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With the Memorial Coliseum back in the news, I’m reminded of how much I love the idea of repurposing Memorial Coliseum into a baseball park. I know, I know, this is not a new idea, but I believe it has the best idea when it comes to a plan with a real chance of pumping some much needed revenue into our city.

One of my co-workers said this is a horrible idea since Portland is so set on promoting sustainability. His point is this: How can we be the greenest city in the nation if we tear down a perfectly fine building? My answer – Let’s deconstruct it and use some of the materials to build the new baseball diamond and other projects across the city. This will not only allow Portland to keep its green crown, but it will also create plenty of jobs through the deconstruction and construction process.

Another co-worker asked, “What about the Winterhawks?” I have three possible plans for the Winterhawks, all of which are destined to bring them more of an audience than they currently draw.

1. Build a retractable roof on the baseball stadium and bring in an MLB team. During the summer, the roof can remain open, and during the winter, it can remain closed for the Hawks.
2. Have them play outdoors in the winter and have them change their name to the Portland Wet Socks. This was reportedly one of the names the Beavers considered a few years ago, and I think it’s an amazing name for a Portland sports team.
3. Move the team to Lloyd Center. At this point, the crowds watching figuring skating at Lloyd Center nearly rival the Winterhawks’ attendance. And think about how many more people would come out to the games if they didn’t have to pay a small fortune for snacks. The food court at Lloyd Center would also provide a unique birds-eye view of the rink. I’m only partly joking about this.

I understand a lot of people have a sentimental attachment to the old coliseum, but it reminds me of my nephew and his hesitation to give up any of his old toys to his younger brother. I understand that the toys have sentimental attachment, but he hasn’t played with them in years and currently they’re just sitting there not being played with. Why not give the toys away and let them have a new life?

We could always name the new park Memorial Stadium and establish it as a new tribute to war veterans. Look at it this way: As a baseball stadium, the area is bound to get more traffic than it does now. I understand that the veterans and architects are very much against this idea, but let’s face it, all of the men and women in the armed services are returning home to a financially struggling state. Architecture and memorials don’t create jobs. Baseball teams and an outdoor concert schedule do. I know a lot of people will not agree with me and get very upset about this post, but I guess I’m just a little bit more concerned about our future than I am about our past. So instead of saying goodbye to the Beavers, let’s move them across the river and say hello to some much needed new jobs in Portland.