Oregon House Majority Leader Ben Bowman (D-Tigard) isn’t overly concerned that a new owner of the Portland Trail Blazers will move the team out of Rip City.
But he wants to make sure that when the Paul Allen estate eventually sells the team, the new owner understands that Oregon’s government values and supports the NBA franchise that has operated in Portland since 1970.
So, Bowman and fellow bill sponsors, Rep. Christine Drazan (R-District 51) and Senator Kayse Jama, put forth a resolution that does just that.
On Monday, the state legislature held a public hearing regarding a resolution recognizing the Blazers’ impact on the state while encouraging future new ownership to keep the franchise in Portland.
HCR 40 honors the Blazers and recognizes the team’s “economic and cultural contributions to the State of Oregon.”
“This was a way of us signaling to those potential buyers that lawmakers are excited about keeping the Blazers in Portland and continue to have the support that they’ve enjoyed for decades,” Bowman said.
Allen’s estate announced in May that the Blazers were for sale
and that the process could extend into next season. Allen died in 2018 at age 65 from complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His sister, Jody Allen, has acted as the franchise chair and is the trustee of the Paul G. Allen trust.
The House Rules Committee passed the resolution. It will now be voted on the floor within the next week before moving on to a state senate committee hearing and then a senate vote.
At the heart of the resolution is a detailed account of the Blazers’ economic and cultural contributions.
The resolution refers to an economic impact study done in 2024 that credited the Blazers for producing $453 million of the $670 million generated by activity in the Rose Quarter. In addition, the Blazers are credited with bringing $315 million in new dollars to the Oregon economy each year.
According to Bowman, the most important part of the resolution is the ‘B Resolve clause.’ This clause calls on Allen’s estate, future owners, and the NBA to keep the Blazers in Portland “for generations to come.”
Sen. Ron Wyden issued an open letter to NBA commissioner Adam Silver
last month, making the same request.
While the chances of the Blazers leaving Portland may be remote, state leaders are mobilizing to make sure the region isn’t caught flatfooted. Moda Center needs renovations, but
the expected costs are comparable to what owners have invested in arena upgrades in other NBA cities
.
Still, nobody from the Blazers or the estate has stated that steps would be taken to ensure that a new owner will not move the team.
The Northwest sports landscape was deeply scarred in 2008 when the Seattle Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City.
New ownership took over in 2006 and stated that the goal was to keep the team in Seattle. But when public funding for a new arena fell through, the team was moved to Oklahoma City and renamed the Thunder.
During Bowman’s remarks Monday to the committee, he noted that Game 5 of the NBA Finals played that night would feature the Thunder in Oklahoma City, not the Sonics in Seattle, because of a decision made in 2008.
“That’s 17 years of lost economic value that Seattle is never going to get back,” Bowman said. “Oregon broadly has been supportive of the Blazers since they were founded. And I think it’s important for the owners to know that there’s not just a commitment from the fans, but there’s an appreciation from state leaders about the important role that the Blazers play in Oregon.”
Bowman said the resolution was not written out of fear of the Blazers moving but rather to officially recognize the state’s support.
“I have no reason to believe that the Blazers are leaving,” Bowman said. “I don’t think it’s likely. I think it would be a foolish decision to have the Blazers leave Portland. We’re a large media market. We punch above our weight class in terms of our support for our NBA team. And so, I hope and expect that the next owners will maintain their commitment to keeping the Blazers in Oregon.”
Bowman said the resolution dovetails nicely with the
House passing a bill on Tuesday that authorizes $800 million
to help fund a Major League Baseball stadium in Portland.
“Hopefully, there’s some momentum that’s building for prospective buyers to see that there’s tons of energy and enthusiasm and support for major league sports in Portland. We are a sports city. And I think just trying to continue to make that case, that Oregon is a place where a long-term investment in a sports franchise is definitely going to pay off.”
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House resolution promotes state’s desire to see Trail Blazers remain in Portland
House resolution promotes state’s desire to see Trail Blazers remain in Portland
House resolution promotes state’s desire to see Trail Blazers remain in Portland