708 I used to be on public assistance, but through the years we have fought for and won better standards. 843 01:36:09.565 --> 01:36:12.314 Our cooks make $29.25 an hour. 844 01:36:12.783 --> 01:36:15.210 Our dishwashers make $26.25 an hour. 845 01:36:15.856 --> 01:36:20.435 A recent posting for a cook at Moda Center on Indeed showed an hourly wage of $20. 846 01:36:21.979 --> 01:36:32.252 P5 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. 847 01:36:32.604 --> 01:36:36.635 Moda Center workers do not have good affordable health insurance. 848 01:36:37.261 --> 01:36:38.449 This needs to change. 849 01:36:39.188 --> 01:36:41.548 Our siblings at the Moda Center deserve better. 850 01:36:42.175 --> 01:36:47.425 I know this council agrees, and we thank you for centering workers as you make this decision. 851 01:36:48.260 --> 01:36:49.689 Thank you very much. 852 01:36:50.226 --> 01:36:54.733 Good morning, President Dunphy and members of the council. 853 01:36:55.363 --> 01:36:56.981 For the record, my name is Randall Friesen. 854 01:36:57.046 --> 01:36:59.975 I'm the executive director of the Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council. 855 01:37:00.234 --> 01:37:07.444 Our council represents over 20,000 building and construction trades professionals across the Portland metropolitan and Southwest Washington regions. 856 01:37:08.283 --> 01:37:13.979 We are proud the Blazers have committed to negotiating an agreement with the union labor for the renovation of this historic and vital project. 857 01:37:15.024 --> 01:37:24.771 With 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. 858 01:37:25.253 --> 01:37:32.886 These 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. 859 01:37:33.368 --> 01:37:45.065 The 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. 860 01:37:45.179 --> 01:37:45.467 Thank you. 861 01:37:46.222 --> 01:37:56.429 Any 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. 862 01:37:56.734 --> 01:38:02.719 It is no secret that the Portland metropolitan region and the state of Oregon face significant economic challenges. 863 01:38:03.233 --> 01:38:10.453 This project represents a promising turning point for Portland as we restructure our community and attract new business investment to the region and the state. 864 01:38:11.015 --> 01:38:18.396 We 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. 865 01:38:19.333 --> 01:38:20.902 Thank you for your time and consideration. 866 01:38:21.274 --> 01:38:21.467 Thanks. 867 01:38:21.920 --> 01:38:22.534 Thank you very much. 868 01:38:24.242 --> 01:38:26.658 Buenos días, mi nombre es Gisela Marroquín. 869 01:38:40.206 --> 01:38:40.770 Thank you, friends. 870 01:38:41.496 --> 01:38:41.931 Gracias. 871 01:38:42.125 --> 01:38:51.632 Buenos días, mi nombre es Gisela Marroquín, soy miembro y delegado de CU 49 por 14 años. 872 01:38:52.470 --> 01:38:59.885 Quiero contarles un poco de mi historia para demostrar por qué es tan importante crear trabajos con unión. 873 01:39:01.270 --> 01:39:02.944 Good morning, council members. 874 01:39:03.121 --> 01:39:04.635 My name is Gisela Marroquín. 875 01:39:04.972 --> 01:39:08.740 I am a janitor and a member of I'm a steward of SEIU Local 49. 876 01:39:09.646 --> 01:39:18.435 I 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. 877 01:39:19.739 --> 01:39:22.081 I'm a member of SEIU Local 49. 878 01:39:22.340 --> 01:39:26.087 I worked for a company of cleaning services for 7 years. 879 01:39:33.337 --> 01:39:35.335 Donde no teníamos unión. 880 01:39:36.253 --> 01:39:43.380 Solo me aumentaban 5 centavos por año y nunca llegamos a más. 881 01:39:43.510 --> 01:39:49.136 Solo gané $8 los 7 años trabajados. 882 01:39:49.881 --> 01:39:53.983 Yo no tenía aseguranza, no tenía protección de trabajo. 883 01:39:55.175 --> 01:39:58.235 Mis citas médicas eran muy caras, la medicina. 884 01:39:58.461 --> 01:39:59.298 Ahora trabajo para ABM. 885 01:39:59.363 --> 01:40:00.569 Councilmember Thank you. 886 01:40:00.569 --> 01:40:05.279 I'm a janitor, and my salary now is $22.25. 887 01:40:06.770 --> 01:40:07.210 I have insurance. 888 01:40:08.090 --> 01:40:09.729 I don't have problems with my insurance. 889 01:40:11.350 --> 01:40:13.039 I have protection in my job. 890 01:40:14.770 --> 01:40:25.640 There was a time I was locked in the elevator for 5 hours in the company that didn't have a union. 891 01:40:25.729 --> 01:40:33.780 The same thing happened En ABM, la otra compañía no me dio ni siquiera un ansori. 892 01:40:34.118 --> 01:40:39.189 Yo salí hasta las seis de la mañana por ayuda de un trabajador del edificio. 893 01:40:40.234 --> 01:40:45.980 Ningún supervisor, ningún de la oficina pudo atender mis llamadas. 894 01:40:47.136 --> 01:40:47.922 Lo mismo. 895 01:40:49.158 --> 01:40:49.784 Okay, sorry. 896 01:40:50.828 --> 01:40:54.680 I previously worked for nearly seven years for a cleaning company where. 897 01:40:55.403 --> 01:41:02.006 Where we didn't have a union, my pay only went up by a few cents each year, never rising above $8 an hour. 898 01:41:02.760 --> 01:41:08.530 I had no health insurance, and I had to spend a lot of money on medical appointments for my 4 children and myself. 899 01:41:09.412 --> 01:41:12.185 I also didn't like at all the way we were treated. 900 01:41:12.859 --> 01:41:19.287 Once, while working alone in a building in Hillsboro, I got trapped in an elevator from 1 AM to 6 AM. 901 01:41:19.543 --> 01:41:22.462 I called the supervisor many times, But they never answered. 902 01:41:22.975 --> 01:41:28.009 When I finally managed to get out, my employer said nothing, not even, we're sorry for what happened to you. 903 01:41:28.907 --> 01:41:33.845 I have now been working for ABM, where we have a union, for 14 years. 904 01:41:34.677 --> 01:41:36.922 Just look at the difference that makes. 905 01:41:37.146 --> 01:41:38.926 I earn $22.25 an hour. 906 01:41:39.408 --> 01:41:42.261 That helps a lot now when everything is more expensive. 907 01:41:42.935 --> 01:41:44.105 I have good health insurance. 908 01:41:44.297 --> 01:41:50.726 I pay only $22 a month for 2 blood pressure medications, and we have grievance procedures that respect our rights. 909 01:41:50.791 --> 01:41:50.935 Thank you. 910 01:42:03.432 --> 01:42:15.823 That is why we ask you to keep fighting to establish good jobs for everyone at Moda Center and to support this term sheet. 911 01:42:16.345 --> 01:42:17.778 We all deserve good jobs. 912 01:42:18.518 --> 01:42:20.189 Thank you for your time and attention. 913 01:42:20.783 --> 01:42:21.329 Thank you. 914 01:42:25.282 --> 01:42:26.695 Good morning, council members. 915 01:42:27.050 --> 01:42:28.292 My name is Linda Spoor. 916 01:42:28.842 --> 01:42:34.130 I am a security officer executive board member of the SEIU 49. 917 01:42:35.698 --> 01:42:45.099 We 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. 918 01:42:46.051 --> 01:42:50.565 Right now, security officers at the Moda Center don't have a union. 919 01:42:51.082 --> 01:42:57.686 That means they might have lower wages and benefits than security officers just blocks away. 920 01:42:58.105 --> 01:42:58.766 Sorry. 921 01:43:00.280 --> 01:43:05.958 When I started working as a security officer 30 years ago, I didn't have a union. 922 01:43:06.653 --> 01:43:08.817 They paid us $9.25 an hour. 923 01:43:09.398 --> 01:43:11.868 There is no way you can get by on that. 924 01:43:12.655 --> 01:43:16.358 And they charged $300 a month for health insurance. 925 01:43:16.997 --> 01:43:19.208 We organized a union in 2012. 926 01:43:20.042 --> 01:43:25.827 I make $21 an hour now, and we have good insurance for only $80 a month. 927 01:43:27.252 --> 01:43:36.913 When I got breast cancer, it was affordable health insurance I got, the union that kept me alive and not buried in medical bills. 928 01:43:38.051 --> 01:43:43.300 Every worker at the Moda Center deserves a good job, Fair pay, benefits, and respect. 929 01:43:43.926 --> 01:43:47.466 You can help make that happen by supporting this term sheet. 930 01:43:48.333 --> 01:43:48.735 Thank you. 931 01:43:49.475 --> 01:43:50.199 Thank you very much. 932 01:43:52.256 --> 01:43:55.872 Hello, my name is Alex Jarora, and I'm a concessions worker at the Moda Center. 933 01:43:56.371 --> 01:44:01.145 I work for the Trail Blazers' contracted food service provider, which is the largest food service corporation in the world. 934 01:44:01.761 --> 01:44:03.430 I have over 500 coworkers. 935 01:44:04.271 --> 01:44:21.167 First 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. 936 01:44:21.827 --> 01:44:25.936 A labor peace agreement is a path to a union contract without threatening the public interest. 937 01:44:26.644 --> 01:44:28.136 We need a union for many reasons. 938 01:44:28.506 --> 01:44:33.997 Many of us are food and housing insecure, and many of us rely on city-funded food and housing supports. 939 01:44:34.046 --> 01:44:38.539 Councilmember Unfortunately, the jobs do not allow us to work ourselves up out of our situation. 940 01:44:39.298 --> 01:44:41.885 Rather, we are pitted against each other in a race to the bottom. 941 01:44:42.539 --> 01:44:44.997 This is reflected in the hourly pay, which is extremely low. 942 01:44:45.871 --> 01:44:50.189 The company I work for has a unionized location right across the street from Moda at the convention center. 943 01:44:50.820 --> 01:44:54.698 My counterpart there makes $9 more an hour and has access to health insurance. 944 01:44:55.345 --> 01:44:55.813 I do not. 945 01:44:56.717 --> 01:45:00.078 Perhaps the most important union benefit is seniority-based scheduling. 946 01:45:00.462 --> 01:45:02.195 This gives workers security and dignity. 947 01:45:02.565 --> 01:45:06.547 Just because someone works at the Moda Center doesn't mean they will actually work at the Moda Center. 948 01:45:07.029 --> 01:45:11.845 No work is promised to any individual, and if a manager doesn't like you, they can just leave your name off the schedule. 949 01:45:12.344 --> 01:45:17.643 This makes us vulnerable, and we are coerced to accept being taken advantage of in ways we should not accept. 950 01:45:18.381 --> 01:45:21.592 So thank you again for including a labor peace agreement in the term sheet. 951 01:45:21.801 --> 01:45:25.301 I look forward to the day we have a union contract and can make hundreds of people's lives better. 952 01:45:25.350 --> 01:45:25.559 Thank you. 953 01:45:26.764 --> 01:45:28.118 Thank you all very much for being here today. 954 01:45:30.739 --> 01:45:41.770 Next panel of testifiers include Jennifer Graham, Chris Carpenter, Anjanette Banuelos Bolanos, Elijah Hoffman, Jose Avalos. 955 01:45:42.109 --> 01:45:46.497 Welcome folks, come on up, introduce yourselves for the record. 956 01:45:46.546 --> 01:45:48.970 You're welcome to share your pronouns and you have 90 seconds. 957 01:45:53.869 --> 01:45:54.319 Great. 958 01:45:54.319 --> 01:45:56.279 Thanks, President Dunphy, members of the council. 959 01:45:56.279 --> 01:45:57.180 My name is Chris Carpenter. 960 01:45:57.279 --> 01:46:00.260 I'm the political director for IBEW Local 48. 961 01:46:00.260 --> 01:46:08.569 We'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. 962 01:46:09.460 --> 01:46:10.539 I'm going to try to keep this pretty brief. 963 01:46:10.579 --> 01:46:16.319 I think you've heard a lot about a lot of the long-term and very robust community impacts that this project has. 964 01:46:16.319 --> 01:46:19.220 I want to talk just a little bit about some of the work that our members do out there. 965 01:46:20.117 --> 01:46:28.469 Right 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. 966 01:46:28.708 --> 01:46:37.622 I 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. 967 01:46:38.310 --> 01:46:40.844 Our members— and right now in the area, we've seen a lot of work slow down. 968 01:46:41.516 --> 01:46:46.373 We have members who have to travel out to Idaho or California to try to find work and leave their families. 969 01:46:46.823 --> 01:46:52.113 One of the things that this really shows us and that this project presents with an opportunity for is getting members back on the job. 970 01:46:52.979 --> 01:46:54.470 Um, we have about 6,000 members. 971 01:46:54.519 --> 01:46:57.341 We have roughly 800 apprentices in our program right now. 972 01:46:57.645 --> 01:47:01.462 The way that those programs are run is that they are trained mostly with on-the-job training. 973 01:47:01.752 --> 01:47:10.828 So 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. 974 01:47:10.877 --> 01:47:12.448 So we need to make sure that those opportunities are here. 975 01:47:12.497 --> 01:47:16.907 So, uh, thank you for your time and really encourage you to keep moving forward and get the deal done. 976 01:47:16.954 --> 01:47:17.146 Thank you. 977 01:47:17.917 --> 01:47:18.622 Thank you very much. 978 01:47:20.096 --> 01:47:21.074 Good morning, councilors. 979 01:47:21.139 --> 01:47:22.244 My name is Jennifer Graham. 980 01:47:22.501 --> 01:47:25.225 I'm the Oregon Vice President for Unite Here Local 8. 981 01:47:25.851 --> 01:47:31.605 Our union represents hospitality workers in Portland, including at the Oregon Convention Center and at area hotels. 982 01:47:32.344 --> 01:47:39.284 For 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. 983 01:47:39.877 --> 01:47:50.608 We'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. 984 01:47:51.201 --> 01:47:54.362 Many need to rely on public social services to get by. 985 01:47:55.453 --> 01:47:58.307 You have an opportunity to change people's lives. 986 01:47:58.981 --> 01:48:13.548 Imagine 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. 987 01:48:14.688 --> 01:48:23.573 Any 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. 988 01:48:24.631 --> 01:48:27.743 I also want to address the proposal for a street pricing policy. 989 01:48:28.320 --> 01:48:29.667 Street pricing policy. 990 01:48:30.326 --> 01:48:34.207 In our experience, street pricing puts downward pressure on wages and benefits. 991 01:48:34.414 --> 01:48:38.377 Workers are experiencing that dynamic at the Portland Airport every day. 992 01:48:38.905 --> 01:48:42.289 Street pricing sounds great, but it comes right out of the pockets of workers. 993 01:48:42.354 --> 01:48:42.722 Councilmember Smith. 994 01:48:46.439 --> 01:48:52.810 Thank you for centering the working people of this city as you move this process forward. 995 01:48:54.000 --> 01:48:59.119 Thank you. 996 01:48:59.119 --> 01:49:03.880 Good morning, Council President Dunphy and members of Portland City Council. 997 01:49:03.880 --> 01:49:05.399 My name is Anjanette Benoist-Balanos. 998 01:49:06.039 --> 01:49:07.460 I live in District 1. 999 01:49:07.460 --> 01:49:10.960 I'm also a business representative for LIUNA Local 737. 1000 01:49:10.960 --> 01:49:12.180 We represent approximately 1,000 employees Approximately in the food service industry. 1001 01:49:12.342 --> 01:49:22.445 2,800 Union members across Oregon, including 178 registered apprentices and more than 100 people waiting to dispatch into their first union apprenticeship opportunity. 1002 01:49:22.899 --> 01:49:32.395 I'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. 1003 01:49:32.976 --> 01:49:36.193 This project is more than, uh, is about more than sports. 1004 01:49:36.466 --> 01:49:45.818 It'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. 1005 01:49:45.881 --> 01:49:55.887 And public investment should create careers that provide family-wage jobs, healthcare, retirement security, and opportunities for future generations. 1006 01:49:56.466 --> 01:49:58.747 I know that because they changed my life. 1007 01:49:58.811 --> 01:50:08.239 17 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. 1008 01:50:08.914 --> 01:50:09.524 I found one. 1009 01:50:09.958 --> 01:50:15.243 Today I celebrate 19 years sobriety and building a career that allows me to help others find the same opportunities. 1010 01:50:15.676 --> 01:50:20.302 Projects like this create more than temporary jobs, they create lifelong careers. 1011 01:50:20.817 --> 01:50:31.628 And 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. 1012 01:50:31.725 --> 01:50:35.086 Thank you for your time and for your commitment to Oregon's working families. 1013 01:50:35.921 --> 01:50:36.630 Thank you very much. 1014 01:50:39.136 --> 01:50:42.399 Good morning, Council President Dunphy and council members. 1015 01:50:43.234 --> 01:50:44.729 For the record, my name is Jose Avalos. 1016 01:50:45.226 --> 01:50:51.085 I am a business representative and a member of OPCMIA Local 555 Concrete Finishers. 1017 01:50:52.953 --> 01:50:56.911 I serve on the executive board of the Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council. 1018 01:50:57.985 --> 01:51:02.365 Local 555 represents more than 700 workers across Oregon. 1019 01:51:03.425 --> 01:51:12.873 For many Portlanders and Oregonians, projects like this create real pathways into family-supporting careers throughout state-registered apprenticeship programs. 1020 01:51:14.189 --> 01:51:22.019 They also keep current apprentices and journey-level workers employed, earning wages and supporting their families. 1021 01:51:23.256 --> 01:51:23.865 Delaying—. 1022 01:51:24.685 --> 01:51:33.956 Delay could put vital state funding at risk and create uncertainty for workers, contractors, and the success of the project. 1023 01:51:34.341 --> 01:51:42.341 This is the opportunity to turn public investment into good jobs, stronger apprenticeship pathways, and long-term benefits for working families. 1024 01:51:43.242 --> 01:51:57.061 I 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. 1025 01:51:57.496 --> 01:52:00.149 Thank you for the time and consideration. 1026 01:52:00.591 --> 01:52:01.212 Thank you very much. 1027 01:52:04.824 --> 01:52:08.287 Good morning, Council President Dunphy, members of Portland City Council, Mayor Keith Wilson. 1028 01:52:08.481 --> 01:52:17.469 My 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. 1029 01:52:18.328 --> 01:52:25.738 Our union represents more than 35,000 active and retired members from more than 200 area employers in every industry in our local economy. 1030 01:52:26.796 --> 01:52:34.798 We 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. 1031 01:52:35.697 --> 01:52:43.298 The Moda Center not only generates hundreds of jobs at its onsite operation, there are thousands more impacted outside of Moda in area hospitality. 1032 01:52:43.363 --> 01:52:43.475 Thank you. 1033 01:52:43.731 --> 01:52:52.177 Construction, food and beverage, manufacturing, air and ground transportation, and the extensive supply chain of goods and services into and out of the Moda Center. 1034 01:52:53.045 --> 01:53:03.930 Teamsters 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. 1035 01:53:04.349 --> 01:53:08.747 Good jobs are the foundation of a strong community and a thriving economy. 1036 01:53:09.556 --> 01:53:14.398 Let's all work together for good jobs at the Moda Center and support the term sheet and funding package for Moda. 1037 01:53:14.961 --> 01:53:19.511 We appreciate your time and consideration in this matter and stand ready to partner with the city in this endeavor. 1038 01:53:19.865 --> 01:53:24.815 We want the Moda Center to succeed and benefit our entire economy and our entire community. 