91视频

For years, prospects for developing around Veterans Memorial Coliseum were dubious.

鈥淔rankly, the big question mark that has been sitting on the future of the Memorial Coliseum, and the number one reason why we couldn’t get developers to develop the property, was: How do you decide 鈥� what you’re going to build if the VMC isn’t going to be there?鈥� said Scott Andrews, chairman of the Portland Development Commission and president of Melvin Mark Properties.

Four years ago, the 72-year-old coliseum was in danger of being demolished; however, in 2009 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places and a multiyear redevelopment effort was set in motion. Now, the city of Portland has a $31.5 million plan for the coliseum and the surrounding Rose Quarter.

During a press conference at the coliseum last week, Andrews and Mayor Sam Adams presented details of the public/private partnership. Andrews said the deal required complex negotiations that involved 13 legal agreements.

The plan calls for the city and the PDC to pitch in $21.5 million and the Winterhawks to contribute $10 million.

Also, Portland Arena Management’s contract for managing the coliseum with no fee will be extended to 2024.

In August, a report from PDC Executive Director Patrick Quinton to the board of commissioners said that PAM’s contract was slated to expire in 2013 and that the company had agreed to extend it by only one five-year period. If PAM had failed to extend its contract beyond 2018, the city and the PDC from that point would have had to pick up the tab for operations.

Chris Oxley, the general manager for PAM, said the project presents an opportunity to preserve a historic, community asset as well as an economic source.

鈥淭he city was obviously looking to have some certainty as to the management of the building, and we saw an opportunity through this project to potentially have a better business investment within the VMC,鈥� Oxley said. 鈥淪o we made a decision as part of negotiations to offer an option for us to continue management beyond what the initial extension was.鈥�

Oxley is hoping that redevelopment will attract new clients to the coliseum, but he said his first priority was ensuring that existing clients like the Winterhawks, the Oregon School Activities Association, Portland Public Schools and the Rose City Rollers also are able to increase profitability. He said the arena draws more than 400,000 people annually.

鈥淓ven the users that use the exhibit hall for their haunted house in the fall are drawing tens of thousands of people to their events,鈥� Oxley said. 鈥淪o the coliseum gets a significant amount of use.鈥�

Doug Piper, president of the Winterhawks, said planned upgrades 鈥� including a new scoreboard, new seats, new concessions and others聽 鈥� would make the building a viable sports and entertainment venue for decades to come. He said he is looking forward to approval by Portland City Council and final approval from the Winterhawks’ owner at the end of the month.

Another element of the redevelopment plan is an option for the PDC to develop nearby parcels in the Rose Quarter. Andrews said ownership and development rights of those properties could potentially be transferred to the PDC.

Opportunities exist for four parcels 鈥� including the Benton block, which is a surface parking lot northwest of the coliseum. Andrews said the structured parking garages east of that block were built to accommodate future retail and housing development around their bases and on top.

Those properties are owned by the Office of Management and Finance.

鈥溾�� the second step is just getting that property into our hands,鈥� Andrews said. 鈥淲e’re in the business of trying to stimulate the economy and get projects going, and OMF isn’t. The department that owns it is in the business of running city finances.鈥�

Andrews said that before the PDC moves forward, it needs to conduct due diligence reports for each property to gauge development opportunities and associated costs. The agency is hoping that development in the Rose Quarter will increase the city’s real property tax base and add to general fund revenues.

The city and the PDC worked with representatives of a veterans focus group and the Rose Quarter Strategic Advisory Committee to create the plan. Other partners include the Office of Management and Budget, the Portland Bureau of Transportation and the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.

City Council will review plan-related ordinances on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. For more information on those ordinances, visit: .