Paxil

It almost seems like Portland does not deserve an NBA team. 15 years ago it was a nice place to live. Seems like the snob ratio has gone way up now... haves and have nots. Parts of the city are dieing and our politicians gave up long ago on building the roads and freeways that we planned like many many years ago. By the time we realize it is ridiculous it will be too late. So sad for the city... Blazers will go and so will their support for the community... the boys and girls clubs... the money to Portland schools, and of course we drop even more off the National radar... which will affect us in even more ways... tourism, business etc...

We really know Portland isn't going to help. We also know the people who own the arena now won't. No one wants to say it but it does sorta look more likely the Blazers end up leaving than not. Either Allen finds someone willing to pay something for it that can work out a stadium deal, or he will let it go bankrupt and back to the league. I think there is not much chance anyone else would leave the team here. It will be one of those you don't know what you have until is gone things... and I don't really give a rip who anyone wants to blame for it or how much money they have. The city thinks they are teaching someone a lesson and yet we will be the ones who will get schooled in the long run.

STOMP

the old cutting off the nose to spite your face lesson eh?

STOMP

__________________
"Don't watch the Blazers and think about this season. Instead watch them and think 2 or 3 years down the road, because they are going to be insanely good. I can't remember a time when a single team owned the rights to this many quality players under the age of 25... if the Blazers aren't crushing people three years from now I'll be stunned. "
-John Hollinger

Redbeard

I don't understand the animosity Allen has received for making this proposal. All he wants is for PAM to give in and sell the arena. It would be beneficial for Portland and the Blazers to be parteners in owning it. Revenue should go to the Blazers to make them break even and the rest to the city. Wasn't that the way the Colloseum was set up. I don't think it would be a bad move by Portland and I don't see why everyone is against it.

If Damon wants to be part of the franchise, he can start by helping get the areana back in good hands.

__________________
The age of dynasties is upon us.

Dan

to a small degree, fans (from both sides) are getting taught the same lesson too.

__________________
A Buddhist walks up to a hot dog vendor and says "Make me one with everything".

when will the loss of life end?
I wish I had a coat of silk, the color of the sky.
I wish I had a lady fair, as any butterfly
I wish I had a house of stone that looked down on the sea
But most of all I wish that I was someone else but me.

Now I don't have a coat of silk, but I still have the sky
Now I don't have a lady, but there goes a butterfly
Now I don't have a house of stone, but I can see the sea
Now most of all I know that I am happy to be me.
I'm happy to be me.

I'd like to say I made this, but I didn't

Yega1979

Well, the migration of people flows north, not south. And you want to compare the looks of Portland compared to Seattle?? Have you ever actually been to these cities?

Paul Allen choose to build the Rose Garden of his own accord, he is a business man and it was all his decision. Why on earth is the city of Portland obligated to cover his business mistakes?

STOMP

they're not, but if the city wants to keep the Blazers in town, partnering up on the costs of an arena and doing business is the going rate.

San Jose supposively wants a team... I'd imagine they'd change the name though.

STOMP

__________________
"Don't watch the Blazers and think about this season. Instead watch them and think 2 or 3 years down the road, because they are going to be insanely good. I can't remember a time when a single team owned the rights to this many quality players under the age of 25... if the Blazers aren't crushing people three years from now I'll be stunned. "
-John Hollinger

Redbeard

What are you talking about. Do you even know what this city was like in 91'. North and Northeast were raveged by Crips and Bloods and the south was infested with skinheads. Every time it rained the Willamette was a open sewer. None of the bridges could stand up to a major earthquake. There was no MAX and the buses were out-dated and covered with soot. The Timbers were gone. The Beavers were going. Civic Stadium was a shambles. Lloyd Center was a dying mall. No East-Bank esplanade. No Bike lanes ( ANYWHERE ).

Get things straight. The city has made major improvements in a ton of areas and deserves credit for that. The schools have lacked proper funding for as far back as I can remember, so that is nothing new. But, the city has done major renovations on a lot of bridges, roads, sewers, and mass-transit to make it so the utilities will hold up for years to come. North Portland has boomed and is a lot more livable. The neighborhoods of Alberta, Mississippi, Hawthorne, Sellwood, The Pearl, and Interstate are booming communities again due to an influx of investment from people moving here.

I will agree that some things are a little more snooty, but I feel much safer in Portland now than I did in '91.

What Portland tax payers are fed up with is the legislature and top officials with the state continually getting nowhere in balancing a budget and focusing on the schools while still making large salaries. The Oregonian is so ineffective at reporting that by the time it makes a report about something that the public should no about, cough cough Downtown Bus Mall Max Line, it is to late to make a difference.