1039 01:53:25.088 --> 01:53:25.652 Thank you very much. 1040 01:53:26.359 --> 01:53:26.695 Thank you. 1041 01:53:26.921 --> 01:53:27.708 Thank you all very much. 1042 01:53:30.676 --> 01:53:39.746 Our next panel of testifiers include Burke Nelson, Rich Richard McNeil, Jordan Lewis, Catherine Juergens, Brian Owendoff. 1043 01:53:42.132 --> 01:53:43.020 Come on down, folks. 1044 01:53:43.085 --> 01:53:46.636 I see some folks coming from upstairs too, so whoever's sitting down, welcome. 1045 01:53:46.733 --> 01:53:47.814 Burke, why don't you kick us off? 1046 01:53:48.039 --> 01:53:50.655 Okay, good morning everyone. 1047 01:53:50.832 --> 01:53:53.189 Good morning, Mayor and members of Portland City Council. 1048 01:53:53.731 --> 01:54:03.600 On 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. 1049 01:54:03.600 --> 01:54:11.939 The 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. 1050 01:54:12.539 --> 01:54:26.850 As 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. 1051 01:54:27.340 --> 01:54:33.369 The Moda Center is not only a premier sports and entertainment venue, it is a critical economic asset that generates thank you. 1052 01:54:33.369 --> 01:54:33.649 Thank you, Mayor Wilson. 1053 01:54:36.590 --> 01:54:49.909 The 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. 1054 01:54:49.909 --> 01:54:59.090 Preserving and strengthening an economic engine through strategic reinvestment is an important step towards sustaining Portland's competitiveness and long-term economic vitality. 1055 01:55:00.426 --> 01:55:06.804 We understand that this resolution is non-binding and represents the beginning of a negotiation process rather than a final funding commitment. 1056 01:55:07.318 --> 01:55:15.060 Nevertheless, approving the term sheet is a necessary step in advancing discussions with the Trailblazers organization, Multnomah County, and the state of Oregon. 1057 01:55:15.510 --> 01:55:26.899 The 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. 1058 01:55:28.520 --> 01:55:34.363 For these reasons, NAMAC respectfully urges Portland City Council to approve this resolution and continue negotiations. 1059 01:55:34.782 --> 01:55:36.659 Thank you for your consideration and leadership. 1060 01:55:37.766 --> 01:55:38.569 Thank you very much. 1061 01:55:39.356 --> 01:55:39.725 Good morning. 1062 01:55:39.774 --> 01:55:40.770 My name is Richard McNeil. 1063 01:55:40.881 --> 01:55:51.011 I'm a resident in District 3, and I am quite upset about the process that this term sheet creation has followed to date. 1064 01:55:51.975 --> 01:55:53.885 There has been very little public input. 1065 01:55:54.929 --> 01:56:00.244 Hastily arranged City Council conferences in several districts. 1066 01:56:01.112 --> 01:56:10.362 We 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. 1067 01:56:11.405 --> 01:56:12.675 We're negotiating in the dark. 1068 01:56:12.931 --> 01:56:20.399 We don't even have alternate operators who have evaluated what the opportunity cost of operating the Moda Center would be. 1069 01:56:20.462 --> 01:56:20.944 Councilmember Herbold. 1070 01:56:23.789 --> 01:56:26.199 We need public answers to these questions. 1071 01:56:28.449 --> 01:56:36.311 And according to the Moda Trailblazer organization, their public answers would not be well received by the public. 1072 01:56:36.975 --> 01:56:38.011 I think that says it all. 1073 01:56:40.198 --> 01:56:51.761 I 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. 1074 01:56:52.019 --> 01:56:54.220 We do not have funds available. 1075 01:56:55.329 --> 01:57:00.224 We're already cutting parks and critical city services. 1076 01:57:00.886 --> 01:57:03.423 We do not have the money to invest. 1077 01:57:04.465 --> 01:57:04.712 Thank you. 1078 01:57:05.475 --> 01:57:06.188 Thank you very much. 1079 01:57:08.699 --> 01:57:09.703 Hello, Portland City Council. 1080 01:57:09.752 --> 01:57:10.577 My name is Jordan Lewis. 1081 01:57:10.626 --> 01:57:14.284 I'm a volunteer lobbyist for the Portland Democratic Socialists of America. 1082 01:57:14.926 --> 01:57:21.627 First, if any NBA execs are watching this right now, I just want to say the hostage situation has affected my enjoyment of the brand. 1083 01:57:22.123 --> 01:57:25.570 I did not grow up enjoying sports, but this spring I watched my first Blazers game. 1084 01:57:25.747 --> 01:57:28.856 I had fun, but recent negotiations have given me the ick. 1085 01:57:29.417 --> 01:57:37.337 I 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. 1086 01:57:37.689 --> 01:57:38.298 Imagine that. 1087 01:57:38.957 --> 01:57:41.863 And they won the championship after like a 50-year drought. 1088 01:57:42.827 --> 01:57:45.507 That was a powerful moment, which the team knew would come. 1089 01:57:45.877 --> 01:57:49.136 Their brand matters and moving damages the brand. 1090 01:57:49.650 --> 01:57:54.595 If the Knicks can handle 1976 New York City, the Blazers can handle 2026 Portland. 1091 01:57:55.173 --> 01:57:58.368 Last week, the Blazers execs showed up just to trash the city. 1092 01:57:58.641 --> 01:58:01.274 They publicly accused the city of going woke and going broke. 1093 01:58:01.676 --> 01:58:06.484 You know, the whole, there are poor people outside, Fix it now routine. 1094 01:58:06.983 --> 01:58:13.962 They whinged about high taxes while asking Portland taxpayers to give them $900 million, which— make that make sense. 1095 01:58:14.333 --> 01:58:18.658 If our problems are so bad, maybe $900 million would be better spent fixing those problems. 1096 01:58:18.948 --> 01:58:21.319 I'd like the team to stop speaking out of both sides of their mouths. 1097 01:58:21.448 --> 01:58:25.988 If they really loved this city and wanted to stay here, they wouldn't be charging $1 billion for the privilege of staying here. 1098 01:58:26.518 --> 01:58:29.960 This can't be a transformative investment and a bid to maintain what we have at the same time. 1099 01:58:30.073 --> 01:58:30.185 Thank you. 1100 01:58:31.420 --> 01:58:36.975 At the moment, it's trendy to bash coastal blue cities and venerate the almighty Sunbelt of Arizona, Texas, North Carolina. 1101 01:58:37.537 --> 01:58:39.416 Our own governor has done it with her Prosperity Council. 1102 01:58:39.560 --> 01:58:42.081 All I have to say is, yes, Portland has some problems. 1103 01:58:42.176 --> 01:58:52.871 We 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. 1104 01:58:53.176 --> 01:58:53.432 Thank you. 1105 01:58:53.609 --> 01:58:54.685 Thank you very much. 1106 01:58:56.563 --> 01:59:02.301 Brian Owendoff, District 4, former member of the Rose Quarter Advisory Committee. 1107 01:59:02.814 --> 01:59:05.298 This debate is far more about basketball. 1108 01:59:05.443 --> 01:59:08.425 It's about whether Portland can remain competitive as a major league city. 1109 01:59:08.970 --> 01:59:10.588 The question isn't who owns the Moda Center. 1110 01:59:11.006 --> 01:59:12.720 The question truly is who has the leverage. 1111 01:59:13.474 --> 01:59:14.932 In third place is the city. 1112 01:59:15.542 --> 01:59:17.850 The city owns the arena, but the ownership is not leverage. 1113 01:59:18.106 --> 01:59:22.595 The city purchased Moda Center for $1 because it came with hundreds of millions of dollars of deferred maintenance. 1114 01:59:23.172 --> 01:59:34.042 The city's proposed investment is only a fraction of that total, while asking the owner to accept relocation restrictions, lease commitments, and other conditions. 1115 01:59:34.250 --> 01:59:39.972 Some are reasonable, but we need to recognize that Tom Dundon is under no obligation to accept any of these. 1116 01:59:41.046 --> 01:59:42.185 Tom Dundon is in second place. 1117 01:59:42.250 --> 01:59:44.510 He invested $4 million to acquire the Trail Blazers. 1118 01:59:44.573 --> 01:59:48.005 Like any business owner, he has a fiduciary responsibility to maximize the franchise's long-term value. 1119 01:59:48.052 --> 01:59:48.453 Councilmember Herbold. 1120 01:59:49.222 --> 01:59:55.007 If other markets offer greater long-term economic opportunities, he has leverage to move, but he cannot move without the NBA. 1121 01:59:55.216 --> 01:59:56.914 The NBA is first place. 1122 01:59:56.994 --> 01:59:59.365 The league holds the ultimate decision-making authority. 1123 02:00:00.136 --> 02:00:02.042 No relocation happens without the NBA. 1124 02:00:02.139 --> 02:00:05.182 So the negotiation is not really about convincing Tom Dundon. 1125 02:00:05.262 --> 02:00:10.310 It's about convincing the NBA that remains committed to being a viable NBA market. 1126 02:00:10.695 --> 02:00:14.317 My recommendation is simple: reduce political rhetoric. 1127 02:00:14.381 --> 02:00:14.509 Thank you. 1128 02:00:14.930 --> 02:00:30.171 Stop 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. 1129 02:00:30.412 --> 02:00:30.786 Thank you. 1130 02:00:31.627 --> 02:00:32.679 Thank you all very much. 1131 02:00:36.149 --> 02:00:37.756 Catherine, Catherine is joining us online. 1132 02:00:39.090 --> 02:00:39.454 Welcome, Catherine. 1133 02:00:39.521 --> 02:00:40.603 My name is Catherine Durgan. 1134 02:00:40.895 --> 02:00:42.386 And I live and work in District 4. 1135 02:00:42.899 --> 02:00:48.462 I moved to Portland in 2001, answering the call of a city that was affordable, creative, and dynamic. 1136 02:00:48.846 --> 02:00:50.497 Much has happened in those 25 years. 1137 02:00:51.091 --> 02:00:52.502 Politicians have come and gone. 1138 02:00:52.838 --> 02:00:54.762 Whole neighborhoods have been built from the ground up. 1139 02:00:55.260 --> 02:00:57.376 The New York Times fell in and out of love with us. 1140 02:00:57.824 --> 02:01:00.518 We built a tram, but we didn't build enough housing. 1141 02:01:00.789 --> 02:01:06.529 We mismanaged a homelessness crisis impacting the livability of all residents, and we took sustained economic. 1142 02:01:06.609 --> 02:01:07.587 Economic growth for granted. 1143 02:01:08.323 --> 02:01:13.338 Through all of this, one thing has stayed the same: our Portland Trail Blazers. 1144 02:01:13.916 --> 02:01:29.506 From 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. 1145 02:01:30.421 --> 02:01:33.497 This is what I want you to remember when debating the term sheet in front of you. 1146 02:01:34.027 --> 02:01:46.010 I 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. 1147 02:01:46.618 --> 02:01:52.314 I ask you to seriously consider the immense long-term damage of losing something important and irreplaceable. 1148 02:01:52.971 --> 02:01:56.453 Portland should do big things that bring civic pride to its residents. 1149 02:01:56.981 --> 02:01:58.827 We believe that Portland can thrive. 1150 02:01:59.148 --> 02:02:00.574 We can build a modern Moda Center. 1151 02:02:00.640 --> 02:02:06.979 That is an anchor to a revived Albina and a reimagined Lloyd, and we can keep our team here for decades to come. 1152 02:02:07.367 --> 02:02:07.722 Thank you. 1153 02:02:08.014 --> 02:02:08.613 Go Blazers. 1154 02:02:09.631 --> 02:02:10.149 Thank you very much. 1155 02:02:11.327 --> 02:02:22.390 Our next panel of testifiers include Christopher Olsen, Katie Woodruff, EJ Wilsniewski, Donald Kenny, Adriana Locke. 1156 02:02:24.469 --> 02:02:25.305 Come on down, folks. 1157 02:02:31.430 --> 02:02:33.457 Whoever's sitting down, you're welcome to go first. 1158 02:02:33.521 --> 02:02:34.577 Please introduce yourself for the record. 1159 02:02:34.643 --> 02:02:35.417 You got 90 seconds. 1160 02:02:39.609 --> 02:02:40.286 Okay, go ahead. 1161 02:02:40.850 --> 02:02:41.412 Right in the middle here. 1162 02:02:42.203 --> 02:02:42.782 Who, oh, me? 1163 02:02:42.926 --> 02:02:43.024 Sure. 1164 02:02:43.345 --> 02:02:43.845 Yeah, my bad. 1165 02:02:43.926 --> 02:02:44.118 Sorry. 1166 02:02:44.393 --> 02:02:44.682 All good. 1167 02:02:45.262 --> 02:02:46.567 Um, yeah, okay. 1168 02:02:46.663 --> 02:02:53.542 So I'm all for sports and community events, and respectfully, those who appeal to the loss of a basketball team miss the point. 1169 02:02:54.135 --> 02:03:00.239 Keith Wilson, when asked if he was prepared to lose the Blazers, said it would result in job and population loss. 1170 02:03:00.689 --> 02:03:04.118 He said, quote, I can't fathom losing the Blazers. 1171 02:03:04.614 --> 02:03:06.841 I'm not prepared to lose the Blazers. 1172 02:03:07.819 --> 02:03:19.694 You'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. 1173 02:03:19.934 --> 02:03:23.828 I'm sure you could replace that with different talent if you lost them. 1174 02:03:25.141 --> 02:03:27.626 Homelessness is increasing under Keith Wilson's leadership. 1175 02:03:28.010 --> 02:03:36.567 The 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. 1176 02:03:37.000 --> 02:03:44.435 Tina wants to give $365 million to renovations, yet just proposed a $421 million cut to Medicaid. 1177 02:03:45.654 --> 02:03:50.485 This state right now is on fire. 1178 02:03:50.952 --> 02:03:57.131 We are inheriting a world that's burning from climate change, and the mayor is unprepared to lose a basketball team. 1179 02:03:57.516 --> 02:04:02.685 You walk outside and you'll see crumbling infrastructure in our roads and our transportation system. 1180 02:04:03.086 --> 02:04:06.505 Sick and homeless people are everywhere in desperate need of help. 1181 02:04:06.987 --> 02:04:08.255 Real work needs to be done. 1182 02:04:08.591 --> 02:04:09.234 Real work. 1183 02:04:09.650 --> 02:04:12.668 And that real work is not getting done because it's tied to someone's profit. 1184 02:04:12.733 --> 02:04:12.845 Thank you. 1185 02:04:13.394 --> 02:04:15.787 Instead, we are here arguing over $600 million. 1186 02:04:16.144 --> 02:04:21.286 $600 million for Dundon and Hawkins, who admit they have— they don't have a plan. 1187 02:04:23.050 --> 02:04:25.292 They don't know what they'll need the $600 million for. 1188 02:04:25.583 --> 02:04:27.069 They only have concepts of a plan. 1189 02:04:29.844 --> 02:04:30.699 This is shameful. 1190 02:04:31.619 --> 02:04:31.829 It is. 1191 02:04:32.185 --> 02:04:33.298 And it makes you look weak. 1192 02:04:33.542 --> 02:04:36.577 You're lying to us, and you know that you're lying to us. 1193 02:04:37.012 --> 02:04:38.078 Thank you for being here. 1194 02:04:38.750 --> 02:04:39.484 Concepts of a plan. 1195 02:04:39.597 --> 02:04:41.213 A plan that is a black box. 1196 02:04:41.311 --> 02:04:41.703 Thank you. 1197 02:04:42.840 --> 02:04:43.716 Unfortunately, that's your time. 1198 02:04:44.398 --> 02:04:44.868 Insane. 1199 02:04:45.292 --> 02:04:46.331 Thank you. 1200 02:04:48.474 --> 02:04:49.090 Fucking insane. 1201 02:04:49.430 --> 02:04:54.324 Whoever wants to jump in. 1202 02:04:56.100 --> 02:04:56.613 I'll go next. 1203 02:04:56.759 --> 02:04:58.333 Uh, good morning, members of the council. 1204 02:04:58.768 --> 02:04:59.636 My name is Donald Kenny. 1205 02:05:00.150 --> 02:05:06.128 For 17 years, I've owned and operated Spirit of '77, just a short walk from the Moda Center in the Lloyd District. 1206 02:05:06.621 --> 02:05:17.984 Spirit 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. 1207 02:05:18.930 --> 02:05:20.648 This is about more than basketball, however. 1208 02:05:20.856 --> 02:05:26.198 The Moda Center hosts roughly 150 events a year, and more than 100 of those are not Trail Blazers games. 1209 02:05:26.872 --> 02:05:30.979 And those alternate uses will dwindle to none without this investment. 1210 02:05:31.605 --> 02:05:40.801 If 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. 1211 02:05:41.460 --> 02:05:46.854 I see it in our employees, our local vendors, and the families and members of the community who support our business. 1212 02:05:47.818 --> 02:05:56.536 The 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. 1213 02:05:56.889 --> 02:05:57.788 And that moment is now. 1214 02:05:58.574 --> 02:06:03.167 The entire Lloyd District represents less than 0.5% of Portland's land area. 1215 02:06:03.632 --> 02:06:10.630 And less than 2,000 registered voters, and it contains some of the city's most important civic convention entertainment and transportation infrastructure. 1216 02:06:11.095 --> 02:06:18.284 Public investment in a public building should secure something meaningful in return, and a binding 20-year commitment and real protection against relocation. 1217 02:06:18.798 --> 02:06:20.372 The Blazers are not a replaceable tenant. 1218 02:06:20.740 --> 02:06:29.295 If 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. 1219 02:06:30.177 --> 02:06:31.141 Portland is showing up. 1220 02:06:31.318 --> 02:06:33.068 Now the NBA needs to show up as well. 1221 02:06:33.645 --> 02:06:35.782 Let's move to a growth mindset for our city. 1222 02:06:36.038 --> 02:06:37.515 I urge you to move forward with this term sheet. 1223 02:06:38.287 --> 02:06:38.912 Thank you very much. 1224 02:06:40.373 --> 02:06:41.963 Hey, good morning, councilors. 1225 02:06:42.155 --> 02:06:49.204 My 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. 1226 02:06:49.783 --> 02:06:54.824 There are 2 reasons that we are in this mess right now, and it's really simple: billionaires and corporate Democrats. 1227 02:06:55.483 --> 02:07:01.386 In 2024, the corporate Democrats on the Old Portland City Council purchased the Motor Center for a dollar from the Blazers. 1228 02:07:01.819 --> 02:07:06.792 And as I've heard it said before, when you're buying anything for a dollar, it's buying a liability and not an asset. 1229 02:07:07.257 --> 02:07:14.814 The 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. 1230 02:07:15.215 --> 02:07:26.135 And 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. 1231 02:07:26.823 --> 02:07:42.864 The 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. 1232 02:07:43.426 --> 02:07:48.283 Plus, on top of that, Kotek says that over $400 million in Medicaid cuts are expected. 1233 02:07:48.942 --> 02:07:56.282 And 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. 1234 02:07:56.810 --> 02:08:05.338 But 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. 1235 02:08:05.500 --> 02:08:08.614 Remember, when working people are in tight spots, we cut back. 1236 02:08:09.193 --> 02:08:10.525 We have to make sacrifices. 1237 02:08:11.039 --> 02:08:16.313 And the people here need healthcare, safe roads, green infrastructure, and schools, and those should be our priorities. 1238 02:08:16.747 --> 02:08:24.072 The 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. 1239 02:08:24.587 --> 02:08:24.853 Thank you. 1240 02:08:25.335 --> 02:08:26.016 Thank you very much. 1241 02:08:27.920 --> 02:08:30.426 Good day, City Council, and my fellow Oregonians. 1242 02:08:30.845 --> 02:08:32.301 Uh, my name is Adriana Locke. 1243 02:08:33.384 --> 02:08:43.588 Oregon 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. 1244 02:08:44.537 --> 02:08:51.703 At 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. 1245 02:08:52.460 --> 02:08:58.198 My small business is within walking distance of the Moda Center, but we don't benefit from its business. 1246 02:08:59.180 --> 02:09:04.505 Like the center itself, however, we benefit from the public services offered by the state, county, and city. 1247 02:09:04.940 --> 02:09:07.653 These include healthcare, childcare, and transportation. 1248 02:09:08.460 --> 02:09:10.235 How many Moda Center employees are on OHP? 1249 02:09:10.301 --> 02:09:10.481 2. 