![\"FILE](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/5SGRTTTD5RDVLORKVQARQITHLU.JPG\")
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FILE – The Moda Center and Interstate 5 pictured from OPB drone footage. The months-long effort to secure public funding for an arena renovation is entering a key phase.\n<\/p>\n
Brooke Herbert \/ OPB<\/p>\n
After months of back-and-forth, the ball\u2019s in Portland\u2019s court to start negotiations with the Trail Blazers over a long-term lease deal.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, city councilors are scheduled to cast their final vote on a term sheet laying out the city\u2019s desired framework for negotiations with the Blazers. That document currently pledges a $120 million up-front commitment to pay for renovations to the Moda Center, the city-owned NBA arena, and $275 million for ongoing maintenance over a 20-year lease. It also asks for a few things from the Blazers in return for the public investment, like an annual $3 million payment, agreement to recognize unionized Moda workers, and other community benefits. <\/p>\n
Councilors heard public feedback last week <\/a>on the plan, and considered many proposed changes to the term sheet at an Aug. 6 meeting \u2014 all of which failed to pass.<\/a> Half of the city council remains unimpressed with the current framework. And all seem frustrated with the way Blazers owner Tom Dundon has approached negotiations. <\/p>\n Council President Jamie Dunphy has blocked off all of Wednesday for councilors to focus on the final term sheet vote, a sign that the meeting might not go swiftly \u2014 or smoothly. <\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you need to know ahead of the meeting. <\/p>\n Portland is the last government to approve its Moda funding Flames are sprayed from the top of the goal posts during the Portland Fire starting line introduction at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore., on July 9, 2026. Gustafson’s corgi, Pancake, has become famous among Portland Fire fans.<\/p>\n Saj Sundaram \/ OPB<\/p>\n In March, the Oregon Legislature pledged $365 million <\/a>in state bonds to renovate the Moda Center, on the condition that Multnomah County and Portland pitched in to bring the total public investment to just under $600 million. <\/p>\n Last week, Multnomah County commissioners signed off on their $101 million<\/a> contribution, which will flow through the city to pay for the arena. That amount will largely come from the county\u2019s car rental tax. In exchange for tax dollars, the county is interested in earning new revenue from the arena in some way, requiring the Blazers to hire unionized construction workers, having an oversight role on how public money is spent, among other things. <\/p>\n Portland will need to incorporate the county\u2019s funding plan \u2014 and specific requests in exchange for money \u2014 into the city\u2019s term sheet Wednesday. <\/p>\n The term sheet can still be changed Wednesday<\/p>\n All 19 amendments to the term sheet introduced by councilors last week failed. But that doesn\u2019t mean councilors won\u2019t try again to tweak the document. Per council rules, councilors will still be able to introduce last-minute amendments before the final vote Wednesday.<\/p>\n It appears at least one councilor is interested in introducing an amendment. Last week, Dunphy hinted that he may introduce an amendment <\/a>that incorporates some of the ideas already voted down by other councilors. He specifically pointed to amendments that failed with a tie vote, reflecting half of the council\u2019s support. Those amendments all relate to asking for more money from the Blazers \u2014 an ask that Blazers representatives have called a \u201cnon-starter.\u201d <\/p>\n Portland still doesn\u2019t know how it\u2019ll pay for its financial contribution<\/p>\n Portland officials are poised to approve a $120 million check to the Blazers without knowing how they\u2019ll pay for it. <\/p>\n Mayor Keith Wilson has suggested using the estimated $50 million in tax proceeds from the team\u2019s sale to cover a portion of the bill. He\u2019s discussed tapping two other city revenue streams to cover the rest: the Portland Clean Energy Fund and a fund within Prosper Portland, the city\u2019s economic development bureau. <\/p>\n To advance that plan, the boards that govern both funding streams must first decide whether their revenue can be spent on arena renovations. But those boards don\u2019t have the information they need from the Blazers to make that determination. The Blazers have yet to share with the city explicit details about their renovation plans. <\/p>\n A spokesperson for the team told OPB last month that the Blazers are waiting for the city to commit funding (and clear up a litigation threat) before sharing these details. But that makes it impossible for the city to determine how, exactly, they\u2019ll pay for renovations. <\/p>\n It\u2019s a detail the city might not know for certain until next year\u2019s budget cycle, after the deal is inked. <\/p>\n The Blazers are still caught up on a legal threat Portland Fire guard Teja Oblak (7) makes a drive towards the basket as Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) attempts to block the drive at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore., on July 9, 2026. The Portland Fire played the Las Vegas Aces, loosing 88-80.<\/p>\n Saj Sundaram \/ OPB<\/p>\n The current short-term lease agreement between Portland and the Blazers requires the team to maintain the Moda Center as a \u201cfirst-class\u201d NBA arena. In June, City Councilor Steve Novick questioned whether the Blazers are meeting that standard and, if not, whether the city can take legal action.<\/p>\n![\"Flames](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GEHMX2OSURADFA5ULYWATQJZOI.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Portland](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CL37W2PR3NHWVIEOUZUQMPLRK4.jpg\")
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