OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA: FEBRUARY 2024

I don't believe so.

The Indiana Convention Center is one of the largest in the Midwest, boasting 566,600 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space in 11 halls with 71 meeting rooms.

Certainly a lot bigger than ours, though.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_convention_centers_in_the_United_States

Looks like there are 22 convention centers in the US that are over 650K sq ft, in 18 cities, 13 of which have NBA teams. So basically half the NBA is ineligible, including cities you wouldn't expect like Miami and Boston.

 

No, we do not need a new convention center. Convention centers are a boondoggle. Portland is never going to attract the large conventions needed to pay for a bigger convention center. I love Portland but there is nothing for tourists to do here. Currently when we do get bigger conventions here the majority of visitors are taking charter buses up to Ilani. There are no restaurants or nightlife around the convention center. Walking or taking the Max to downtown or the Lloyd Center isn't really an option. And there is nothing on the drawing board to fix that. Even if we were to do away with all the homeless in the central core of the city there is still nothing to do here. We can not compete with the more popular destinations for the large conventions needed to pay for a new convention center.

Google convention centers, multiple lists, Portland doesn't make the top 50 of any of them. It's okay, Portland is a great city in one of the most beautiful areas of the country, but we're honestly 20 years away from ever being a major convention destination.

 

With UPS closing their facility on Swan Island it's time to look there as a focus for new development. The Port of Portland has pretty much given up on doing actual port things and now just wants to make PDX win meaningless accolades.

Step 1. Make a deal with the Indian tribes in Oregon to establish jointly run riverboat gambling.

Step 2. Build hotels and an amphitheater next to the riverboats.

Step 3. Offer tax incentives to many of the businesses down there to move out, opening land for things like a baseball stadium. We're the fucking River City, our stadium needs to be next to the water and used as a backdrop to advertise Portland. Also, that would take a ton of commercial trucking out of the overly congested downtown core.

Fun fact: Swan Island was the first choice of Bugsy Siegel for his casino that was built in Vegas. Then, Portland's airport was located on Swan Island and Siegel already owned land on Sauvie Island.

 

I'd be really bummed if they take down the coliseum. I go watch several winter hawks games a year there. Don't know where winterhawks could play. They use to play select games in the rose garden but I doubt they could play an entire season there. Sucks.

 

Well that sure caught me by surprise. Crazy.