1250 02:09:10.945 --> 02:09:12.756 How many employees use Preschool for All? 1251 02:09:13.350 --> 02:09:15.979 How many event attendees use TriMet services? 1252 02:09:16.556 --> 02:09:21.670 Let's be clear that lots of public funds are already invested in the Motor Center economy. 1253 02:09:22.344 --> 02:09:29.204 It's important that the opportunity of a new lease does not cost us the infrastructure that allows all businesses to thrive. 1254 02:09:30.118 --> 02:09:39.475 The 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. 1255 02:09:39.990 --> 02:09:48.225 It'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. 1256 02:09:48.712 --> 02:09:52.582 But that's why we elected you, to be good stewards of our city. 1257 02:09:53.298 --> 02:10:00.201 We need you to play a different game and find a way forward to create good jobs without risking state and local public funds. 1258 02:10:02.514 --> 02:10:03.112 Thank you very much. 1259 02:10:03.654 --> 02:10:04.956 Katie is joining us online. 1260 02:10:10.131 --> 02:10:11.184 Katie, you're muted. 1261 02:10:22.193 --> 02:10:22.551 Thank you. 1262 02:10:23.899 --> 02:10:24.371 Good morning. 1263 02:10:24.875 --> 02:10:26.126 My name is Katie Woodruff. 1264 02:10:26.926 --> 02:10:30.533 I believe professional sports means so much more than the Thank you. 1265 02:10:31.494 --> 02:10:34.494 The Trail Blazers are not simply a team that plays here. 1266 02:10:34.944 --> 02:10:37.815 They are a part of how Portland sees itself. 1267 02:10:38.618 --> 02:10:49.350 In 1977, our incredible team brought Portland its first and only NBA championship, creating a connection that has lasted for generations. 1268 02:10:50.009 --> 02:10:54.469 Clyde Drexler once said the Blazers and their fans had a unique relationship. 1269 02:10:55.175 --> 02:10:56.778 I'm not sure there is I think that's a great question. 1270 02:10:56.842 --> 02:11:01.377 I don't think there's ever been a love affair between an NBA team and its fan base like we had. 1271 02:11:02.114 --> 02:11:04.421 That is Rip City. 1272 02:11:05.351 --> 02:11:16.377 Opposing teams prepare for the raucous energy inside the Moda Center because our fans don't simply attend games, they create that atmosphere. 1273 02:11:16.632 --> 02:11:20.206 That connection reaches beyond the arena in so many ways. 1274 02:11:20.719 --> 02:11:30.878 It 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. 1275 02:11:31.457 --> 02:11:39.948 It lives in the first game our kids attend at Moda, their first Blazer jersey, or simply watching with a family who remember 1977. 1276 02:11:40.688 --> 02:11:45.391 Yes, there is an economic conversation here, but there is also a human one. 1277 02:11:46.145 --> 02:11:48.457 The Trail Blazers are a part of who Portland is. 1278 02:11:48.601 --> 02:11:48.875 Thank you. 1279 02:11:49.132 --> 02:11:51.684 And we must protect that connection. 1280 02:11:52.426 --> 02:11:59.422 Mayor, council members, please do what it takes for our kids and generations to come. 1281 02:11:59.957 --> 02:12:00.702 Thank you. 1282 02:12:00.912 --> 02:12:01.543 Thank you very much. 1283 02:12:03.292 --> 02:12:08.725 Uh, colleagues, I'm going to invite up one of our panelists who was an invited panelist earlier but wasn't able to make it. 1284 02:12:08.855 --> 02:12:13.150 Uh, we have Chair of Multnomah County, Jessica Vega Peterson. 1285 02:12:17.134 --> 02:12:17.728 Welcome, Chair. 1286 02:12:18.514 --> 02:12:19.235 Thank you so much. 1287 02:12:19.396 --> 02:12:20.697 I really appreciate the flexibility. 1288 02:12:20.761 --> 02:12:22.606 Thank you all for having this discussion day. 1289 02:12:23.087 --> 02:12:26.024 Good morning, Council President Dunphy and Portland City Councilors. 1290 02:12:26.538 --> 02:12:27.871 My name is Jessica Vega Peterson. 1291 02:12:28.079 --> 02:12:29.091 I'm the Multnomah County Chair. 1292 02:12:29.266 --> 02:12:31.497 Thank you for providing me the opportunity to speak today. 1293 02:12:32.622 --> 02:12:37.756 This is part of a large debate that's happening right now over the Motor Center renovations, and rightly so. 1294 02:12:38.094 --> 02:12:45.752 It 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. 1295 02:12:46.523 --> 02:12:48.176 Today is a critical discussion. 1296 02:12:48.770 --> 02:12:57.970 The 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. 1297 02:12:58.805 --> 02:13:12.007 I 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. 1298 02:13:12.761 --> 02:13:14.779 These are not mutually exclusive concepts. 1299 02:13:15.164 --> 02:13:18.353 In fact, they must be paired together for us to reach a deal. 1300 02:13:19.154 --> 02:13:25.515 Tomorrow, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners will vote on a resolution that will guide our negotiations with you, the City of Portland. 1301 02:13:26.301 --> 02:13:32.805 Our 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. 1302 02:13:32.854 --> 02:13:33.751 Thank you, Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane. 1303 02:13:34.778 --> 02:13:42.126 I 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. 1304 02:13:42.815 --> 02:13:48.399 To start with, we need a commitment that this deal will ensure the Blazers stay in Portland for at least the next 20 years. 1305 02:13:49.233 --> 02:13:51.126 But this is so much bigger than the Blazers. 1306 02:13:51.863 --> 02:13:55.248 We need a deal that includes strong community and neighborhood benefits. 1307 02:13:55.890 --> 02:14:00.109 A significant Moda Center renovation should serve as the foundation of a Roseway thank you. 1308 02:14:00.109 --> 02:14:00.109 Councilor Herbold, you have the floor. 1309 02:14:00.109 --> 02:14:00.109 Thank you, Mayor. 1310 02:14:00.109 --> 02:14:12.199 I 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. 1311 02:14:12.510 --> 02:14:21.489 Our deal should include robust labor agreements that ensure good-paying union jobs are part of the renovation and future operations and maintenance. 1312 02:14:21.489 --> 02:14:28.382 With this condition, we have heard robust support from local unions, including SEIU, the Teamsters, and IATSE. 1313 02:14:29.056 --> 02:14:40.503 They 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. 1314 02:14:41.500 --> 02:14:48.853 A deal should provide direct revenue streams for the governments contributing towards the project that can be reinvested in crucial public services. 1315 02:14:49.752 --> 02:14:56.587 We need to ensure renovations accommodate the unique needs of a Moda Center's newest tenant, the Portland Fire of the WNBA. 1316 02:14:57.387 --> 02:15:06.974 We 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. 1317 02:15:07.871 --> 02:15:10.771 And we need the Blazers to show up as better partners in this work. 1318 02:15:11.654 --> 02:15:24.095 We 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. 1319 02:15:25.025 --> 02:15:27.657 This is an incredibly important moment for our region. 1320 02:15:28.587 --> 02:15:40.283 If 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. 1321 02:15:41.005 --> 02:15:44.871 A renovated, activated Moda Center is a key part to that recovery. 1322 02:15:45.801 --> 02:15:54.470 The 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. 1323 02:15:55.390 --> 02:16:06.250 It 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. 1324 02:16:07.112 --> 02:16:09.091 In front of us is an opportunity. 1325 02:16:09.832 --> 02:16:18.904 I 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. 1326 02:16:19.493 --> 02:16:19.837 Thank you. 1327 02:16:20.328 --> 02:16:20.983 Thank you, Chair. 1328 02:16:21.391 --> 02:16:21.931 Lovely to see you. 1329 02:16:24.130 --> 02:16:32.745 Our next panel of testifiers include Diane Riley, Benjamin Gilbert, Eric Bailey, Gabriel Pascuzzi, Cash Carter. 1330 02:16:33.165 --> 02:16:34.606 Come on down, folks. 1331 02:16:34.898 --> 02:16:38.581 As you're arriving, uh, you know, whoever wants to sit down gets to go first. 1332 02:16:38.808 --> 02:16:39.959 Introduce yourself for the record. 1333 02:16:40.349 --> 02:16:41.953 You're welcome to share your pronouns, and you got 90 seconds. 1334 02:16:44.861 --> 02:16:46.290 Hi, my name is Diane Riley. 1335 02:16:46.789 --> 02:16:48.138 I use she and her pronouns. 1336 02:16:49.117 --> 02:16:56.278 I'm honored to be here today and show up with all of the Portlanders and people who are speaking today. 1337 02:16:56.985 --> 02:17:02.540 I, I can't say that there's a lot that I disagree with from any of the people who have testified. 1338 02:17:02.941 --> 02:17:03.921 We are in a dilemma. 1339 02:17:04.611 --> 02:17:11.608 I believe that Portland is being tested and that we need to step up to our values. 1340 02:17:12.433 --> 02:17:23.523 And those values include integrity, compassion, and understanding about our neighbors, our city, and our state. 1341 02:17:24.367 --> 02:17:35.066 I've never heard of an economic development plan including sports that actually produced the kind of outcomes that we think it does. 1342 02:17:35.114 --> 02:17:35.362 Councilor Smith. 1343 02:17:36.018 --> 02:17:38.701 It is a great investment in culture. 1344 02:17:38.943 --> 02:17:41.129 It's a great investment in joy. 1345 02:17:41.820 --> 02:17:46.793 I believe in both of those things, but it is not necessarily an economic—. 1346 02:17:47.922 --> 02:17:51.209 It doesn't produce the economic outcomes that we suppose it does. 1347 02:17:51.902 --> 02:17:55.957 If it did, we wouldn't be in this position right now 'cause we have the Blazers. 1348 02:17:58.262 --> 02:18:12.480 I 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. 1349 02:18:13.466 --> 02:18:22.519 If 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. 1350 02:18:24.262 --> 02:18:24.890 Thank you very much. 1351 02:18:26.770 --> 02:18:28.048 Hi, I'm Eric Bailey. 1352 02:18:28.179 --> 02:18:29.965 I'm a small business owner in District 2. 1353 02:18:30.079 --> 02:18:34.604 Basketball is the 2nd most popular sport in the world with professional leagues on every continent. 1354 02:18:35.006 --> 02:18:40.325 But unlike soccer, which has several top leagues, there's undeniably one top league in basketball, and that is the NBA. 1355 02:18:41.015 --> 02:18:44.181 Even the 30th and worst team would wax any other team in the world. 1356 02:18:44.406 --> 02:18:49.515 Any major city, domestic or abroad, would die to have an NBA team, but this is our team and they can't have it. 1357 02:18:50.093 --> 02:18:57.405 Let'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. 1358 02:18:57.838 --> 02:19:05.253 I 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. 1359 02:19:06.103 --> 02:19:12.458 ESPN 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. 1360 02:19:13.067 --> 02:19:17.415 The Blazers generate $600 million a year in economic activity in our area. 1361 02:19:17.704 --> 02:19:20.094 That's $12 billion over a 20-year span. 1362 02:19:20.704 --> 02:19:24.106 If the team is moved, Dundon becomes richer and the city becomes poorer. 1363 02:19:24.362 --> 02:19:25.470 We cannot let that happen. 1364 02:19:25.984 --> 02:19:32.527 The 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. 1365 02:19:33.103 --> 02:19:39.420 That'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. 1366 02:19:39.755 --> 02:19:42.545 My most cherished childhood memories are of going to games with my dad. 1367 02:19:42.817 --> 02:19:45.110 Some of my favorite fatherhood memories are of going with my son. 1368 02:19:45.702 --> 02:19:51.682 I 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. 1369 02:19:52.194 --> 02:19:55.673 Councilors, the job you have before you is not to convince Dundon of anything. 1370 02:19:56.042 --> 02:19:59.217 It's to show the NBA directly how serious we are about keeping this team. 1371 02:19:59.683 --> 02:20:03.050 Start by passing this deal and also sending over a much more reasonable term sheet. 1372 02:20:03.227 --> 02:20:05.175 Our city, our team, our arena. 1373 02:20:06.069 --> 02:20:06.798 Thank you very much. 1374 02:20:08.989 --> 02:20:18.967 Hello, 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. 1375 02:20:19.675 --> 02:20:23.369 The city should not spend the people's money without transparency on how it will be spent. 1376 02:20:23.972 --> 02:20:27.905 And if our money is being spent, we need private investment and a ton of community benefits. 1377 02:20:28.547 --> 02:20:35.834 Many 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. 1378 02:20:36.331 --> 02:20:37.309 The Blazers' Mr. 1379 02:20:37.375 --> 02:20:47.309 Predatory 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. 1380 02:20:48.289 --> 02:20:52.349 One that recognizes that Dundon has no interest in the rights or conditions of Portland workers. 1381 02:20:52.629 --> 02:20:55.217 And has every incentive to rip Rip City off. 1382 02:20:57.610 --> 02:21:01.917 Anyone who votes to hand public money away without private investment will have an albatross around them. 1383 02:21:02.402 --> 02:21:05.709 The city survey, survey showed clear public opposition to a giveaway. 1384 02:21:05.968 --> 02:21:07.370 So let's make sure this isn't a giveaway. 1385 02:21:08.129 --> 02:21:09.870 This must not be funded with PCF dollars. 1386 02:21:10.531 --> 02:21:15.012 Robbing our climate adaption fund while we're covered in smoke would be outrageous. 1387 02:21:15.745 --> 02:21:21.007 We need more public process, need to keep our leverage, and have to negotiate from a place of strength and transparency. 1388 02:21:21.667 --> 02:21:23.263 Backdoor deals are bad for Portland. 1389 02:21:23.537 --> 02:21:28.122 Just like workers benefit from open bargaining, the public needs transparency, not NDAs. 1390 02:21:29.219 --> 02:21:30.414 There is a false sense of urgency. 1391 02:21:30.849 --> 02:21:33.495 Let's keep our powder dry and push for a better process. 1392 02:21:34.090 --> 02:21:34.363 Thank you. 1393 02:21:35.075 --> 02:21:35.414 Thank you. 1394 02:21:37.902 --> 02:21:38.306 All right, thank you. 1395 02:21:38.354 --> 02:21:42.736 My name is, uh, Cash Carter and my pronouns are him. 1396 02:21:43.570 --> 02:21:44.144 God is great. 1397 02:21:44.888 --> 02:21:46.130 But I have something to say. 1398 02:21:46.195 --> 02:21:48.583 Blazer fans, I'm sorry to tell you, the team is moving. 1399 02:21:49.260 --> 02:21:50.308 We are being relocated. 1400 02:21:50.872 --> 02:21:51.227 But to where? 1401 02:21:51.906 --> 02:21:52.777 The NBA Finals. 1402 02:21:53.639 --> 02:21:54.923 The NBA Championship. 1403 02:21:55.378 --> 02:21:56.515 And that starts today. 1404 02:21:59.291 --> 02:22:01.429 With that being said, we got 5 years. 1405 02:22:02.505 --> 02:22:07.550 Now reimagine what an NBA Championship parade would look like if we won right now. 1406 02:22:08.209 --> 02:22:09.754 Would we have enough law enforcement? 1407 02:22:10.593 --> 02:22:12.534 To secure that perimeter? 1408 02:22:13.182 --> 02:22:13.683 What's the answer? 1409 02:22:15.963 --> 02:22:16.545 No. 1410 02:22:16.802 --> 02:22:18.578 How long would that parade look like? 1411 02:22:19.320 --> 02:22:22.290 Look at our current big parade for the Rose Festival. 1412 02:22:22.612 --> 02:22:25.956 It gets shorter and shorter and shorter every year. 1413 02:22:26.360 --> 02:22:35.718 So 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. 1414 02:22:36.185 --> 02:22:38.110 To envision that, to see that. 1415 02:22:38.686 --> 02:22:44.073 Go outside, see that route, see what empty building is sitting there. 1416 02:22:45.259 --> 02:22:47.824 Envision what business is going to be there. 1417 02:22:48.690 --> 02:22:52.200 Envision what food vendors are going to fill that parade route. 1418 02:22:53.129 --> 02:23:00.456 And most importantly, envision what Portland musicians besides Damian Lillard are going to be performing at that parade. 1419 02:23:01.193 --> 02:23:01.867 Where's it going to be at? 1420 02:23:03.216 --> 02:23:05.093 This is not Paul Allen's team anymore. 1421 02:23:06.105 --> 02:23:10.665 We have an outsider who came here, and sometimes the best things are seen from the outside. 1422 02:23:11.227 --> 02:23:15.129 And he's telling us that our vision does not align with his vision. 1423 02:23:15.658 --> 02:23:16.125 He's a winner. 1424 02:23:16.718 --> 02:23:17.328 I'm a winner. 1425 02:23:18.067 --> 02:23:21.922 The year I, I worked for the Timbers, they won a championship. 1426 02:23:22.644 --> 02:23:25.968 That building at the Moda Center, my father helped build that. 1427 02:23:26.015 --> 02:23:27.268 His name is on the building. 1428 02:23:27.364 --> 02:23:27.524 Thank you. 1429 02:23:28.009 --> 02:23:29.708 I came home every day. 1430 02:23:30.048 --> 02:23:30.856 I came home every day. 1431 02:23:31.180 --> 02:23:31.957 Thank you very much. 1432 02:23:33.023 --> 02:23:35.662 Last thing I want to stand here and say— Sorry, we're at time. 1433 02:23:36.209 --> 02:23:36.693 Sorry. 1434 02:23:37.307 --> 02:23:38.727 Thank you very much, friend. 1435 02:23:39.533 --> 02:23:39.791 Thank you. 1436 02:23:40.033 --> 02:23:40.356 Thank you. 1437 02:23:41.066 --> 02:23:41.856 Thank you all very much. 1438 02:23:43.450 --> 02:23:46.820 Uh, checking to see if Gabriel Pascuzzi is here. 1439 02:23:52.371 --> 02:23:53.986 Next up we have Rowan Harvey. 1440 02:23:54.513 --> 02:24:00.057 Devin Ruiz, Jonathan Pulvers, Quinn Hadley, Eden Krolwich. 1441 02:24:02.918 --> 02:24:03.898 Come on down, folks. 1442 02:24:05.604 --> 02:24:06.621 Take your time, don't rush. 1443 02:24:10.850 --> 02:24:11.640 Devin, why don't you kick us off? 1444 02:24:12.729 --> 02:24:13.440 Good morning, Council. 1445 02:24:13.504 --> 02:24:14.343 My name is Devin Ruiz. 1446 02:24:14.521 --> 02:24:21.849 I 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. 1447 02:24:22.603 --> 02:24:31.693 Nearly 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. 1448 02:24:32.224 --> 02:24:45.298 We 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. 1449 02:24:46.117 --> 02:24:50.726 Working-class Portlanders are already consistently asking for safety nets and investments in the city. 1450 02:24:50.773 --> 02:24:57.263 Councilmember 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. 1451 02:24:58.033 --> 02:25:01.326 The Blazers are not working with the city or the fans they claim to love. 1452 02:25:01.936 --> 02:25:10.192 They should be making investments in our city, significantly contributing to union jobs, revitalization, our school district, things that will make Portland better. 1453 02:25:10.707 --> 02:25:16.489 Instead, we are being rushed into a deal that will only drive Portland's affordability crisis further while a billionaire becomes richer. 1454 02:25:17.030 --> 02:25:28.549 As 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. 1455 02:25:29.180 --> 02:25:34.549 We urge Portland City Council to require private capital investment for renovations to be secured for any agreement. 1456 02:25:34.840 --> 02:25:42.260 We support Morillo 1 for more transparency and oversight of city bonds, Morillo 2 for street pricing inside of Moda Center, and support Green Avalos. 1457 02:25:42.260 --> 02:25:43.920 Portlanders should know where the money they pay in property taxes is going. 1458 02:25:43.920 --> 02:25:43.959 Thank you. 1459 02:25:44.295 --> 02:25:48.699 We are giving to this project is sourced from, all while having a limit for that contribution. 1460 02:25:49.118 --> 02:25:51.069 I will submit my full written testimony. 