A bill to support renovation of Portland’s Moda Center and entice the Portland Trail Blazers to stay in the state was introduced in the Oregon Senate on Feb. 9.

Gov. Tina Kotek signaled support for the state doing what it could to keep the “most important tenant” in the building when she spoke with reporters shortly before the session started.

“We’re in this transition with a new owner, and it’s an opportunity for the city and the state and the county to put their best foot forward and say, ‘look, we want to be a partner with the new owner to keep the team long term,'” Kotek said on Jan. 28.

Kotek said she was seeking a commitment from the owner to keep the team in Portland for 20 to 30 years.

Billionaire Tom Dundon agreed to purchase the Blazers in August 2025 with a group of investors.

Kotek joined other officials on Feb. 9 in a joint statement supporting the new bill.

Senate Bill 1501 had its first reading in the Oregon Senate on Feb. 9. It was introduced by Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego.

“The Moda Center, with the Portland Trail Blazers as its anchor tenant, is a source of civic pride and is critical to the strength and continued growth of our local, regional, and statewide economies,” Wagner said in a statement. “Renovating Oregon’s Arena is the best investment we can make in Oregon’s economic future.”

In a statement signed by Wagner, House Majority Leader Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and Portland City Council President Jamie Dunphy, the group said significant renovation of the Moda Center was key to ensuring Portland remains Rip City for years to come.

The bill would establish an Oregon Arena Fund to support the renovation, maintenance and operation of the Moda Center. SB1501 does not appropriate any money to the new fund. Instead, the bill calls for money to be transferred from work in and around the venue, such as income taxes on wages paid for services related to the renovation of the Moda Center, or taxes from a “performer.”

SB1501 also authorizes Oregon’s governor and attorney general to negotiate and enter into agreements that could establish shared ownership of the Moda Center.

Supporters of the bill said a renovation will ensure that Portland and the state can compete to attract stops for national concert tours, as well as future marquee athletic events like the NCAA Women’s Final Four, which will be hosted in Portland in 2030.

“We must invest in this publicly-owned, community asset that serves as an economic engine for our state and brings millions of Oregonians and other visitors together each year for concerts, family shows, and community events,” the joint statement went on to say. “This is so much bigger than basketball.”

The Oregonian reported that the team is seeking at least $600 million in public funding for the project. Portland leadership is considering directing funds from the voter-approved Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund to the project, according to The Oregonian.

“In good times and bad, win or lose, Oregonians stick together. We are defined by work ethic and grit, substance over flash, determination in the face of adversity,” the joint statement said. “After more than 50 years, the Blazers are at the center of our state’s identity. Let’s cement their future in Portland and invest in an economic asset that benefits Oregonians statewide. Game on.”

The bill currently sits in the Senate Committee on Rules.

Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com on X @DianneLugo or Bluesky @diannelugo.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon lawmakers indicate support of Portland Moda Center renovation

Reporting by Dianne Lugo, Salem Statesman Journal / Salem Statesman Journal

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

More Oregon / Northwest News