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The is typically buzzing by Thanksgiving because the turkey-themed holiday marks the start of the NBA season and a return of Blazermania. However, an ongoing labor dispute has caused considerable downturn in development among the area.

The Rose Garden still hosts events and concerts (such as Mumford & Sons and the Trans Siberian Orchestra), though these account for just a few nights each month. Holiday shopping aside, the commercial slowdown in the area is undeniable, and a lack of certainty about an NBA season is leading to grim concern among the Rose Quarter bars, shops and more.

However, hope abounds as a $30.5 million upgrade project to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum was discussed by the Portland City Council last week. It calls for a larger spectator space that would expand the Portland Winterhawks‘ home ice to NHL size (they play in the Western Hockey League), and there are plans to consider energy use among the Rose Quarter as well.

Development news in the area is otherwise scarce. The lockout could lead to an exodus of owners seeking to get out for cents on the dollar, meaning new development would come at a bargain. Meanwhile, though the reduced auto, cycle, and foot traffic of this lockout make for smoother projects, the league’s labor struggles don’t change the fact that it’s winter in Portland—a notoriously wet, cold affair neither concrete truck driver nor flagger enjoys.

The discussion is still open regarding the $30 million update, though it’s nice to see the lockout hasn’t stamped out the hope that business will pick back up. Regardless of what happens with the NBA, it looks like the Rose Quarter will remain active on the Coliseum side. Case in point, it may be easier to schedule construction without an NBA season—a Hawks match tonight (Nov. 22) was moved over to the Garden, and that is likely to happen plenty more with a growing fan base.

In short, no basketball makes for more hockey, which makes for easier Coliseum renovation. Everybody wins! (Well, except Blazers fans…it’ll be interesting to see how many of them turn to hockey and don’t return to the pricier hoops tickets when/if the NBA returns.)

In the meantime, be sure to chime in to the with thoughts on whether $30.5 million would be well spent developing in the Rose Quarter.