SALEM Ore. (KPTV) – Senate Bill 110, which secures funding for a potential MLB stadium in Portland, passed the Oregon House on Tuesday.
The bill passed with a 46-6 vote, and now heads to Governor Tina Kotek’s office for signature.
SB 110 passed the Oregon Senate in April with a 24-5 vote.
The bill, introduced by state senator Mark Meek, authorizes up to $800 million in privately backed-bonds to support the construction of a ballpark in Portland.
“SB 110 is a bill that everyone can support,” said Meek of the passage. “Major League Baseball in Oregon means jobs, development, and long-term investment. With SB 110, we’re ready to compete, think big, and deliver.”
Oregon House Minority Leader Christine Drazan also applauded the passage of the bill:
“Bringing Major League baseball to Oregon would create an economic boom our state is desperately in need of. As Oregon’s anti-business climate continues to drive away valuable companies, an MLB stadium would create an opportunity to boost statewide revenue, and also hold Portland leaders accountable for improving safety and quality of life.”
Funding would be secured through a “jock tax” of future Portland MLB players and team executives, and would not put a new tax on Oregonians.
The bonds would only be used if Portland is ultimately granted an MLB expansion franchise, or a franchise moves their team to Portland.
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Portland’s South Waterfront could be the future home of a Major League Baseball stadium.
MLB has no immediate plans to expand, and has not expanded since 1998.
The bill concept was introduced during an informational hearing in March, with support from Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and the Portland Diamond Project, among others.
Portland Diamond Project President Craig Cheek made the following statement following the passage of the bill:
“Today is an exciting moment for Oregon. Overwhelmingly passing SB 110 is more than securing funding support for a professional baseball stadium, this bill shows Major League Baseball Oregon is excited about America’s pastime. This is a perfect example of a public-private partnership. It’s been a long road, but we are excited for the next phase of this project. Portland Diamond Project would like to thank legislators for believing in our vision. No rest until opening day!”
Representative Dan Nguyen co-carried the bill on the floor and serves as Chair of the House Committee on Economic Development, Small Business, and Trade. He believes the passage of the bill opens the opportunity for a massive boost to the local economy.
“The stadium is the shot in the arm the Portland metro area needs, to swing out of the ‘doom-loop’ and to fuel existing related industries,” Nguyen said. “Sports-loving Oregonians already follow their favorite teams from Bend to Burns, Portland to Pendleton, let’s give them a [baseball] team of their own to rally behind.”
However, many long-time residents and fans of America’s pastime say they are holding off on their excitement until a team is officially in town.
“I’ll believe it when I see it, but when it becomes real, I think it would be really exciting, the city will probably get behind it,” a baseball fan from Milwaukie said.
” It’s been a long time, it’s been like 20 years, when I first moved to Portland, they were talking about it,” Paul Deroche said, a baseball fan from Happy Valley. “Every five-to-six years, you hear a little more and more, and every year a new city pops up, and you wonder if you can compete, but I think it would great.”
The Portland Diamond Project was founded in 2017, with the goal of bringing Major League Baseball to Portland.
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