Early last year, some guy named Merritt Paulson showed up in town and bought the Portland Timbers and the Portland Beavers from a Sacramento Real Estate consortium. Not many people had an opinion of him, and the Timbers faithful quickly noticed that the company formed to take ownership was called Shortstop LLC. As a group of people who care deeply about a sport that has struggled to survive in Portland, and of a team that dropped out of existence for 25 years recently, we weren't exactly thrilled. You know what happened? He made some friends.
Paulson reached out to Beavers fans and Timbers fans, to city government, to state government and to anyone in the community who wanted to listen. He decided to make a run at a Major League Soccer expansion franchise, and did so in a transparent and public manner not in recent memory, in Portland or anywhere. At the beginning, Portland was maybe fourth out of eight bids. As the PDX bid gained steam, other bids faltered.
As of last week, we had the City Council on board to fund a stadium plan that will bring MLS2PDX in PGE Park and a new stadium for the Beavers, likely in the Rose Quarter. Two scarf-waving 'soccer fanatics' looked a little silly claiming to love the sport they refused to help succeed in the city they were elected to improve. No matter now, as the decisions have been made.
Here's the 'press release' floating around the Timbers Interweb:
It has come to our attention that there will be a very important announcement this Friday with the Portland Timbers and and MLS representatives.Here's what I can add. Vancouver BC won an MLS expansion franchise for 2011. There's one spot left, and as far as I can ascertain, there are no MLS press conferences scheduled in St. Louis or Ottawa.What: Rally and Press Conference Announcement
When: 9:30 a.m., Friday March 20
Where: Portland Hilton
921 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland Oregon
...
Be a part of history.See you all there!
If you plan to jump on this bandwagon ASAP, the Timbers face New York Red Bulls at Merlo Field at the University of Portland after the press conference. Tickets are cheap and the students are Catholic. YEEEEEEEEEE - HAAAAAAH!
I want to quote myself from early on in my Blogtown career, to make sure anyone who made this public debate acrimonious, and did or does now oppose this stadium plan:
If all goes well, you won't hear another word or pay a cent for an MLS team to come to Portland, or a new AAA baseball park. Oh, and you are totally invited onto the bandwagon when the Timbers are the talk of the town. We promise not to embarrass you in front of your friends when you show up to a game with the tag still on your jersey asking where to get a Timbers Army scarf. Pinkie swear! We love everyone who loves the Timbers, no questions asked.The future is now. TIme to get excited!