1461 02:25:51.134 --> 02:25:51.472 Thank you. 1462 02:25:51.713 --> 02:25:52.181 Thank you. 1463 02:25:59.186 --> 02:26:01.155 Hi everyone, my name is Idan Krawlowitz. 1464 02:26:02.109 --> 02:26:03.774 Thank you very much for your hard work on this. 1465 02:26:04.924 --> 02:26:06.847 This isn't a referendum on whether we love the Blazers. 1466 02:26:06.944 --> 02:26:09.679 I think you can see— look around the room and say that everyone loves the Blazers. 1467 02:26:10.764 --> 02:26:15.468 I support investing public dollars to keep them in Portland, but public investment deserves a public return. 1468 02:26:16.367 --> 02:26:23.447 Today 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. 1469 02:26:24.184 --> 02:26:27.781 2 Years ago, the city estimated about $253 million in needed improvements. 1470 02:26:28.182 --> 02:26:31.682 Today we're considering more than twice that amount, yet the public still hasn't seen what the money buys. 1471 02:26:32.661 --> 02:26:36.626 We've been told that the choice today is a weak deal today or a dark arena tomorrow. 1472 02:26:36.674 --> 02:26:37.942 Councilmember that's a false choice. 1473 02:26:38.779 --> 02:26:42.070 This term sheet may be technically non-binding, but it is politically binding. 1474 02:26:42.793 --> 02:26:45.604 It tells the Blazers and the NBA what you won't fight for. 1475 02:26:46.809 --> 02:26:49.363 So put a true market rate proposal on the table. 1476 02:26:49.941 --> 02:26:53.443 Meaningful private investment, revenue sharing, fair rent, and real economic returns. 1477 02:26:53.556 --> 02:26:56.800 These are things many other cities, even small market teams, receive. 1478 02:26:57.813 --> 02:27:10.772 And 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. 1479 02:27:11.750 --> 02:27:12.807 Don't call it a partnership. 1480 02:27:13.368 --> 02:27:15.179 Tell the public there is no negotiation. 1481 02:27:16.012 --> 02:27:16.828 I don't believe that's true. 1482 02:27:17.838 --> 02:27:19.057 I believe the Blazers want to stay. 1483 02:27:19.618 --> 02:27:24.441 I believe the NBA wants the Blazers in Portland, and I believe a fair market partnership is possible. 1484 02:27:25.146 --> 02:27:28.382 The only way we'll find out is if this council has the courage to ask for one. 1485 02:27:28.431 --> 02:27:28.558 Thank you. 1486 02:27:28.840 --> 02:27:29.140 Thank you. 1487 02:27:29.843 --> 02:27:30.512 Thank you very much. 1488 02:27:33.520 --> 02:27:34.648 All right, good morning, councilors. 1489 02:27:34.745 --> 02:27:35.939 My name is Rowan Harvey. 1490 02:27:36.278 --> 02:27:42.391 I'm a D3 resident and a field organizer with Next Up, a civic home for diverse young people to build up their organizational power. 1491 02:27:42.746 --> 02:27:49.397 And 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. 1492 02:27:49.913 --> 02:27:59.227 This 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. 1493 02:28:00.272 --> 02:28:08.625 They 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. 1494 02:28:09.252 --> 02:28:14.216 Working-class young people are being priced out of attending large-scale sports events and concerts at our local venues. 1495 02:28:14.648 --> 02:28:24.867 We 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. 1496 02:28:27.370 --> 02:28:34.441 We 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. 1497 02:28:35.201 --> 02:28:47.414 Dundon 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. 1498 02:28:47.915 --> 02:28:50.165 If he wants an upgraded arena, then he can pay his part. 1499 02:28:50.751 --> 02:28:56.415 And find capital, private capital investments, and buying a team he clearly doesn't care about isn't it. 1500 02:28:57.440 --> 02:29:00.234 We urge you to require private capital investment for the renovation. 1501 02:29:00.362 --> 02:29:08.140 We 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. 1502 02:29:08.384 --> 02:29:08.806 Thank you. 1503 02:29:08.935 --> 02:29:10.541 Thank you very much. 1504 02:29:11.548 --> 02:29:12.975 Jonathan is joining us online. 1505 02:29:14.920 --> 02:29:19.201 Thank you, President Dunphy, Vice President Clark, Mayor Wilson and councilors, my name is Jonathan Pulvers. 1506 02:29:19.331 --> 02:29:20.763 I'm a lifelong Blazer fanatic. 1507 02:29:20.860 --> 02:29:22.855 I'm here as part of Rip City, Not Ripoff. 1508 02:29:23.274 --> 02:29:25.141 I live in Southeast Portland, right near Brooklyn. 1509 02:29:25.809 --> 02:29:37.055 I 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. 1510 02:29:37.569 --> 02:29:52.504 His 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. 1511 02:29:53.259 --> 02:29:59.602 Make no mistake, the term sheet that you approve next week will be as good as it gets for the public in these negotiations. 1512 02:30:00.309 --> 02:30:07.554 I deeply appreciate that all 12 of you have shown a willingness to examine the facts and precedents and to stand up for our city. 1513 02:30:08.277 --> 02:30:15.015 There 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. 1514 02:30:15.549 --> 02:30:23.115 A partnership that brings revenue back to the city in the form of private capital, rent, naming rights, pilot, etc. 1515 02:30:23.422 --> 02:30:25.470 Please include these items in your term sheet. 1516 02:30:26.004 --> 02:30:33.787 Give your negotiating team the strongest hand that it can play over the next, next 4 months. 1517 02:30:34.225 --> 02:30:39.066 The chips, and you'll have a decision to thank you so much for your time and your consideration. 1518 02:30:39.341 --> 02:30:40.439 Go Portland, go Blazers. 1519 02:30:41.101 --> 02:30:45.942 Thank you, Jonathan, and thank you for maybe saying apotheosis for the first time in City Council history. 1520 02:30:48.653 --> 02:30:51.049 I'm checking to see if Quinn Hadley is here. 1521 02:30:54.804 --> 02:31:08.791 Next up we have Brian Steelman, Annie Ellison, Brianne Margolin, Welcome, folks. 1522 02:31:11.834 --> 02:31:14.308 Whoever wants to jump in. 1523 02:31:15.930 --> 02:31:20.066 Good morning, Mayor and city councilors. 1524 02:31:20.342 --> 02:31:21.688 My name is Brienne Margolin. 1525 02:31:22.191 --> 02:31:26.827 I'm a native Oregonian, and I've lived, worked, and built my life in the Portland community for over 20 years. 1526 02:31:27.939 --> 02:31:35.585 Some of my earliest memories are of my mom carefully painting the Blazers pinwheel on my cheek before home games. 1527 02:31:35.858 --> 02:31:44.834 Those weren't just memories of basketball, they were memories of family traditions, community, and the excitement of cheering on our home team. 1528 02:31:46.037 --> 02:31:55.942 Whether you're there for sports, music, family entertainment, or graduation, it's a place where people come together To create lasting memories. 1529 02:31:56.761 --> 02:32:00.126 I'm here today in support of authorizing the term sheet. 1530 02:32:00.686 --> 02:32:13.218 This 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. 1531 02:32:14.084 --> 02:32:27.685 As 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. 1532 02:32:28.584 --> 02:32:34.956 Just as Portlanders invest in our parks because they enrich our lives, we should also invest in Moda Center. 1533 02:32:35.485 --> 02:32:38.904 It too is a public asset that deserves long-term stewardship. 1534 02:32:39.674 --> 02:32:41.439 Great cities invest in their future. 1535 02:32:41.680 --> 02:32:50.842 They preserve the public places that bring people together, welcome visitors, That's the kind of community we all deserve. 1536 02:32:51.394 --> 02:32:53.084 Please authorize the term sheet. 1537 02:32:53.343 --> 02:32:53.750 Thank you. 1538 02:32:54.156 --> 02:32:54.772 Thank you very much. 1539 02:32:56.916 --> 02:32:58.717 Good afternoon, councilors and mayor. 1540 02:32:59.085 --> 02:33:03.424 My name is Brian Steelman and I own a restaurant called Porque No, and I live and work in District 2. 1541 02:33:03.858 --> 02:33:10.237 I'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. 1542 02:33:11.218 --> 02:33:12.567 I am here to convey a few things. 1543 02:33:12.761 --> 02:33:14.898 One, that I love this city very much. 1544 02:33:15.191 --> 02:33:21.788 And 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. 1545 02:33:22.511 --> 02:33:28.721 Secondly, I want to tell you what a Trail Blazers or Fire home game night actually looks like at my restaurant. 1546 02:33:29.075 --> 02:33:38.560 And 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. 1547 02:33:39.266 --> 02:33:44.595 And 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. 1548 02:33:45.592 --> 02:33:48.885 I opened my business on North Mississippi near the Moda Center 21 years ago. 1549 02:33:48.980 --> 02:33:55.245 Our 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. 1550 02:33:55.727 --> 02:34:02.923 And accepting Chalupa coupons for free tacos when the Blazers scored 100 points were part of Porque No gaining momentum. 1551 02:34:03.934 --> 02:34:09.748 To this day, when business owners slow— when business slows in the winter, those Blazer and Fire games add extra joy to the whole neighborhood. 1552 02:34:12.254 --> 02:34:14.004 I'm going to skip to the most important part. 1553 02:34:14.100 --> 02:34:24.245 Most 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. 1554 02:34:24.855 --> 02:34:29.158 A renovated arena will help support housing, more businesses, more jobs, and more investment in our central city. 1555 02:34:29.207 --> 02:34:33.477 And these visions of these 2 organizations are foundational to what Portland can look like in the future. 1556 02:34:33.765 --> 02:34:41.109 The ED of Albina Vision Trust, Winohana, Ms. Winohana said something very pertinent when giving testimony at the Multnomah County last month. 1557 02:34:41.432 --> 02:34:48.295 She explained how the Lower Albina area was cleared of majority Black housing to make room for the veteran memorial and motor center. 1558 02:34:49.085 --> 02:34:51.444 And to not maintain it would be a travesty. 1559 02:34:52.253 --> 02:34:52.882 Thank you very much. 1560 02:34:55.020 --> 02:34:56.362 Hi, Alex Dangey, District 2. 1561 02:34:57.236 --> 02:34:59.113 I want to talk a little bit about numbers. 1562 02:34:59.275 --> 02:35:03.822 So we're talking about $120 million in public Public funding for a 20-year lease, right? 1563 02:35:04.048 --> 02:35:06.670 So if you divide that, that's $6 million a year. 1564 02:35:06.816 --> 02:35:13.052 And just for a taxpayer's perspective, the arts tax brings in between $10 and $13 million every year. 1565 02:35:13.117 --> 02:35:17.449 So we're talking about an amount of money that's maybe half the arts tax, right? 1566 02:35:17.722 --> 02:35:20.528 If you bonded it, maybe it's like $9 million a year or something, right? 1567 02:35:20.915 --> 02:35:24.972 I'm surprised we're having this many public hearings about $9 million a year. 1568 02:35:27.299 --> 02:35:41.497 You 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. 1569 02:35:42.511 --> 02:35:48.069 The money that we get from tickets and parking for all 3 of those arenas goes into a fund that pays for maintenance. 1570 02:35:48.118 --> 02:35:50.093 That was an $18 million fund last year. 1571 02:35:50.543 --> 02:36:00.744 And 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. 1572 02:36:03.040 --> 02:36:04.376 But we are investing in the buildings. 1573 02:36:04.440 --> 02:36:09.206 We spent $25 million last year renovating Memorial Coliseum. 1574 02:36:09.995 --> 02:36:15.118 Per person, per visitor, it's basically the same amount as this $120 million that we're talking about for the Blazers. 1575 02:36:15.634 --> 02:36:16.165 One more thing. 1576 02:36:17.325 --> 02:36:21.905 I don't think it's worth including the property tax offset in the term sheet. 1577 02:36:22.147 --> 02:36:26.408 That's $99 million over 20 years that we're asking from, for the team. 1578 02:36:26.808 --> 02:36:32.811 When 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. 1579 02:36:33.766 --> 02:36:34.041 Thank you. 1580 02:36:34.495 --> 02:36:35.127 Thank you very much. 1581 02:36:36.683 --> 02:36:38.426 Good afternoon. 1582 02:36:38.926 --> 02:36:43.867 Annie Ellison, many affiliations here as an individual from Rose City Park. 1583 02:36:45.426 --> 02:36:48.273 I moved to Portland because it was the center of the universe for me. 1584 02:36:48.659 --> 02:36:51.248 I was a young queer woman athlete. 1585 02:36:51.893 --> 02:36:52.712 Now I'm just a queer. 1586 02:36:53.994 --> 02:36:59.052 A lot of this conversation around the Moda Center has been focused on the men's NBA. 1587 02:36:59.361 --> 02:36:59.684 Okay. 1588 02:37:00.560 --> 02:37:02.815 I became a Thorns season ticket holder in 2014. 1589 02:37:03.495 --> 02:37:08.039 Portland had the best supported women's club in the world at that time. 1590 02:37:08.509 --> 02:37:12.764 Any sport, any country, planet Earth, that, that's who we are. 1591 02:37:13.523 --> 02:37:16.365 And we also had the best players in the world. 1592 02:37:17.075 --> 02:37:18.916 This is a world-class city for women's sports. 1593 02:37:18.981 --> 02:37:19.094 Thank you. 1594 02:37:20.027 --> 02:37:24.138 And not unrelated to women's sports, this is a world-class city to be a queer. 1595 02:37:24.448 --> 02:37:27.567 Okay, speaking from experience, definitely to be a queer parent. 1596 02:37:28.443 --> 02:37:31.323 And there is something about that to be incredibly proud of. 1597 02:37:32.261 --> 02:37:48.212 So 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. 1598 02:37:48.582 --> 02:37:54.672 You know, at this moment, Moda Center is not sufficient to attract the best athletes in the W. That's just a fact. 1599 02:37:54.752 --> 02:37:56.263 So don't treat them like afterthoughts. 1600 02:37:56.697 --> 02:38:00.778 We are hosting the NCAA Final Four in 2030, and it is not the men's Final Four. 1601 02:38:01.179 --> 02:38:01.388 Okay? 1602 02:38:02.224 --> 02:38:06.690 Ask yourself, is what you're about to say, do, tweet good for the fire? 1603 02:38:07.284 --> 02:38:08.281 Is it good for the W? 1604 02:38:08.361 --> 02:38:09.583 Is it good for women's sports? 1605 02:38:09.630 --> 02:38:11.896 Because if it's good for women's sports, it's good for Portland. 1606 02:38:11.944 --> 02:38:12.104 Thank you. 1607 02:38:12.283 --> 02:38:12.529 Thank you. 1608 02:38:13.247 --> 02:38:15.030 Thank you very much. 1609 02:38:15.227 --> 02:38:15.700 Thank you all. 1610 02:38:22.750 --> 02:38:24.516 Uh, Sean O'Connor. 1611 02:38:27.361 --> 02:38:34.146 Next up we have Dr.— uh, oh, I'm sorry, I don't think they are here. 1612 02:38:34.662 --> 02:38:39.742 Uh, Everett Creel, Matthew Gilbert, Keely Hughes. 1613 02:38:40.500 --> 02:38:41.709 Darren Hertzberg. 1614 02:38:42.662 --> 02:38:47.001 Israel Palacios. 1615 02:39:04.086 --> 02:39:07.176 I'd give another joke while they're walking down, but that didn't go well last time. 1616 02:39:07.240 --> 02:39:07.675 Anybody else? 1617 02:39:12.697 --> 02:39:17.370 Okay. 1618 02:39:20.701 --> 02:39:23.549 Mr. President. 1619 02:39:23.842 --> 02:39:24.359 Councilor Novick. 1620 02:39:24.666 --> 02:39:25.849 I'm sure they'll be down here lickety-brindle. 1621 02:39:32.396 --> 02:39:34.022 It's a Bill Shanley line. 1622 02:39:35.579 --> 02:39:36.688 Lickety brindle up the middle. 1623 02:39:38.540 --> 02:39:40.176 Appreciate it. 1624 02:39:41.327 --> 02:39:42.414 Welcome down, folks. 1625 02:39:42.949 --> 02:39:44.618 Whoever wants to jump in, feel free to go first. 1626 02:39:46.595 --> 02:39:47.831 Uh, sure, I can go first. 1627 02:39:48.058 --> 02:39:49.472 Uh, my name is Darren Herzberg. 1628 02:39:49.602 --> 02:39:51.114 I am a resident of District 4. 1629 02:39:51.326 --> 02:39:53.927 Thank you, City Council, for coming out here and listening to us. 1630 02:39:55.325 --> 02:39:56.753 This term sheet is not acceptable. 1631 02:39:57.489 --> 02:39:58.900 You can negotiate better than this. 1632 02:40:00.135 --> 02:40:01.978 The Moda Center does need to be renovated. 1633 02:40:02.058 --> 02:40:03.212 There are things we need to take care of. 1634 02:40:03.277 --> 02:40:05.217 We have 4 to 5 years to negotiate this. 1635 02:40:05.922 --> 02:40:19.996 It'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. 1636 02:40:20.909 --> 02:40:37.302 We 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. 1637 02:40:37.816 --> 02:41:09.099 And 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. 1638 02:41:09.244 --> 02:41:11.637 So obviously this is a cheap deal for him. 1639 02:41:12.247 --> 02:41:22.520 You 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. 1640 02:41:23.652 --> 02:41:24.299 Thank you very much. 1641 02:41:27.549 --> 02:41:37.784 Okay, so listen, I really understand everyone who is arguing to, you know— Don't forget to say your name. 1642 02:41:37.994 --> 02:41:38.106 What? 1643 02:41:38.316 --> 02:41:38.945 Don't forget to say your name. 1644 02:41:39.219 --> 02:41:39.430 What? 1645 02:41:39.639 --> 02:41:40.349 Say your name for the record. 1646 02:41:40.414 --> 02:41:40.800 Oh, sorry. 1647 02:41:40.995 --> 02:41:41.784 My name's Everett. 1648 02:41:42.105 --> 02:41:43.261 I use he/him pronouns. 1649 02:41:43.356 --> 02:41:43.886 Good. 1650 02:41:44.111 --> 02:42:00.888 I 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. 1651 02:42:01.111 --> 02:42:02.861 I'm a huge fan. 1652 02:42:04.014 --> 02:42:10.447 I know, yeah, well, I feel like just the sense of community in Portland for the Blazers is amazing. 1653 02:42:11.155 --> 02:42:16.042 What other city do you go to and you see trash cans painted for the Blazers? 1654 02:42:16.542 --> 02:42:16.865 You know? 1655 02:42:18.656 --> 02:42:21.093 Yeah, my friends, we bond over the Blazers. 1656 02:42:21.158 --> 02:42:23.406 And yeah, I'm not just talking about me. 1657 02:42:23.567 --> 02:42:30.831 Like, everyone who's been to a Blazers game knows, like, what other city sells out just regular season games? 1658 02:42:31.334 --> 02:42:33.540 You know, that's how important the Blazers are to us. 1659 02:42:33.620 --> 02:42:35.728 So I really hope they stay. 1660 02:42:37.227 --> 02:42:50.719 Also, 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. 1661 02:42:50.943 --> 02:42:56.632 My parents say, you know, Portland's on the rise again, and the Blazers are really part of that, you know. 1662 02:42:56.952 --> 02:43:00.527 They bring people here and they really help the community shine. 1663 02:43:01.520 --> 02:43:01.792 So thank you. 1664 02:43:01.841 --> 02:43:02.096 Thank you. 1665 02:43:02.634 --> 02:43:03.566 Thank you very much for being here. 1666 02:43:09.233 --> 02:43:10.981 Hello, my name is Israel Palacios. 1667 02:43:11.031 --> 02:43:13.621 I'm a current college student at the University of Washington. 1668 02:43:13.995 --> 02:43:15.420 I've grown up here in Portland all my life. 1669 02:43:16.430 --> 02:43:23.459 Growing 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. 1670 02:43:24.463 --> 02:43:26.371 But the Moda Center isn't just another stadium. 1671 02:43:26.566 --> 02:43:28.068 It is an iconic place in the heart of Portland. 1672 02:43:28.914 --> 02:43:36.750 A 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. 1673 02:43:37.745 --> 02:43:44.022 Some 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. 1674 02:43:45.050 --> 02:43:53.433 Going 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. 