__________________
The age of dynasties is upon us.

RipCity9

The idea that this city is dying is laughable - if you lived here you'd see the ever growing number of condos being built and sold sight unseen in the city core, not to mention the housing market getting the point of insanity. The city has made some poor decisions, but overall the situation here is rosey indeed.

__________________
"The Blazers will bounce on up to the top again, just like they have before. And when they do I'll be cheering for 'em as loud as anybody."

- Bill Walton

B_&_B

He didnt have a choice, the city refused to help him back then also. The only reason he didnt pay cash for the Rose Garden when it was built was because the vast majority of his money was tied up in Microsoft stock, which at the time was making him one of the richest men in the world. He would have been crazy to sell that stock then to buy an arena.

The city is obligated to help because the Trail Blazer bring the city/state millions of $$$ each year, yet give nothing back. The city helps other large corps with tax cuts, why not offer the same to the Trail Blazers?

If the Trail Blazers leave, not only would our gov. lose the $millions$ from our players taxes etc, but they would also lose the tax dollars that opposing players pay when they play here. Not sure if all of you are aware of the fact that opposing teams players pay an income tax to each city/state they play in.

The bottom line is the Trail Blazers arent going anywhere... the city/state needs the Trail Blazers $$$ now more than ever, and they know it. They'll help, its just a matter of how.

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ProZach

Does my entire earthly existance count?

I wasn't referring to either cities physical beauty, rather their relevance and importance. Anyone with a tinge of rational thought could have deciphered that much.

It's that attitude that will result in Portland getting exactly what it deserves... Nothing.

Utherhimo

stern doesnt want the blazer or sonics to go anywhere

__________________
Mead for Life and Life for Mead ~ "ORAGUN", not "ORYGONE"!
WELCOME RUDY, BAYLESS and Batum to the Blazer Tribe: wear the Scarlet and Black with Pride. HAIL THE NORTH WEST! LONG LIVE OREGON!

Dan

just out of curiosity (and I'm not trying to just be an ***) does anyone know what he was worth in 92-95 during the time that the RG was being built/thought up?

I'd like to know what the tax breaks, etc, that the cities gives Columbia, Intel, Nike, Adidas (etc), Freightliner and the other businesses in Portland.

I don't know how much they bring in by comparison, but it's not like it's uncommon for the city to pay for things out of it's pocket, when it suits them (convention centre remodel anyone?)..

It's a game of chicken. There's a 1970 Suburban coming south and an 82 Chevette coming north.

And if the Chevette moves, it gets to keep the Suburban and maybe a new Suburban in addition. If the Chevette stays the course, it runs the risk of losing the suburban, damaging itself big time, and losing out on the creditors letting them get a new suburban.

__________________
A Buddhist walks up to a hot dog vendor and says "Make me one with everything".

when will the loss of life end?
I wish I had a coat of silk, the color of the sky.
I wish I had a lady fair, as any butterfly
I wish I had a house of stone that looked down on the sea
But most of all I wish that I was someone else but me.

Now I don't have a coat of silk, but I still have the sky
Now I don't have a lady, but there goes a butterfly
Now I don't have a house of stone, but I can see the sea
Now most of all I know that I am happy to be me.
I'm happy to be me.

I'd like to say I made this, but I didn't

Paxil

RipCity9 I just moved from Portland... lived in NW, Gresham, SouthEast near Tacoma and 17th and in SouthEast more toward Gresham. I will grant you that some areas are improving... but the whole east side between Portland and Gresham is certainly dieing. That wonderful Max line allows some lower income people who work downtown to live outside... say in Gresham, which allowed the redevelopment of some of the places in NW and Sellwood and Belmont Hawthorne etc... that are pretty cool now but were not in the past. The Max line near Burnside say 162 and burnside is a dangerous place now. Shootings there all the time and the FredMeyer near the Max in Gresham closed its doors for good because there was so much shoplifting. I don't do a lot of traveling, but when I do Oregon doesn't compare in the quality of roads either. I'm sure it is because we are underfunding them. Or wait... is it because we spend 4 millions bucks to put a high-tech culvert over a creek like at 162nd and foster because someone thinks it will save a salmon. That's nice and all... but if education funding is a problem... how is that justifiable?

Redbeard the last I checked we paid something like $8000 per year per student in the state of Oregon... which is in the upper half of the US. The US also spends the most on education as a country, yet our scores are in the middle of the pack. Before we dump more money in it I think we should start looking at why that is.

The bike lanes I love... and Redbeard... you make some valid points... in some areas I think the city has done a good job... but those areas the have been most revitalized are not for your average Joe with a family.... more for DINKs or single people.

The people of Portland seemed to change significantly between say 84 and 91. I was in the military during that time. When I left... people were nice... friendly... smiled... you knew your neighbors... and when I came back, well... people just are not as friendly anymore. I don't think I would have noticed the change if I'd lived here the whole time... but going away and coming back it sure seemed different.