1675 02:43:54.105 --> 02:43:58.659 You go up to anyone in the city of Seattle and ask them if they miss the Sonics, the answer would be yes. 1676 02:43:59.334 --> 02:44:04.834 You 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. 1677 02:44:05.426 --> 02:44:12.065 That perspective makes me realize I cannot imagine the city without one of its most iconic brands that millions of people tune into every year. 1678 02:44:12.722 --> 02:44:21.029 With 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. 1679 02:44:21.093 --> 02:44:21.236 Thank you. 1680 02:44:22.129 --> 02:44:30.670 All 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. 1681 02:44:30.986 --> 02:44:31.404 Thank you. 1682 02:44:32.072 --> 02:44:32.706 Thank you very much. 1683 02:44:35.592 --> 02:44:37.672 Matthew Gilbert and Keeley Hughes. 1684 02:44:41.430 --> 02:44:51.016 Next up we have Claire Denalin-Manson, Lupe W., David Bloom, Jessica Wadley, Jim Rice. 1685 02:44:55.345 --> 02:44:56.250 Come on down, folks. 1686 02:44:57.763 --> 02:44:58.474 Thanks so much. 1687 02:45:08.434 --> 02:45:09.798 Take us away, right here in the middle. 1688 02:45:10.122 --> 02:45:10.820 Yeah. 1689 02:45:11.600 --> 02:45:13.045 Thanks for meeting with us, City Council. 1690 02:45:14.619 --> 02:45:15.268 My name's Lupe. 1691 02:45:15.333 --> 02:45:16.192 I'm in District 4. 1692 02:45:17.604 --> 02:45:22.772 Rip City, Not Ripoff City shows that this deal will cost taxpayers $1.1 billion. 1693 02:45:24.352 --> 02:45:29.885 Texas billionaire Tom Dundon is holding our city hostage, and I don't think we should negotiate with an extortionist. 1694 02:45:31.137 --> 02:45:38.657 He 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. 1695 02:45:39.643 --> 02:45:52.119 The 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. 1696 02:45:53.096 --> 02:45:54.700 Let me tell you what's really urgent. 1697 02:45:55.597 --> 02:46:00.618 Hundreds of thousands of Oregonians are struggling to survive, and you are cutting vital services. 1698 02:46:01.210 --> 02:46:02.765 Homeless services, cut. 1699 02:46:03.070 --> 02:46:03.711 Education, cut. 1700 02:46:04.049 --> 02:46:05.908 Councilmember Loretta Smith. 1701 02:46:06.406 --> 02:46:09.629 Healthcare cut, public transit cut. 1702 02:46:10.914 --> 02:46:13.094 I mean, this city isn't even ADA compliant. 1703 02:46:13.960 --> 02:46:21.066 And 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. 1704 02:46:21.819 --> 02:46:26.006 Yes, we have a government actively preventing our own taxpayer money from being used to help us. 1705 02:46:26.246 --> 02:46:26.985 Sound familiar? 1706 02:46:27.754 --> 02:46:42.408 And 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. 1707 02:46:43.069 --> 02:46:46.536 If the Moda Center is good enough for the Boss, it's good enough for me. 1708 02:46:48.351 --> 02:46:49.031 Thank you so much. 1709 02:46:53.113 --> 02:46:53.949 Whoever wants to jump in. 1710 02:46:55.949 --> 02:46:57.112 My name is David Bloom. 1711 02:46:57.290 --> 02:46:59.747 I am a small business owner. 1712 02:47:00.216 --> 02:47:01.606 I own the Civic Taproom. 1713 02:47:01.752 --> 02:47:03.594 It is a beer bar right next to the Moda Center. 1714 02:47:03.791 --> 02:47:06.137 To the Timbers Stadium, Providence Park. 1715 02:47:06.747 --> 02:47:12.755 And I know for a fact, as being a business next to an arena, the impact that it has. 1716 02:47:13.334 --> 02:47:17.141 And we have now secured a long lease with them, right? 1717 02:47:17.753 --> 02:47:21.994 All— if the Timbers were to leave, my business closes. 1718 02:47:22.251 --> 02:47:25.800 All the other businesses around in Goose Hollow would close. 1719 02:47:26.041 --> 02:47:30.684 I mean, we are strictly a business based off of events. 1720 02:47:31.022 --> 02:47:32.111 And people coming and going. 1721 02:47:32.800 --> 02:47:41.966 So 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. 1722 02:47:42.158 --> 02:47:50.636 And 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. 1723 02:47:51.212 --> 02:47:51.516 Okay? 1724 02:47:51.933 --> 02:47:56.036 And for all this talk about Tom Dundon and all these things, I mean, he's a businessman. 1725 02:47:56.164 --> 02:47:56.996 He's a businessman. 1726 02:47:57.462 --> 02:48:05.539 Okay, he invested $800 million around Raleigh with his real estate firm because it was a good business opportunity. 1727 02:48:06.052 --> 02:48:14.386 Now, 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. 1728 02:48:14.884 --> 02:48:15.638 So think about that. 1729 02:48:15.847 --> 02:48:16.923 He has done it before. 1730 02:48:17.436 --> 02:48:18.063 Let him do it again. 1731 02:48:19.202 --> 02:48:19.443 Thank you. 1732 02:48:19.925 --> 02:48:20.551 Thank you very much. 1733 02:48:26.188 --> 02:48:27.777 Hi, my name is Claire Dunderline Manson. 1734 02:48:28.193 --> 02:48:38.051 I 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. 1735 02:48:38.388 --> 02:48:42.547 But I'm not here as a fan, but as a passionate teller of Portland's continuing story. 1736 02:48:42.980 --> 02:48:45.693 From where I stand, this vote has a PR problem. 1737 02:48:46.191 --> 02:48:56.825 You'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. 1738 02:48:57.418 --> 02:49:05.917 Many 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. 1739 02:49:06.478 --> 02:49:31.961 I 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. 1740 02:49:32.459 --> 02:49:39.268 After 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. 1741 02:49:39.700 --> 02:49:53.220 We'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. 1742 02:49:53.543 --> 02:50:05.289 It 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. 1743 02:50:06.733 --> 02:50:07.522 Thank you very much. 1744 02:50:10.799 --> 02:50:13.362 My name is Jim Rice, small business owner here in Portland. 1745 02:50:14.613 --> 02:50:20.335 Daily we watch businesses, living wage jobs, and tax revenue leaving. 1746 02:50:20.543 --> 02:50:23.846 We're ranked 80th out of 81 cities for investment. 1747 02:50:24.551 --> 02:50:30.049 You all just finished fighting over the budget cuts, and next year is going to be worse. 1748 02:50:31.188 --> 02:50:40.709 We 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. 1749 02:50:41.308 --> 02:50:45.327 Portland is competing with other cities, and we're losing. 1750 02:50:47.610 --> 02:50:56.027 Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, after seeing businesses leaving and facing a $488 million budget deficit, finally admitted that her actions weren't being helpful. 1751 02:50:57.591 --> 02:50:59.135 These actions are not being helpful. 1752 02:51:01.626 --> 02:51:06.897 We lose when— the question is, is why would businesses actually want to come here? 1753 02:51:07.378 --> 02:51:08.006 What are we doing? 1754 02:51:08.281 --> 02:51:09.280 Are we attracting them? 1755 02:51:10.941 --> 02:51:19.073 When we lose the Blazers to Nashville or a dozen other eager competitive cities, we lose a lot. 1756 02:51:19.170 --> 02:51:20.230 We lose tax revenue. 1757 02:51:20.376 --> 02:51:21.469 We lose businesses. 1758 02:51:21.582 --> 02:51:22.594 We lose jobs. 1759 02:51:23.110 --> 02:51:25.650 It's an overall impact on the entire city. 1760 02:51:26.406 --> 02:51:29.242 We need the Blazers more than the owner needs us. 1761 02:51:29.950 --> 02:51:37.907 We need to be recruiting the Trail Blazers owner, not We're at a crossroads. 1762 02:51:38.931 --> 02:51:49.110 Will 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? 1763 02:51:50.041 --> 02:51:50.347 Thank you. 1764 02:51:50.668 --> 02:51:51.296 Thank you very much. 1765 02:51:52.195 --> 02:51:53.385 Jessica's joining us online. 1766 02:51:56.329 --> 02:51:56.727 Good morning. 1767 02:51:57.606 --> 02:51:59.066 My name is Jessica Wadley, and I'm a resident of Woodlawn. 1768 02:51:59.371 --> 02:52:02.291 I am a Portland resident and devoted Trail Blazers fan. 1769 02:52:03.287 --> 02:52:10.474 I never feel more like a Portlander than when I'm standing in the Moda Center screaming alongside 20,000 other Blazer maniacs. 1770 02:52:11.164 --> 02:52:16.585 The Blazers are part of our civic identity, our shared history, and the cultural fabric of this city. 1771 02:52:17.340 --> 02:52:18.575 I want them to remain here. 1772 02:52:19.585 --> 02:52:25.184 Beloving this team does not require Portland to accept any deal placed in front of us. 1773 02:52:26.871 --> 02:52:28.349 I bring a message for Tom Dundon. 1774 02:52:29.120 --> 02:52:30.984 Owning something does not make you special. 1775 02:52:32.092 --> 02:52:33.521 Portland built Rip City. 1776 02:52:34.260 --> 02:52:36.493 We celebrated this team during its greatest years. 1777 02:52:37.006 --> 02:52:40.588 We kept showing up through the difficult ones, and you were nowhere to be found. 1778 02:52:41.407 --> 02:52:53.389 Having 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. 1779 02:52:53.453 --> 02:52:53.774 Thank you. 1780 02:52:54.352 --> 02:52:57.771 Are what close deals, not bullying, not posturing. 1781 02:52:58.845 --> 02:53:06.036 The proposal asks the public to contribute up to $573 million, including as much as $120 million from the city. 1782 02:53:06.790 --> 02:53:12.503 There are worthwhile protections here, but Portlanders deserve transparency and certainty before that money is committed. 1783 02:53:13.369 --> 02:53:29.051 While 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. 1784 02:53:29.552 --> 02:53:36.024 Keep the Blazers in Portland while securing a deal that is fair, enforceable, transparent, and worthy of the city that created Rip City. 1785 02:53:36.468 --> 02:53:36.879 Thank you. 1786 02:53:37.456 --> 02:53:38.261 Thank you very much. 1787 02:53:41.049 --> 02:53:49.135 Next up we have Emerson Odom, Julie Garner, Tom Kilbane, Skyland Wonders, Jay Banky. 1788 02:53:53.691 --> 02:53:54.494 Welcome, folks. 1789 02:53:55.066 --> 02:53:57.488 Feel free, please go ahead, start us off here. 1790 02:53:59.399 --> 02:54:08.504 All 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. 1791 02:54:09.655 --> 02:54:11.613 Portland and the Blazers go hand in hand. 1792 02:54:11.775 --> 02:54:13.977 You can't have one without the other. 1793 02:54:14.674 --> 02:54:19.185 The Blazers put Portland on the map and have brought Portlanders together for nearly 60 years. 1794 02:54:19.923 --> 02:54:27.316 From Bill Walton to Clyde Drexler to Damian Lillard, these players have become cultural icons that mean so much to our city. 1795 02:54:28.118 --> 02:54:32.528 Rip City is a huge part of the community here, and the Trail Blazers are more than just a basketball team. 1796 02:54:33.890 --> 02:54:35.976 They are a rallying point for this city and state. 1797 02:54:36.762 --> 02:54:42.406 As one of the most historic franchises in basketball, we cannot lose the Blazers, and we will not let Tom Dundon steal our team. 1798 02:54:42.470 --> 02:54:42.614 Thank you. 1799 02:54:43.192 --> 02:54:50.275 What 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. 1800 02:54:50.822 --> 02:55:02.465 If 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. 1801 02:55:03.186 --> 02:55:03.637 Thank you. 1802 02:55:04.536 --> 02:55:05.194 Thank you very much. 1803 02:55:05.997 --> 02:55:08.614 Good afternoon, councilors. 1804 02:55:08.727 --> 02:55:09.658 My name is Julie Garner. 1805 02:55:09.772 --> 02:55:10.621 From District 1. 1806 02:55:11.376 --> 02:55:15.259 I'm a Rose City till I die Thorns supporter, in case you didn't notice. 1807 02:55:16.093 --> 02:55:19.688 Well, I know what it means to love a team and what sports mean to this city. 1808 02:55:20.441 --> 02:55:22.656 Yet every budget is a statement of values. 1809 02:55:23.250 --> 02:55:25.625 Right now, Portland needs more affordable housing. 1810 02:55:26.058 --> 02:55:30.325 We need to strengthen TriMet by increasing services for the people who depend on them every day. 1811 02:55:30.951 --> 02:55:34.530 We need to ensure every Portlander has access to life's basic necessities. 1812 02:55:34.962 --> 02:55:39.554 See, these are the kind of investments that strengthen our city and make everyday life more affordable. 1813 02:55:40.486 --> 02:55:44.486 I know firsthand what it's like when every dollar matters just to get through the month. 1814 02:55:45.064 --> 02:55:54.075 I'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. 1815 02:55:54.621 --> 02:55:57.706 Why shouldn't every public dollar be treated with the same care? 1816 02:55:58.493 --> 02:56:02.316 Even valuable projects should be measured against more urgent public needs. 1817 02:56:03.296 --> 02:56:08.095 When Portlanders are struggling to afford the basics, Our priorities should reflect that reality. 1818 02:56:08.690 --> 02:56:17.737 What 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? 1819 02:56:18.637 --> 02:56:25.584 I don't believe Portland should be forced to choose between investing in its people and rewarding threats of relocation with public dollars. 1820 02:56:26.402 --> 02:56:30.284 Our budget reflects our values, so let's invest in Portland first. 1821 02:56:30.333 --> 02:56:30.444 Thank you. 1822 02:56:30.975 --> 02:56:31.199 Thank you. 1823 02:56:31.649 --> 02:56:32.341 Thank you very much. 1824 02:56:37.417 --> 02:56:41.602 Council President Dunphy, members of council, um, my name is Tom Kilbane. 1825 02:56:42.180 --> 02:56:42.953 I live in District 4. 1826 02:56:44.390 --> 02:56:48.959 We all know that Portland has been through a challenging few years, and we're seeing signs of recovery. 1827 02:56:49.799 --> 02:56:56.138 One of the clearest signs of this recovery is the progress that we've seen on several large redevelopment projects in the central city. 1828 02:56:56.922 --> 02:56:57.484 You know them all. 1829 02:56:57.950 --> 02:57:03.762 OMSI, Albina Vision Trust, Lloyd Center, all promising to deliver vibrant new neighborhoods. 1830 02:57:04.549 --> 02:57:09.253 Just across the river, we can add the city's Broadway corridor to that list. 1831 02:57:10.328 --> 02:57:16.688 One of the things all these have in common is that they will require a significant amount of private investment to be successful. 1832 02:57:17.779 --> 02:57:21.953 No matter how you feel about real estate investors, that's how these projects work. 1833 02:57:22.692 --> 02:57:28.875 If the Blazers were to leave Portland, it would have a chilling effect on investor sentiment, which is already negative. 1834 02:57:29.612 --> 02:57:33.257 It would make moving these projects forward even more difficult than it already is. 1835 02:57:34.430 --> 02:57:38.155 I want to acknowledge the difficult position that the city is in. 1836 02:57:38.814 --> 02:57:40.307 This is a strange negotiation. 1837 02:57:41.061 --> 02:57:46.376 You have a counterparty that doesn't really seem to be at the table, which makes this especially challenging. 1838 02:57:47.163 --> 02:57:50.519 And I recognize that you're working to protect taxpayer dollars. 1839 02:57:51.177 --> 02:57:53.313 As a Portland taxpayer, I appreciate that. 1840 02:57:54.325 --> 02:58:10.174 My 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. 1841 02:58:11.025 --> 02:58:11.395 Thank you. 1842 02:58:11.908 --> 02:58:12.760 Thank you very much. 1843 02:58:14.076 --> 02:58:15.328 Jay is joining us online. 1844 02:58:15.940 --> 02:58:17.048 Excellent. 1845 02:58:17.530 --> 02:58:20.677 Hello everyone, my name is Jay Benke, she/they pronouns. 1846 02:58:21.063 --> 02:58:25.639 I'm a child abduction and sex trafficking survivor who was trafficked right here in the Pacific Northwest. 1847 02:58:26.041 --> 02:58:29.960 Among my many roles, I am also the co-founder of the Sex Trade Survivor Caucus. 1848 02:58:30.522 --> 02:58:31.920 Portland is at a breaking point. 1849 02:58:32.081 --> 02:58:33.686 Our city is a human trafficking hub. 1850 02:58:33.992 --> 02:58:37.172 We don't have enough public defenders to move trafficking cases through the courts. 1851 02:58:37.509 --> 02:58:39.532 We have the highest rate of sex offenders per capita. 1852 02:58:39.853 --> 02:58:50.130 Oregon'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. 1853 02:58:50.548 --> 02:58:51.703 Our crisis is escalating. 1854 02:58:52.281 --> 02:58:54.513 Oregon lost $15 million in VOCA funding. 1855 02:58:54.948 --> 02:59:00.791 As a result, programs closed, services paused indefinitely, staff lost their jobs, victims have been left without support. 1856 02:59:01.290 --> 02:59:04.581 The Oregon DOJ's Human Trafficking Division was essentially dismantled. 1857 02:59:04.837 --> 02:59:14.681 Our 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. 1858 02:59:15.259 --> 02:59:27.043 In 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. 1859 02:59:27.397 --> 02:59:32.777 Oregon, Multco, Portland, and the Blazers have contributed exactly $0 to our work. 1860 02:59:33.323 --> 02:59:37.065 I didn't get to finish high school because I was abducted and trafficked to Oregon sex buyers. 1861 02:59:37.483 --> 02:59:40.278 I nearly died from my injuries and live with permanent disabilities. 1862 02:59:40.710 --> 02:59:56.083 If 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. 1863 02:59:56.275 --> 02:59:57.014 Thank you so much. 1864 02:59:57.560 --> 02:59:58.557 Thank you so much for being here. 1865 02:59:59.742 --> 03:00:01.808 Skyland Wonders. 1866 03:00:06.344 --> 03:00:13.618 Next up we have Randy Swanson, Anthony D'Andrea, Tim Halliburton, Theo Cho, and Lay's Hendrick. 1867 03:00:18.909 --> 03:00:20.290 Welcome. 1868 03:00:20.388 --> 03:00:20.566 Hello. 1869 03:00:23.004 --> 03:00:26.075 Go ahead and introduce yourself for the record and Go ahead. 1870 03:00:26.333 --> 03:00:26.994 Good afternoon. 1871 03:00:27.172 --> 03:00:28.333 It's nice to see your faces. 1872 03:00:28.752 --> 03:00:32.703 Um, for the record, my name is Theo Cho, and thank you for letting me speak today. 1873 03:00:35.163 --> 03:00:40.665 Relocating the Blazers would mean more than losing just a basketball team, but a part of our city's identity. 1874 03:00:42.156 --> 03:00:54.809 As 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. 1875 03:00:56.370 --> 03:01:02.962 Portland is known for having one of the most passionate and loyal fan bases in the NBA, and that connection can't be replaced. 1876 03:01:04.082 --> 03:01:14.129 In 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. 1877 03:01:14.935 --> 03:01:29.257 I 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. 1878 03:01:29.872 --> 03:01:31.052 Thank you for your time and consideration. 1879 03:01:32.190 --> 03:01:33.207 Thank you so much for being here today. 1880 03:01:38.329 --> 03:01:39.667 Blaze is joining us online. 1881 03:01:44.328 --> 03:01:45.351 Blaze, you're muted. 1882 03:01:49.737 --> 03:01:50.042 Good morning. 1883 03:01:50.156 --> 03:01:50.494 You hear me now? 1884 03:01:51.265 --> 03:01:52.568 We can hear you. 1885 03:01:53.452 --> 03:01:53.904 Good morning. 1886 03:01:54.161 --> 03:01:57.522 My name is Blaze Hondrick, and I was named after the Portland Trail Blazers. 1887 03:01:58.263 --> 03:02:05.718 Even 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. 1888 03:02:06.325 --> 03:02:10.380 Living in Texas, I understand the difference between the 2 states, unlike Tom Dundon. 1889 03:02:10.992 --> 03:02:13.308 He doesn't understand 3 simple words. 1890 03:02:13.956 --> 03:02:15.382 Keep Portland weird. 1891 03:02:15.879 --> 03:02:16.618 It's who we are. 1892 03:02:17.083 --> 03:02:17.979 We are different. 1893 03:02:18.460 --> 03:02:22.853 Unlike Texas, we only have one team, and they are our identity. 1894 03:02:23.575 --> 03:02:32.665 Forget 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. 1895 03:02:33.370 --> 03:02:36.736 For me, it's about taking my kids to games like my dad did with me. 1896 03:02:37.699 --> 03:02:38.980 It may be all for business. 1897 03:02:39.286 --> 03:02:41.227 For Tom, but for us it's personal. 1898 03:02:41.949 --> 03:02:44.611 I mean, I even named my son after Brandon Roy. 1899 03:02:44.852 --> 03:03:03.013 I'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. 1900 03:03:03.445 --> 03:03:05.514 These people meant and still mean something. 1901 03:03:06.574 --> 03:03:10.009 We are all Trail Blazers, and the Moda Center is our house. 1902 03:03:10.505 --> 03:03:12.158 Let's make it as nice as we can. 1903 03:03:12.673 --> 03:03:19.316 Vote yes, and let's show the NBA that we love our Blazers, because this isn't business, this is personal. 1904 03:03:19.879 --> 03:03:25.271 If we show up in good faith, the NBA will not allow Tom to steal our team. 1905 03:03:25.769 --> 03:03:31.547 Thank 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. 1906 03:03:31.611 --> 03:03:31.754 Thank you. 1907 03:03:32.341 --> 03:03:34.430 Thank you very much. 1908 03:03:36.469 --> 03:03:42.396 Okay, uh, checking to see Randy Swanson, Anthony D'Andrea, Tim Halbur. 1909 03:03:45.952 --> 03:03:53.046 Next up we have Sean McDavid, Debbie Kitchen, Mira Alt, Edith Gillis, Elijah Murillo. 1910 03:03:58.906 --> 03:04:01.280 Take it away, Debbie. 1911 03:04:01.778 --> 03:04:05.370 Good afternoon, Chair and, uh, council members. 1912 03:04:05.708 --> 03:04:07.521 I really appreciate— I'm Debbie Kitchen. 1913 03:04:07.793 --> 03:04:08.709 I live in District 2. 1914 03:04:09.317 --> 03:04:11.451 I really appreciate the opportunity to be here today. 1915 03:04:12.367 --> 03:04:18.929 Um, I know you've heard through all this testimony, um, that the arena is more than the Blazers. 1916 03:04:19.104 --> 03:04:22.859 It includes the fire, it includes concerts, events, and graduation. 1917 03:04:23.292 --> 03:04:31.047 I 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. 1918 03:04:31.576 --> 03:04:34.322 So, and then I'm a huge fan of the Fire. 1919 03:04:34.513 --> 03:04:40.198 They have just been really wonderful to see, and I love that we are an epicenter for women's sports. 1920 03:04:41.192 --> 03:04:50.710 I think what I wanna talk about today is just the importance of what you have before you and really urge City Council Councilor Smith. 1921 03:04:50.838 --> 03:04:53.467 I would encourage the council to come together, find the path. 1922 03:04:53.772 --> 03:04:59.236 I know all of you, and I know that all of you have what's best for Portland in your hearts. 1923 03:04:59.797 --> 03:05:04.283 I see it all the time, every day, in the work that you do together as a council. 1924 03:05:04.828 --> 03:05:08.834 And I think that a united Portland is much stronger. 1925 03:05:09.412 --> 03:05:15.228 The division, it creates weakness, and, and it prevents the best deal from being achieved. 1926 03:05:16.128 --> 03:05:23.064 So, you know, the whole space around winning hearts and minds of Portlanders, the Blazers have abandoned that. 1927 03:05:23.674 --> 03:05:40.405 Take 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. 1928 03:05:40.486 --> 03:05:40.709 Thank you. 1929 03:05:41.079 --> 03:05:43.170 Thank you very much. 1930 03:05:44.579 --> 03:05:46.040 Whoever wants to jump in. 1931 03:05:46.200 --> 03:05:48.239 Uh, hello, my name is Elijah Murillo. 1932 03:05:48.360 --> 03:05:51.620 I'm a student athlete out of Jefferson High School and a really big Blazer fan. 1933 03:05:51.659 --> 03:05:57.620 I just want to talk about my experience as a fan and just how the Blazers can help bring, bring the community together. 1934 03:05:57.659 --> 03:06:03.829 You can't really find another place in Portland that can have 20,000 people cheering for the same thing, for a Blazers win. 1935 03:06:04.139 --> 03:06:13.429 And 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. 1936 03:06:14.878 --> 03:06:19.700 Even besides basketball, the Moda Center could bring a lot of opportunities to young kids. 1937 03:06:19.845 --> 03:06:23.109 At my school, we had Michael Holton, who was an ex-Blazers announcer. 1938 03:06:23.809 --> 03:06:35.825 He 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. 1939 03:06:37.170 --> 03:06:38.498 And yeah, that's kind of all I want to say. 1940 03:06:38.563 --> 03:06:39.957 Thank you. 1941 03:06:40.167 --> 03:06:40.832 Thank you very much. 1942 03:06:43.787 --> 03:06:44.334 Good afternoon. 1943 03:06:45.011 --> 03:06:50.487 Sean McDavitt, longtime Portland resident, uh, working in downtown Portland every day as well. 1944 03:06:51.813 --> 03:06:55.959 This is a 2022 Trail Blazers Summer League championship shirt. 1945 03:06:57.905 --> 03:06:59.066 Uh, it's my pride and joy. 1946 03:06:59.945 --> 03:07:13.685 It 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. 1947 03:07:14.808 --> 03:07:26.206 The 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. 1948 03:07:26.254 --> 03:07:26.350 Thank you. 1949 03:07:27.072 --> 03:07:34.406 To real sickos that lurk in obscure corners of the internet, or one particular member of my beloved Blazers group chat. 1950 03:07:35.920 --> 03:07:37.764 This shirt is quite clearly a joke. 1951 03:07:38.810 --> 03:07:39.283 It is satire. 1952 03:07:41.100 --> 03:07:46.122 It pokes fun at what was a deeply painful era for the Blazer fans in the room. 1953 03:07:47.360 --> 03:08:16.299 Fading 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. 1954 03:08:17.824 --> 03:08:19.673 My shirt is also a powerful metaphor. 1955 03:08:19.754 --> 03:08:20.061 Thank you. 1956 03:08:20.143 --> 03:08:22.283 Councilmember Thank you very much. 1957 03:08:27.370 --> 03:08:28.997 Uh, Edith Gillis is joining us online. 1958 03:08:35.468 --> 03:08:36.139 Edith, go ahead. 1959 03:08:46.835 --> 03:08:48.599 My name is Edith Gillison, District 3. 1960 03:08:48.695 --> 03:08:49.256 Can you hear me? 1961 03:08:50.121 --> 03:08:50.907 We can hear you, Edith. 1962 03:08:51.195 --> 03:09:02.931 The 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. 1963 03:09:03.122 --> 03:09:27.067 Portland 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. 1964 03:09:27.565 --> 03:09:36.469 Robbing all of those priorities and requirements in order to give charity to a billionaire extortionist is violating your mandate. 1965 03:09:36.807 --> 03:09:47.245 The public treasure we need to invest in is our people who are otherwise being unhoused, trespassed, and repeatedly victimized by crimes. 1966 03:09:48.819 --> 03:10:16.198 My 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. 1967 03:10:16.959 --> 03:10:18.777 Passive entertainment doesn't do it. 1968 03:10:19.700 --> 03:10:25.265 What we need is to build stronger— change what you're requiring. 1969 03:10:25.702 --> 03:10:27.126 Give us more time to think it through. 1970 03:10:28.270 --> 03:10:29.246 Thank you. 1971 03:10:29.442 --> 03:10:34.736 I have no control over whether someone leaves but we have control over what we choose and what we choose. 1972 03:10:37.586 --> 03:10:38.875 Thank you so much, Edith, for being here. 1973 03:10:40.409 --> 03:10:42.984 Uh, checking to see if Mira Alt is here. 1974 03:10:45.747 --> 03:10:53.076 Next up we have Alex Klein, Michael Johnson, Calvin Porterfield, Amira Sanders, Claire Russell. 1975 03:10:56.489 --> 03:11:02.245 Come on down, folks, and Folks hanging out in the balcony, there are additional seats down here below if you are interested in coming down. 1976 03:11:02.870 --> 03:11:09.022 My name is Alex Klein, and I'm a resident of District 2. 1977 03:11:09.778 --> 03:11:16.347 I'm an attorney who works downtown, and I live 2 stops away from the Rose Quarter Transit Center at the 7th Avenue stop. 1978 03:11:17.230 --> 03:11:20.556 The MAX is my primary mode of transportation, and I don't own a car. 1979 03:11:21.745 --> 03:11:23.367 I used the Green Line to come here today. 1980 03:11:24.554 --> 03:11:43.029 I 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. 1981 03:11:43.959 --> 03:11:48.834 That real failure means that soon I would not be able to get on the line I rode to come here today. 1982 03:11:48.882 --> 03:11:49.155 Councilmember Smith. 1983 03:11:50.135 --> 03:12:01.070 That'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. 1984 03:12:01.953 --> 03:12:13.500 During 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. 1985 03:12:14.061 --> 03:12:27.231 I 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. 1986 03:12:27.655 --> 03:12:28.045 Thank you. 1987 03:12:28.386 --> 03:12:29.036 Thank you very much. 1988 03:12:31.985 --> 03:12:32.888 Whoever wants to jump in? 1989 03:12:35.351 --> 03:12:36.527 Hi, how y'all doing today? 1990 03:12:37.655 --> 03:12:39.893 My name is Calvin Porterfield, pronouns he/him. 1991 03:12:40.709 --> 03:12:45.917 I've lived in Portland my whole life, been a Portland Trail Blazers fan for as long as I can remember. 1992 03:12:46.792 --> 03:12:51.954 And I just wanted to come here to say that we have time to come to a better, more transparent deal than this. 1993 03:12:52.805 --> 03:12:58.960 A lot of this conversation is made up on the assumption that the Blazers will be snatched away at any minute. 1994 03:12:59.313 --> 03:13:03.674 Tom Dundon doesn't have an immediate or easy way to move the Portland Trail Blazers. 1995 03:13:04.251 --> 03:13:09.444 I understand that some public investment in the Moda Center is perfectly reasonable. 1996 03:13:09.557 --> 03:13:10.711 We do own the building. 1997 03:13:12.346 --> 03:13:30.858 Pledging 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. 1998 03:13:32.237 --> 03:13:38.846 I just wanted to say that I hope that we can talk to Dundon in a language that he is all too familiar with. 1999 03:13:38.911 --> 03:13:39.119 Councilor Smith. 2000 03:13:40.018 --> 03:13:45.528 Thank you for your time. 2001 03:13:45.656 --> 03:13:47.058 I yield the remainder of mine. 2002 03:13:47.735 --> 03:13:48.362 Thank you very much. 2003 03:13:52.059 --> 03:13:52.284 Hi there. 2004 03:13:52.816 --> 03:13:54.763 My name is Claire Russell, she/her. 2005 03:13:55.132 --> 03:13:58.737 I'm a small business owner in District 3 and a proud transsexual woman. 2006 03:13:59.319 --> 03:14:03.268 I moved to Portland 4 years ago and have come to love and care deeply for the city. 2007 03:14:03.880 --> 03:14:05.396 I have a cautionary tale for you. 2008 03:14:05.782 --> 03:14:07.442 I'm originally from San Diego, and I saw the same thing happen to my city. 2009 03:14:07.549 --> 03:14:09.969 Saw the Chargers leave in 2017. 2010 03:14:10.583 --> 03:14:15.826 San Diego agreed to renovation after renovation over the years, but it was never enough. 2011 03:14:16.430 --> 03:14:21.264 Dean Spanos, billionaire owner of the Chargers, could not be satisfied in his greed. 2012 03:14:21.829 --> 03:14:28.034 After the city refused to spend $1 billion on the latest demand for renovation, he moved the team to LA. 2013 03:14:28.893 --> 03:14:29.784 Do you know what happened? 2014 03:14:30.590 --> 03:14:34.092 San Diego had a very small dip in economic output for one year. 2015 03:14:34.141 --> 03:14:34.224 Yeah. 2016 03:14:34.502 --> 03:14:37.787 And then the city carried on with expected economic growth ever since. 2017 03:14:38.268 --> 03:14:38.811 That's all. 2018 03:14:39.388 --> 03:14:45.846 Compared to being in debt for the decade— for decades after accepting this renovation deal, I'd say that's not half bad. 2019 03:14:46.584 --> 03:14:52.657 Please do not let these billionaire owners of the Trail Blazers hold us all hostage for our tax dollars. 2020 03:14:52.930 --> 03:14:56.504 Do not fear economic backlash because it will not come. 2021 03:14:57.000 --> 03:15:02.693 Their promises of private donations do not make up for the strain this will cause to our city budget. 2022 03:15:03.191 --> 03:15:11.524 These 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. 2023 03:15:12.022 --> 03:15:20.388 Let's support our local unions and businesses by funding the building of vitally needed public infrastructure instead of billionaire vanity projects. 2024 03:15:20.933 --> 03:15:37.603 It is better for our local businesses to support things like Vienna-style public housing, health thank you very much. 2025 03:15:41.822 --> 03:15:44.886 Okay, uh, Michael Johnson, Amira Sanders. 2026 03:15:45.498 --> 03:15:51.153 Okay, uh, we're gonna circle back. 2027 03:15:51.362 --> 03:15:53.445 Uh, Dr. J.W. 2028 03:15:53.661 --> 03:15:54.486 Matt Hennessey. 2029 03:16:00.543 --> 03:16:01.636 Hi, apologies, can you hear me? 2030 03:16:03.954 --> 03:16:05.183 Oh, hi Lorena. 2031 03:16:05.329 --> 03:16:07.870 Um, just a second, we haven't called you yet. 2032 03:16:07.934 --> 03:16:10.459 Just a second. 2033 03:16:13.884 --> 03:16:16.290 Okay, um, we'll move on. 2034 03:16:16.500 --> 03:16:19.682 Next up we have Slater Waring. 2035 03:16:20.441 --> 03:16:28.318 Lorena Gayette, Sean Sosnowiec, Nakia Hunter, Santino Juarez. 2036 03:16:31.750 --> 03:16:32.680 Hey, Lorena, you want to kick us off? 2037 03:16:38.679 --> 03:16:41.504 I'll let a few of the in-person people go first. 2038 03:16:41.890 --> 03:16:42.891 You're good, go ahead. 2039 03:16:44.555 --> 03:16:45.040 Oh, okay. 2040 03:16:48.022 --> 03:16:51.915 My name— sorry, that's confusing. 2041 03:16:52.043 --> 03:16:52.557 I apologize. 2042 03:16:53.069 --> 03:16:54.191 My name is Lorena Gayette. 2043 03:16:54.495 --> 03:17:04.238 I'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. 2044 03:17:05.183 --> 03:17:06.386 I'm going to be very, very honest. 2045 03:17:06.593 --> 03:17:08.148 I am not usually a sports person. 2046 03:17:08.197 --> 03:17:11.337 The last time I was at the Moda Center was for a Hozier concert. 2047 03:17:12.379 --> 03:17:22.192 I 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. 2048 03:17:23.286 --> 03:17:31.593 I find this a very difficult time to see this after some of the most recent budget negotiations and seeing how certain jobs were slashed. 2049 03:17:31.657 --> 03:17:45.492 And 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. 2050 03:17:46.959 --> 03:18:01.317 This 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. 2051 03:18:02.996 --> 03:18:11.691 I definitely feel like that's I find that this is a bit of a Darvo situation. 2052 03:18:12.590 --> 03:18:27.747 I 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. 2053 03:18:28.021 --> 03:18:28.438 Thank you. 2054 03:18:29.129 --> 03:18:29.882 Thank you very much. 2055 03:18:31.567 --> 03:18:33.492 No problem. 2056 03:18:34.502 --> 03:18:35.382 Good afternoon, Council. 2057 03:18:35.431 --> 03:18:40.352 My name is Nakia Hunter, and I'm a representative of both union and non-union carpenters here in our region. 2058 03:18:40.849 --> 03:18:42.899 I'm here to support the Moda Center renovation. 2059 03:18:43.477 --> 03:18:47.388 I also believe that this project is an opportunity to strengthen Portland's economy. 2060 03:18:48.221 --> 03:18:59.488 The 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. 2061 03:19:00.467 --> 03:19:03.256 That means putting expectations in the contract from the beginning. 2062 03:19:03.850 --> 03:19:16.004 Opportunities 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. 2063 03:19:16.131 --> 03:19:16.645 Apologies. 2064 03:19:17.318 --> 03:19:19.611 Public investment should create public opportunity. 2065 03:19:19.948 --> 03:19:21.326 Let's build more than an arena. 2066 03:19:21.551 --> 03:19:27.611 Let's build family wage careers, strengthen local businesses, and keep more than these dollars circulating in Portland's economy. 2067 03:19:27.659 --> 03:19:28.125 Councilmember Herbold. 2068 03:19:29.472 --> 03:19:35.641 That's how we protect the public investment and ensure that this project leaves a lasting benefit for generations to come. 2069 03:19:36.174 --> 03:19:36.561 Thank you. 2070 03:19:37.144 --> 03:19:37.837 Thank you very much. 2071 03:19:39.370 --> 03:19:40.634 All right, cool. 2072 03:19:41.120 --> 03:19:41.914 My name is Tino. 2073 03:19:42.140 --> 03:19:46.337 I'm with the North Coast States Carpenters Union, and I just want to thank you guys for your time. 2074 03:19:46.825 --> 03:19:54.888 Real 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. 2075 03:19:55.316 --> 03:19:59.548 If I can, you know, when we're talking about a project like this, we're talking about construction. 2076 03:20:00.204 --> 03:20:09.710 And 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. 2077 03:20:10.239 --> 03:20:13.846 And I've seen many of you on your socials address that type of topic, man. 2078 03:20:14.407 --> 03:20:15.065 But you know what, man? 2079 03:20:15.129 --> 03:20:17.773 Portland doesn't need another program, man, or this and that. 2080 03:20:17.837 --> 03:20:17.983 You know what? 2081 03:20:18.334 --> 03:20:19.297 We need to get to work. 2082 03:20:20.003 --> 03:20:21.189 We need to build buildings, man. 2083 03:20:21.236 --> 03:20:24.156 Councilmember We need things to start happening in our city. 2084 03:20:24.590 --> 03:20:26.691 Look outside at the construction market. 2085 03:20:27.012 --> 03:20:27.798 It sucks. 2086 03:20:28.360 --> 03:20:31.263 And some of you know what's happening in affordable housing. 2087 03:20:31.889 --> 03:20:35.097 Not all those jobs are what they're supposed to be, you know? 2088 03:20:35.484 --> 03:20:43.488 And I think this is a great opportunity to do it correctly, get responsible contracting, build with contractors that benefit the community. 2089 03:20:44.003 --> 03:20:58.914 And 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? 2090 03:20:59.413 --> 03:21:02.811 Let's, uh, I think there's so much opportunity at this table that we can bring, man. 2091 03:21:03.118 --> 03:21:04.084 Thank you guys for your time. 2092 03:21:05.112 --> 03:21:05.804 Thank you very much. 2093 03:21:10.113 --> 03:21:11.086 I'm happy to. 2094 03:21:11.152 --> 03:21:12.335 I'll just jump in. 2095 03:21:12.889 --> 03:21:14.010 My name's Sean. 2096 03:21:14.010 --> 03:21:14.829 I'm here to support the renovation. 2097 03:21:15.170 --> 03:21:21.709 I'm a humble citizen, husband, father of 3, worked downtown the last 14 years, born here. 2098 03:21:21.709 --> 03:21:23.690 Clyde Drexler, Bill Shanley raised me. 2099 03:21:24.690 --> 03:21:28.989 You know, I remember watching Damon Stoudamire when he was at Wilson High School as I was a kid. 2100 03:21:28.989 --> 03:21:31.229 It was one of the most formative experiences of my youth. 2101 03:21:32.389 --> 03:21:36.129 When he came back to play for the Blazers and I was in high school, it was like the prodigal son had returned. 2102 03:21:36.329 --> 03:21:37.110 He gave $250,000. 2103 03:21:37.670 --> 03:21:39.190 I still remember it so vividly. 2104 03:21:39.190 --> 03:21:39.229 Thank you. 2105 03:21:39.231 --> 03:21:40.510 To the Portland Public Schools. 2106 03:21:42.068 --> 03:21:50.171 You know, these leaders, you see Terry Porter, you see CJ McCollum, you see even Chris Dudley, you see, you know, Damian Lillard. 2107 03:21:50.349 --> 03:21:56.120 Like, what they do goes way beyond anything, like, no disrespect to the consultants, like, you could possibly begin to quantify. 2108 03:21:57.791 --> 03:22:01.856 So, you know, I know it's difficult, this ownership group. 2109 03:22:02.067 --> 03:22:02.894 I don't get it. 2110 03:22:02.959 --> 03:22:03.605 I really don't. 2111 03:22:03.703 --> 03:22:04.237 I know it's hard. 2112 03:22:04.352 --> 03:22:05.501 You guys are in a tough position. 2113 03:22:05.566 --> 03:22:06.263 You didn't ask for this. 2114 03:22:06.360 --> 03:22:07.691 You didn't run expecting to have to deal with this. 2115 03:22:07.759 --> 03:22:08.529 So I really sympathize with you. 2116 03:22:08.614 --> 03:22:11.260 And I think, frankly, you're doing a You're doing a very admirable job. 2117 03:22:11.260 --> 03:22:12.079 Please keep doing that. 2118 03:22:12.079 --> 03:22:14.299 Keep taking the high road no matter what. 2119 03:22:14.299 --> 03:22:16.639 Stay optimistic, stay positive. 2120 03:22:17.520 --> 03:22:19.420 And I hope you vote for this next week. 2121 03:22:19.420 --> 03:22:20.139 I really do. 2122 03:22:20.139 --> 03:22:22.639 I know it's not perfect, but don't let perfect get in the way. 2123 03:22:23.000 --> 03:22:23.879 It's non-binding. 2124 03:22:23.879 --> 03:22:26.930 You move to negotiating the particulars of the lease. 2125 03:22:27.180 --> 03:22:35.069 And 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. 2126 03:22:35.180 --> 03:22:37.079 But if we lose this team, it'll be just crushing. 2127 03:22:37.079 --> 03:22:37.120 Thank you. 2128 03:22:37.861 --> 03:22:39.906 So let's get this behind us. 2129 03:22:40.004 --> 03:22:42.772 I appreciate the work that you're doing, and we support you. 2130 03:22:42.837 --> 03:22:43.400 Thank you very much. 2131 03:22:44.046 --> 03:22:44.656 Thank you very much. 2132 03:22:48.922 --> 03:22:52.577 Hi, my name is Slater Waring from District 4. 2133 03:22:53.128 --> 03:22:59.396 I live in downtown, work in downtown. 2134 03:23:02.489 --> 03:23:03.956 I mean, we all love the Blazers. 2135 03:23:04.425 --> 03:23:04.683 Right. 2136 03:23:06.134 --> 03:23:08.115 Important team to the city. 2137 03:23:08.777 --> 03:23:19.542 But 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? 2138 03:23:20.887 --> 03:23:21.664 Not the Blazers. 2139 03:23:22.733 --> 03:23:30.161 They know us for our microbreweries, for our culture, and for our music, for our queer community, for our restaurants, for Thank you. 2140 03:23:30.819 --> 03:23:40.197 They know us for our incredible lounges and bars and quirky places and fashion, but they don't know us for the Blazers. 2141 03:23:40.613 --> 03:23:47.855 This idea that the Blazers is integral to outside investment because it's part of the city's identity, it's just not. 2142 03:23:48.658 --> 03:24:01.924 I 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. 2143 03:24:02.519 --> 03:24:11.549 We're subsidizing a billionaire's effort to fund the Blazers, who, if he funded it himself, he would still be a billionaire. 2144 03:24:12.210 --> 03:24:25.643 And 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. 2145 03:24:28.100 --> 03:24:31.860 Um, okay, let's check in Dr. J.W. 2146 03:24:31.924 --> 03:24:32.618 Matt Hennessey. 2147 03:24:38.379 --> 03:24:41.470 Yes, thank you so much, and I'm ready when you're ready, if you can hear me. 2148 03:24:42.099 --> 03:24:42.677 Yep, go ahead. 2149 03:24:42.838 --> 03:24:43.192 Thanks. 2150 03:24:43.805 --> 03:24:44.224 Wonderful. 2151 03:24:44.272 --> 03:24:49.296 Thank you to the mayor, uh, President Dunphy, Vice President Clark, and the Portland City Councilors. 2152 03:24:50.117 --> 03:25:06.605 Let 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. 2153 03:25:07.504 --> 03:25:17.379 Some 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. 2154 03:25:18.183 --> 03:25:30.176 I 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. 2155 03:25:30.450 --> 03:25:35.105 I support the statements that have been made today about the Modus Center. 2156 03:25:35.667 --> 03:25:40.468 I absolutely believe it's important as a key economic engine of the city. 2157 03:25:40.997 --> 03:25:50.045 For it to be here, and for, as my former boss at Nike, Claire Hamill, mentioned today, the Portland Fire as well. 2158 03:25:50.817 --> 03:26:05.185 I 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. 2159 03:26:05.816 --> 03:26:18.435 And 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. 2160 03:26:18.516 --> 03:26:21.824 Keep up the good work and know that there are many of us who support you. 2161 03:26:22.209 --> 03:26:24.634 Thank you very much. 2162 03:26:25.356 --> 03:26:33.558 Next up, we have Robert Millis, Lakota Toe, Lightning Super Creativity, Jim Atwood, and Samuel Chavez. 2163 03:26:35.593 --> 03:26:36.674 Kick us off. 2164 03:26:37.691 --> 03:26:38.030 Awesome. 2165 03:26:38.691 --> 03:26:39.594 City Council, thank you. 2166 03:26:40.289 --> 03:26:41.209 My name is Lakota Tao. 2167 03:26:41.564 --> 03:26:49.145 I'm a representative with the North Coast States Carpenters Union, and I'm here in support of funding for the Moda Center improvements. 2168 03:26:49.750 --> 03:26:55.014 When people look at a project like this, they see the finished building, but I see the people who build it. 2169 03:26:56.061 --> 03:27:05.351 The investment— this investment means family-wage jobs for skilled tradespeople and real opportunities for apprentices who are learning a craft while earning a paycheck. 2170 03:27:06.683 --> 03:27:16.305 It 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. 2171 03:27:17.219 --> 03:27:21.363 These projects don't just improve buildings, they strengthen communities. 2172 03:27:21.557 --> 03:27:28.602 The wages earned on these jobs are spent at local businesses, restaurants, and stores creating benefits that extend far beyond the job site. 2173 03:27:29.850 --> 03:27:34.208 As someone in the construction industry, I've seen firsthand how these opportunities can change lives. 2174 03:27:34.959 --> 03:27:42.453 They develop highly skilled professionals, create long-term careers, and ensure projects are completed with quality, safety, and pride. 2175 03:27:44.034 --> 03:27:46.777 This decision is about more than improving an arena. 2176 03:27:47.019 --> 03:28:00.693 It's about investing in the people who build Portland, creating opportunities for the next generation of skilled workers thank you very much. 2177 03:28:01.520 --> 03:28:05.066 Please. 2178 03:28:06.475 --> 03:28:07.090 Good afternoon. 2179 03:28:07.447 --> 03:28:19.088 My 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. 2180 03:28:20.969 --> 03:28:28.847 I think the elephant in the room is not just the funding of Moda Center, but it's our very high tax structure. 2181 03:28:29.554 --> 03:28:44.699 We 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. 2182 03:28:44.796 --> 03:28:45.798 Activity tax. 2183 03:28:46.493 --> 03:28:51.647 So if you want to keep taxing the socks off of everybody, you're going to have to give them something for their money. 2184 03:28:53.239 --> 03:28:57.333 We're not just supporting a billionaire here, we're supporting ourselves. 2185 03:28:57.381 --> 03:29:01.507 The Blazers only play 41 regular season home games in the Moda Center. 2186 03:29:01.668 --> 03:29:10.644 There's another 320 nights a year that are available for concert use and other uses and other sports teams that are all important. 2187 03:29:10.772 --> 03:29:12.852 We're not just Just looking at the Blazers alone. 2188 03:29:15.773 --> 03:29:20.561 So, and yeah, I've heard a lot of people want certain things in the agreement. 2189 03:29:21.510 --> 03:29:26.110 Myself, I'd like you to have them sell hot dogs and sodas for the same price as Costco. 2190 03:29:26.997 --> 03:29:32.175 But if everybody puts their own 2 bits worth into the deal, you won't get any deal at all. 2191 03:29:32.240 --> 03:29:35.275 So I'd encourage you to make the deal as quickly as you can. 2192 03:29:36.199 --> 03:29:39.293 Portland's a dying city, and I want you to do what you can to help it survive. 2193 03:29:39.359 --> 03:29:39.504 Thank you. 2194 03:29:40.408 --> 03:29:40.762 Thank you. 2195 03:29:40.906 --> 03:29:42.481 Thank you very much. 2196 03:29:43.092 --> 03:29:43.735 Lightning? 2197 03:29:43.863 --> 03:29:45.021 Yes, my name is Lightning. 2198 03:29:45.084 --> 03:29:49.165 I represent Lightning Super Creativity Humanity Lab. 2199 03:29:49.921 --> 03:29:52.894 Again, your economy is flatlined. 2200 03:29:53.601 --> 03:29:54.757 You're trying to save it. 2201 03:29:55.754 --> 03:29:56.701 You're getting desperate. 2202 03:29:57.457 --> 03:30:04.206 You're going to give this group anything they want, how much money they want, the terms they want. 2203 03:30:04.913 --> 03:30:05.459 And you know what? 2204 03:30:06.274 --> 03:30:10.075 Your little, uh, standard in there on first-class standard arena. 2205 03:30:11.442 --> 03:30:15.827 If you don't remove that, they're going to walk anyway, and they're going to challenge you in court. 2206 03:30:15.925 --> 03:30:17.833 We're going to be in court again. 2207 03:30:17.897 --> 03:30:19.170 They're going to relocate. 2208 03:30:19.935 --> 03:30:20.718 They're going to relocate. 2209 03:30:22.590 --> 03:30:25.600 Austin, possibly Vegas, is still in the running. 2210 03:30:27.161 --> 03:30:28.334 Now here's why Vegas. 2211 03:30:30.326 --> 03:30:32.359 Adam Silver needs to understand one thing. 2212 03:30:32.474 --> 03:30:38.203 Your preference may be Portland, But that's not your job to make the final determination. 2213 03:30:39.424 --> 03:30:43.710 Ask the commissioner, and you better get that straight real fast. 2214 03:30:44.818 --> 03:30:46.327 They want to move to Las Vegas. 2215 03:30:46.584 --> 03:30:55.786 They should have the opportunity to go to Las Vegas, and Las Vegas will be the most valuable NBA franchise in history. 2216 03:30:57.085 --> 03:30:58.835 It will surpass everything. 2217 03:30:58.949 --> 03:30:59.237 Thank you. 2218 03:31:00.713 --> 03:31:02.911 And they're already coming in bids at $10 billion. 2219 03:31:03.360 --> 03:31:10.543 It'll go up to $12 billion, but Tom Dundon will go in with a relocation fee in place and he will win. 2220 03:31:11.441 --> 03:31:16.397 He will win $8 billion to $12 billion on the relocation. 2221 03:31:17.054 --> 03:31:21.689 He's not going to turn that away, and you're not going to stop him. 2222 03:31:22.522 --> 03:31:26.003 Your little 5-year bridge agreement is nothing but a trap to trap him in. 2223 03:31:26.083 --> 03:31:26.354 Thank you. 2224 03:31:26.630 --> 03:31:28.940 If he wants to leave, let him leave. 2225 03:31:30.111 --> 03:31:30.647 Let him go. 2226 03:31:31.739 --> 03:31:32.549 What's your problem? 2227 03:31:33.132 --> 03:31:36.468 The fire could be your main marquee tenant. 2228 03:31:37.101 --> 03:31:37.311 Thank you. 2229 03:31:37.360 --> 03:31:37.861 Let him go. 2230 03:31:38.332 --> 03:31:38.867 Thank you very much. 2231 03:31:40.440 --> 03:31:41.056 Appreciate you. 2232 03:31:41.363 --> 03:31:45.953 Uh, Robert is joining us online. 2233 03:31:50.844 --> 03:31:52.358 Robert, you can unmute. 2234 03:31:53.454 --> 03:31:54.038 There we go. 2235 03:31:56.111 --> 03:31:57.245 Hi, my name is Rob Millis. 2236 03:31:57.666 --> 03:31:58.849 I live in District 4. 2237 03:31:59.643 --> 03:32:10.070 There's nothing in this term sheet that supports redirecting $100 million, give or take, from the Portland Clean Energy Fund over to Moda Center improvements. 2238 03:32:10.247 --> 03:32:27.951 There's a single sentence that refers to zero— net zero energy use, but it's incredibly vague and The details, even imagining that, could not possibly support some of the numbers that have been floated for redirection from funds that are already allocated. 2239 03:32:28.691 --> 03:32:31.775 I want to put it in, in really basic terms. 2240 03:32:32.724 --> 03:32:43.698 Businesses in Portland, large and small, have paid in advance for infrastructure, job training, climate risk management and mitigation that reaches all communities in the city. 2241 03:32:43.763 --> 03:32:43.875 Thank you. 2242 03:32:45.161 --> 03:32:52.375 Redirecting this money for anything else betrays underserved communities and insults every business owner in the city. 2243 03:32:53.129 --> 03:33:02.497 The final terms that we need to see are required budget specifics, specific lines for clean energy and green infrastructure projects. 2244 03:33:03.397 --> 03:33:06.595 Anything else cannot use these funds. 2245 03:33:07.672 --> 03:33:09.825 The second point I want to make is regarding complaints. 2246 03:33:09.889 --> 03:33:14.226 By the Blazers management and new ownership over city ticketing fees. 2247 03:33:15.046 --> 03:33:27.799 I would urge them, and I urge the NBA, to review and analyze and encourage competition between Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, StubHub, and other ticket sellers and resellers. 2248 03:33:28.458 --> 03:33:41.558 If we are taking 1 or 2 or 3% out of the pie, it actually benefits Ticketmaster more than it does thank you very much. 2249 03:33:45.332 --> 03:33:46.953 All right, uh, Samuel Chavez. 2250 03:33:50.930 --> 03:34:00.204 Next up we have Danielle Syver, Connor Cash, Beverly Voiko, Brandon Pappy, Jared Essig. 2251 03:34:02.409 --> 03:34:02.628 Welcome. 2252 03:34:03.352 --> 03:34:04.093 Go ahead and jump in. 2253 03:34:06.760 --> 03:34:07.759 Good afternoon, Council. 2254 03:34:08.565 --> 03:34:10.467 For the record, my name is Danielle Syver. 2255 03:34:11.128 --> 03:34:15.932 I'm here today as a longtime Washington County resident, a local employee, and a mom. 2256 03:34:17.899 --> 03:34:21.808 Last year, my son was the victim and a witness of a violent crime in Portland. 2257 03:34:22.841 --> 03:34:27.340 After a delayed response by police and emergency services, my son's best friend died. 2258 03:34:28.431 --> 03:34:31.399 The toll that it has taken on our families has been indescribable. 2259 03:34:32.540 --> 03:34:36.391 I hate sharing this story, but these stories are now the norm across Portland. 2260 03:34:37.354 --> 03:34:54.463 I believe this murder could have been prevented with a regional belief in economic development, rebuilding the Silicon Forest and the Bioscience Network, investing in a return to downtown, and now more than ever ensuring that the Moda infrastructure is redeveloped for the next iteration of Oregon's sports economy. 2261 03:34:56.430 --> 03:35:02.816 Currently, Oregon lacks business competitiveness as other states lure tech companies away for expansion. 2262 03:35:03.173 --> 03:35:06.649 The parallels feel eerily similar to where we are today with the Moda Center. 2263 03:35:07.782 --> 03:35:15.237 Approving the Moda redevelopment will have far-reaching impact at a time when many have lost confidence in Oregon's ability to compete in a global economy. 2264 03:35:16.146 --> 03:35:21.832 Locally, we can measure success with multi-level job creation, and this agreement means hundreds of construction jobs. 2265 03:35:22.200 --> 03:35:33.734 It's going to take regional courage and investments in business opportunities to ensure that we have a tax base that protects our social safety net and our public services like law enforcement and the judicial system. 2266 03:35:34.632 --> 03:35:37.684 Good luck, and thank you for your work to move this project forward. 2267 03:35:38.022 --> 03:35:42.424 I'm confident that you can balance Oregon values while investing in this redevelopment. 2268 03:35:43.628 --> 03:35:44.206 Thank you very much. 2269 03:35:47.775 --> 03:35:48.325 Whoever wants to go. 2270 03:35:50.583 --> 03:35:51.873 Yeah, yeah. 2271 03:35:52.115 --> 03:35:53.036 I'm Bev Voigtco. 2272 03:35:53.423 --> 03:35:53.793 Go ahead. 2273 03:35:54.456 --> 03:35:57.771 Okay, uh, thank you for the opportunity to speak. 2274 03:35:58.579 --> 03:36:17.489 I want to just note that because others have— many others have come before me, some of my comments have already been noted, and that's that this is not just about the Blazers, that the Moda Center hosts a variety of events, everything from Arena concerts, hence the term arena. 2275 03:36:18.120 --> 03:36:22.720 The fire, Cirque du Soleil, Disney on Ice, pro bull riding. 2276 03:36:23.060 --> 03:36:25.654 It's a major community center. 2277 03:36:26.886 --> 03:36:30.257 It needs renovation, and the costs will only rise. 2278 03:36:30.649 --> 03:36:32.939 We have seen that with the I-5 project. 2279 03:36:33.406 --> 03:36:35.325 Costs will not go down over the years. 2280 03:36:38.390 --> 03:36:39.119 The council has. 2281 03:36:39.469 --> 03:36:44.253 Express support for 2 Broadway show-ready venues. 2282 03:36:46.770 --> 03:36:56.638 We have not demonstrated a need for 2 Broadway show-ready venues, let alone having a payment plan in place. 2283 03:36:58.522 --> 03:37:00.791 Portland is struggling to recover. 2284 03:37:01.596 --> 03:37:06.309 We've seen businesses close, restaurants close, buildings sell for pennies on the dollar. 2285 03:37:08.707 --> 03:37:16.369 Truth in advertising, I am a Blazer season ticket holder, a season ticket holder for Broadway in Portland, and I live downtown. 2286 03:37:17.012 --> 03:37:18.237 I have skin in the game. 2287 03:37:19.013 --> 03:37:22.981 Please, please renovate the arena. 2288 03:37:23.289 --> 03:37:24.402 It needs to get done. 2289 03:37:25.079 --> 03:37:26.256 And thank you for your time. 2290 03:37:26.819 --> 03:37:27.435 Thank you very much. 2291 03:37:30.722 --> 03:37:33.397 Brandon Pappy, District 2, uh, he/him pronouns. 2292 03:37:35.681 --> 03:37:39.433 For many of us, childhood memories of attending games with our families are something we will never forget. 2293 03:37:40.028 --> 03:37:43.814 Even as time passes and we lose the ones we love, we will never lose those precious moments. 2294 03:37:44.198 --> 03:37:47.022 The Blazers have long been the foundation that holds this city together. 2295 03:37:47.085 --> 03:37:48.352 They transcend basketball. 2296 03:37:48.834 --> 03:37:54.914 Regardless of income disparities, backgrounds, or political divides, Oregonians can unite behind one thing: their love for the Blazers. 2297 03:37:55.362 --> 03:37:58.201 Through, through the highest highs and lowest lows, we support this team. 2298 03:37:58.619 --> 03:38:01.168 Our love for the Blazers is so much— is about so much more than basketball. 2299 03:38:01.505 --> 03:38:06.200 It is about love for our community, civic pride, and those few glorious hours we can rise together as one. 2300 03:38:06.713 --> 03:38:08.700 But to Tom Dundon, all these things are meaningless. 2301 03:38:09.038 --> 03:38:15.382 He views the Blazers as a dollar figure on a balance sheet, and he views every Oregonian that has spent years supporting this team as expendable. 2302 03:38:15.623 --> 03:38:17.915 Tom Dundon does not care about this city, and he never will. 2303 03:38:19.148 --> 03:38:22.691 We have all seen the implicit threat that if the funding is not approved, he will move the team. 2304 03:38:23.075 --> 03:38:36.274 Tom Dundon has acted in bad faith from day one and continues to act As though if the funding is not approved and the team is moved, the very real consequence of thousands of Portland employees losing their livelihood will be the fault of the Portland City Council and not his own greed. 2305 03:38:36.611 --> 03:38:38.040 Nothing could be further from the truth. 2306 03:38:38.393 --> 03:38:42.659 Tom Dundon has shamelessly chosen to use the threat of losing this team to turn us against each other. 2307 03:38:43.109 --> 03:38:52.398 I commend the Portland City Council for standing up for our city, and I admire their courage— and I admire their courage to do so with the knowledge that it could have consequences for their political careers. 2308 03:38:52.462 --> 03:38:52.558 Thank you. 2309 03:38:53.012 --> 03:39:01.137 I humbly request that members of this council continue to follow their hearts and do what is best for the entire city, not merely what is best for one man. 2310 03:39:01.574 --> 03:39:02.109 Thank you for your time. 2311 03:39:03.299 --> 03:39:03.923 Thank you very much. 2312 03:39:05.740 --> 03:39:06.666 Thank you all. 2313 03:39:11.433 --> 03:39:18.078 Good morning, Portland City Council and U.S. representatives and senators for the state of Oregon. 2314 03:39:18.738 --> 03:39:19.638 My name is Jared Essig. 2315 03:39:19.701 --> 03:39:22.156 I'm speaking on my own behalf right now. 2316 03:39:23.441 --> 03:39:31.176 I'd like to raise a national issue behind the Moda Center negotiation and ask this council to act on it as a city and not just as a landlord. 2317 03:39:31.497 --> 03:39:32.108 Okay. 2318 03:39:32.188 --> 03:39:34.659 The NBA's leverage over Portland isn't only about this one lease. 2319 03:39:35.174 --> 03:39:36.393 Part of it comes from federal law. 2320 03:39:37.019 --> 03:39:51.829 The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 lets the NBA's 30 competing team owners pool and sell their broadcast rights together as a under ordinary antitrust law, 30 separate businesses agreeing together on price and output is illegal collusion. 2321 03:39:52.841 --> 03:40:06.013 Now, Congress carved out the exemption to the Sherman Antitrust Act for professional sports leagues in 1961 for a broadcast television world that no longer exists, before cable streaming, before the league's new 11-year, $76 billion national media deal. 2322 03:40:06.461 --> 03:40:11.219 That pooled bargaining power is what funds the NBA's leverage over every city that hosts Yeah. 2323 03:40:11.219 --> 03:40:15.709 Including this one, and exists only because Congress chose to exempt it from the law every other industry has to follow. 2324 03:40:17.559 --> 03:40:20.899 Portland City Council can't repeal a federal statute, but you can lobby the people who can. 2325 03:40:21.139 --> 03:40:24.040 I'm asking you to send a formal request to Oregon's congressional delegation. 2326 03:40:24.040 --> 03:40:26.349 By the way, I like to play ball more than watch ball. 2327 03:40:26.399 --> 03:40:28.899 What if we had Beaverton playing Gresham in the Moda Center? 2328 03:40:28.899 --> 03:40:31.739 What if we had intrastate or municipal sports leagues? 2329 03:40:31.879 --> 03:40:34.319 Now, this corrupted high school athletics as well. 2330 03:40:34.319 --> 03:40:35.899 I was a varsity athlete in high school. 2331 03:40:36.434 --> 03:40:41.718 But what about sports players, not just healthcare for all and preschool? 2332 03:40:42.149 --> 03:40:45.000 So the opposition needs to improve their game in opposing this. 2333 03:40:45.683 --> 03:40:45.993 Thank you. 2334 03:40:46.823 --> 03:40:47.475 Thank you very much. 2335 03:40:50.375 --> 03:40:51.123 Connor Cash. 2336 03:40:54.263 --> 03:41:07.541 Next up we have Christy Blumster, Marcus Berger, Bryce Claggett, Dave Veitchi, Welcome, folks. 2337 03:41:07.590 --> 03:41:10.237 Come on down and introduce yourselves for the record. 2338 03:41:10.478 --> 03:41:11.618 Hello, Council. 2339 03:41:11.923 --> 03:41:12.806 My name is Brice. 2340 03:41:13.384 --> 03:41:16.995 I'm a union letter carrier in North Portland. 2341 03:41:17.042 --> 03:41:18.038 Shout out District 2. 2342 03:41:18.808 --> 03:41:23.992 And also, nobody thanked City Attorney, Council Clerk, and the City Administrator for being here. 2343 03:41:24.057 --> 03:41:25.565 Sorry the mayor couldn't make it. 2344 03:41:26.849 --> 03:41:30.764 I really— I did not grow up in Portland, but I've lived here the majority of my adult life. 2345 03:41:30.829 --> 03:41:36.441 Adult life, and I just want to say I really enjoy basketball. 2346 03:41:37.036 --> 03:41:38.863 Never had a basketball team growing up. 2347 03:41:39.361 --> 03:41:48.518 There's a concept I like talking about with my coworkers back when the Blazers tickets were $3 each, where the ticket fees were higher than the tickets themselves for the nosebleeds. 2348 03:41:49.143 --> 03:41:52.735 The healing power of inexpensive NBA basketball. 2349 03:41:53.617 --> 03:41:54.274 It is great. 2350 03:41:54.899 --> 03:41:59.163 I, you know, I would be remiss If we were to lose our team. 2351 03:41:59.912 --> 03:42:02.144 And now it's, you know, we have the fire. 2352 03:42:04.010 --> 03:42:11.308 I just— the Moda Center investment, it just seems like a great thing for just all the different things in the arena. 2353 03:42:11.389 --> 03:42:13.505 We're going to be on the hook for it regardless. 2354 03:42:14.005 --> 03:42:16.211 It's better to take the state's money while we can. 2355 03:42:17.274 --> 03:42:22.444 And I just would love to just push it forward and it'll really just put the whole ball on Tom Dundon. 2356 03:42:22.515 --> 03:42:22.764 Thank you. 2357 03:42:23.103 --> 03:42:34.797 I don't think Adam Silver will possibly, uh, let it happen again because it opens up the possibility of somebody buying, say, the New York Knicks or the Las Vegas expansion and moving it back to Portland. 2358 03:42:35.137 --> 03:42:39.826 I think it'll scare the other governors of the NBA Council, and that's just what I want to say. 2359 03:42:40.652 --> 03:42:41.379 Thank you very much. 2360 03:42:43.934 --> 03:42:44.694 Whoever wants to go? 2361 03:42:46.036 --> 03:42:47.118 I'll go. 2362 03:42:47.652 --> 03:42:48.959 My name is Dave Vache. 2363 03:42:49.363 --> 03:43:00.175 I'm a lifetime resident And, um, recently retired head custodian at Lew Allen School, which I think is the best school in PPS, in my opinion. 2364 03:43:00.882 --> 03:43:03.131 Thank you for giving us a chance to speak today. 2365 03:43:04.255 --> 03:43:08.014 I think that both sides need to do better. 2366 03:43:09.155 --> 03:43:12.432 I'm kind of disappointed that it's gone this long. 2367 03:43:13.251 --> 03:43:19.498 I think great leadership would get things done as soon as possible, and it's kind of disappointing that it's taken this long. 2368 03:43:20.495 --> 03:43:35.587 But I believe that if the funding is— can be done for renovating the Moda, and also not just that, but the Rose Quarter, Albina District, and Lloyd District, I think it could be an economic boom. 2369 03:43:36.054 --> 03:43:38.220 And some people are skeptical, but I'm not. 2370 03:43:38.862 --> 03:43:43.022 I think if you get that funding done, it'll get jobs going. 2371 03:43:43.536 --> 03:43:47.886 Multnomah County has lost thousands of jobs since the pandemic. 2372 03:43:48.531 --> 03:43:53.631 Let's get all these things going, and I believe the economy would be going really good. 2373 03:43:53.939 --> 03:43:54.390 One more thing. 2374 03:43:55.130 --> 03:44:05.860 I think that there are 5 pro teams in Portland, and 4 of those 5 seem to love Portland and think Portland is great. 2375 03:44:05.924 --> 03:44:20.083 I know they know that it can be better, but there's one outlier, and that's The ownership of the Blazers needs to be more genuine in saying how good Portland can be and not just say it's bad. 2376 03:44:20.379 --> 03:44:20.709 Thank you. 2377 03:44:21.038 --> 03:44:22.289 Thank you very much. 2378 03:44:24.920 --> 03:44:25.355 I'll go. 2379 03:44:26.308 --> 03:44:29.831 Um, my name is Joseph, uh, born and raised in Portland. 2380 03:44:30.105 --> 03:44:33.986 Uh, parents are from here, grandparents are from here, and, uh, great-grandparents. 2381 03:44:34.067 --> 03:44:39.041 Anyway, uh, multigenerational Portlander. 2382 03:44:39.138 --> 03:44:46.578 And let's see, my mom and I go to a lot of Blazer games, and she was talking last night like, oh, there's a city council meeting tomorrow. 2383 03:44:47.064 --> 03:44:47.514 We thought we'd come. 2384 03:44:47.950 --> 03:44:50.172 And as I was listening, I was like, oh, I'll put my name on the thing. 2385 03:44:50.236 --> 03:44:52.344 So I don't really have a ton prepared here. 2386 03:44:52.957 --> 03:44:53.922 Sorry if I ramble. 2387 03:44:54.083 --> 03:44:55.338 I know you guys are in a tough spot. 2388 03:44:57.584 --> 03:45:14.217 I just want to say, I don't know, there's probably no chance that any NBA brass will hear this, but If Adam Silver is listening, if this kind of move, the fact that it's gotten this far, I want him to hear that. 2389 03:45:14.522 --> 03:45:14.956 Where's the camera? 2390 03:45:15.020 --> 03:45:21.046 I almost want to point at him and say this, but you'll be the worst NBA commissioner of all time, easily. 2391 03:45:21.110 --> 03:45:23.240 I mean, there's only 5 of them, so it's not that hard. 2392 03:45:23.306 --> 03:45:27.322 But do not let this thing happen. 2393 03:45:27.370 --> 03:45:28.622 Use whatever leverage you can. 2394 03:45:29.239 --> 03:45:33.663 You let a Kind of a grade-A douchebag of an owner to buy the team. 2395 03:45:34.983 --> 03:45:37.671 And Tom Dundon, stay in Portland, okay? 2396 03:45:37.880 --> 03:45:38.862 It'll work out. 2397 03:45:39.329 --> 03:45:55.620 And I just want to say, of all the stuff, like all the use of taxpayer money, there's a lot of money that goes out to these nonprofits that, like, their actual product is dubious in what they do. 2398 03:45:56.406 --> 03:46:06.656 And I know those are your constituents and your cronies and whatnot, but of any use of taxpayer money, this seems like the most obvious ROI of anything. 2399 03:46:06.704 --> 03:46:14.707 Just take the economic stuff, but also, like, as many people said, the nonquantifiable aspect of what sports does to a city. 2400 03:46:15.364 --> 03:46:17.422 Again, I think some guy said this earlier. 2401 03:46:18.112 --> 03:46:20.120 What was I about to say? 2402 03:46:20.234 --> 03:46:20.619 Thank you. 2403 03:46:20.683 --> 03:46:20.876 Sorry. 2404 03:46:21.068 --> 03:46:21.664 Oh, overtime there. 2405 03:46:21.744 --> 03:46:22.001 Sorry. 2406 03:46:22.049 --> 03:46:22.483 Last thing. 2407 03:46:22.835 --> 03:46:25.066 No one's going to remember the little small thing. 2408 03:46:25.819 --> 03:46:27.039 Thanks, brother. 2409 03:46:27.263 --> 03:46:27.825 Thanks, thanks. 2410 03:46:27.905 --> 03:46:28.273 We're good, guys. 2411 03:46:28.531 --> 03:46:28.835 We're good. 2412 03:46:30.135 --> 03:46:30.199 Cool. 2413 03:46:31.417 --> 03:46:31.915 All good. 2414 03:46:32.299 --> 03:46:32.637 All good. 2415 03:46:33.664 --> 03:46:34.497 Hi, I'm Marcus. 2416 03:46:34.561 --> 03:46:39.102 I'm also a lifetime Portland resident, 3rd generation, just about to go on 50 years. 2417 03:46:40.256 --> 03:46:46.625 Blazers represent team identity and culture, but really they've been embedded in the DNA of Rip City since before I was born. 2418 03:46:47.395 --> 03:46:53.761 If you think about it, the NBA experience is about seeing the best basketball in the world, uh, and it includes climate-controlled arena. 2419 03:46:53.888 --> 03:46:58.554 I mean, we've all seen football fans in Buffalo, New York freeze to death while they cheer on their team. 2420 03:46:59.019 --> 03:47:03.988 We get to beat the rain and get out of the rain and enjoy world-class basketball in the Moda Center. 2421 03:47:04.213 --> 03:47:09.279 I think that we deserve to have a world-class, state-of-the-art arena for this fan experience of it. 2422 03:47:09.536 --> 03:47:13.575 And right now there's a lot to be lost on the table if we can't get a deal done. 2423 03:47:14.153 --> 03:47:17.424 And by that I'm talking about The global brand of the Blazers. 2424 03:47:17.859 --> 03:47:20.218 Right now we have a superstar from Israel. 2425 03:47:20.907 --> 03:47:23.668 We have an emerging defensive ace, and that's Deni Avdija. 2426 03:47:24.038 --> 03:47:29.367 We have an emerging defensive ace, Tammany Camara, who brings, uh, from Belgium, who brings a French-speaking audience with him. 2427 03:47:29.977 --> 03:47:32.720 We just signed Jeremy Sochan from Poland to our roster. 2428 03:47:33.105 --> 03:47:37.697 And let's not forget, last year we invested our draft pick in Young Hansen from China. 2429 03:47:37.761 --> 03:47:44.337 He's currently the best basketball player from China if he actually becomes what we want them to be, that's a billion-person market. 2430 03:47:44.938 --> 03:47:47.468 Can we be responsible and like leave that on the table? 2431 03:47:48.019 --> 03:47:48.683 Of course not. 2432 03:47:49.708 --> 03:47:54.628 So let's get over the ideological bent on this eat the rich stuff and get this deal done. 2433 03:47:55.115 --> 03:48:03.822 I mean, if we want to be responsible adults, let's do a better job managing the asset that's the Moda Center than say we did the PSU library last year when it got trashed. 2434 03:48:04.969 --> 03:48:07.150 This is owed to the city of Portland and the stakeholders. 2435 03:48:07.250 --> 03:48:07.529 Thank you. 2436 03:48:07.577 --> 03:48:08.234 I yield my time. 2437 03:48:08.995 --> 03:48:09.707 Thank you very much. 2438 03:48:12.229 --> 03:48:12.423 Yeah. 2439 03:48:12.728 --> 03:48:14.259 Hi, my name is Connor Cash. 2440 03:48:14.582 --> 03:48:19.043 I was, uh, born and raised in the Woodlawn neighborhood in Northeast Portland, home of Damon Stoudamire. 2441 03:48:19.575 --> 03:48:24.570 I'm currently a student at PSU, and I work at the Safeway on campus bagging groceries. 2442 03:48:25.168 --> 03:48:30.236 But the job I've had that I found the most passion in was being a volleyball referee for 5 years. 2443 03:48:30.850 --> 03:48:32.325 The job as a referee is interesting. 2444 03:48:32.956 --> 03:48:36.787 They tell you to If you perform your job perfectly, no one will notice. 2445 03:48:37.861 --> 03:48:40.058 We— I grew up playing team sports. 2446 03:48:40.332 --> 03:48:44.309 I was often the man setting screens, grabbing rebounds, and letting other people score. 2447 03:48:45.400 --> 03:48:46.091 Sorry, I'm a little out of breath. 2448 03:48:46.138 --> 03:48:47.182 I just sprinted to get here. 2449 03:48:48.593 --> 03:48:51.513 I want to take this time to remind you guys that you are also a team. 2450 03:48:52.282 --> 03:48:56.870 You are a team just like my Columbia Christian High School team, the Blazers, the Fire. 2451 03:48:57.496 --> 03:48:58.315 You guys are a team. 2452 03:48:58.796 --> 03:49:00.689 You guys aren't always going to get along together. 2453 03:49:01.202 --> 03:49:07.718 You guys are going to have disagreements, but at the end of the day, if you guys perform your job perfectly, no one will notice. 2454 03:49:08.504 --> 03:49:09.097 No one will cheer. 2455 03:49:09.691 --> 03:49:10.638 No one will throw a parade. 2456 03:49:11.231 --> 03:49:20.426 But I can guarantee, if you guys screw this up, if you lose my team, my mom's team, my grandma's team, my great-grandma's team, people will notice. 2457 03:49:21.647 --> 03:49:29.542 If you think Portland can riot over something that happens across the country, wait until you see what happens When you take this team from us. 2458 03:49:29.672 --> 03:49:40.012 I know you guys don't have this all in your control, but just remember, you are a team, and if you execute your job perfectly, there won't be any riots outside your house or your place of business. 2459 03:49:40.766 --> 03:49:43.945 But if you guys fuck this up, I can't guarantee that that will happen. 2460 03:49:44.861 --> 03:49:49.743 We need to team up together and realize that the only daddy that can save us is Adam Silver. 2461 03:49:50.626 --> 03:49:53.147 So let's team up and work together. 2462 03:49:53.210 --> 03:49:53.307 Thank you. 2463 03:49:53.679 --> 03:49:53.939 Thank you. 2464 03:49:54.668 --> 03:49:55.075 Thank you. 2465 03:49:56.194 --> 03:49:57.754 Uh, Christy Blumster. 2466 03:50:01.921 --> 03:50:04.824 Our last, uh, testifier today is Michelle Ushelman. 2467 03:50:11.318 --> 03:50:11.885 Welcome, Michelle. 2468 03:50:12.272 --> 03:50:13.710 Good morning. 2469 03:50:15.424 --> 03:50:17.477 Um, I'm going to say RIP City. 2470 03:50:17.638 --> 03:50:28.323 I'm here And if I look familiar, it's because, um, I went viral in 2016. 2471 03:50:28.921 --> 03:50:36.325 I am a 29-year survivor of domestic violence in the state of Oregon and one of the biggest cases in the state of Oregon. 2472 03:50:36.941 --> 03:50:38.699 I speak for domestic violence. 2473 03:50:38.877 --> 03:50:41.795 I'm a former Moda employee. 2474 03:50:43.551 --> 03:50:53.958 When I went viral, The Obamas, Richard Branson, and Prince Harry came to my aid that day. 2475 03:50:55.950 --> 03:51:01.683 Some of— I will not name— the Portland Trail Blazers came to my aid. 2476 03:51:02.263 --> 03:51:06.851 They didn't know who I was, and they have a heart of gold. 2477 03:51:08.102 --> 03:51:11.487 And I am pissed off, and not at you, Thank you. 2478 03:51:12.233 --> 03:51:14.757 This is a decision which is like a pie. 2479 03:51:15.406 --> 03:51:18.254 Everyone that knows me knows I am a solver. 2480 03:51:19.879 --> 03:51:20.530 What do I do? 2481 03:51:20.986 --> 03:51:22.156 I solve problems. 2482 03:51:22.986 --> 03:51:36.859 The, the fact is, when they are at away games, their people in the building of Moda and your 3 other buildings are events. 2483 03:51:36.950 --> 03:51:37.141 Yes. 2484 03:51:37.543 --> 03:51:46.503 The buck needs to be passed to every darn event, not the Portland Trail Blazers out of their pockets, but every event. 2485 03:51:47.417 --> 03:51:49.183 Divided them up. 2486 03:51:49.665 --> 03:51:56.537 You've got 3 buildings and the Blazers and those events, and that would solve this problem. 2487 03:51:57.837 --> 03:52:08.105 And if you're gonna build a new building, make it available Thank you very much. 2488 03:52:08.790 --> 03:52:09.704 Thank you for your time today. 2489 03:52:10.340 --> 03:52:10.597 Thank you. 2490 03:52:10.855 --> 03:52:11.307 Thanks so much. 2491 03:52:11.985 --> 03:52:13.162 That completes testimony. 2492 03:52:13.679 --> 03:52:18.856 Okay, colleagues, having completed our testimony, we are reserving our time for discussion until tomorrow. 2493 03:52:19.639 --> 03:52:22.264 And so, um, oh, I see Councilor Kanal. 2494 03:52:23.602 --> 03:52:28.047 Yeah, I just wanted to update colleagues that the amendments I mentioned are filed. 2495 03:52:28.128 --> 03:52:30.082 They'll be put Clerk's obviously got—. 2496 03:52:30.147 --> 03:52:32.796 Been doing a lot right now, so will soon be posted. 2497 03:52:32.941 --> 03:52:35.123 And I wanted to correct a misstatement earlier. 2498 03:52:35.349 --> 03:52:39.282 I said it would increase the escalator from 5 to 7%. 2499 03:52:39.556 --> 03:52:40.038 I misspoke. 2500 03:52:40.102 --> 03:52:41.788 It increases it from 5 to 6%. 2501 03:52:42.575 --> 03:52:43.153 Thank you, Councilor. 2502 03:52:44.211 --> 03:52:51.502 To that end, colleagues, as we are considering amendments for discussion tomorrow, if we could please reduce those to writing and get them to the clerk today. 2503 03:52:52.546 --> 03:52:54.086 With that, we are in recess. 2504 03:52:54.233 --> 03:52:55.806 Until tomorrow at 2 o'clock.