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The Veterans Memorial Coliseum has completed its most significant renovation since opening in 1960, a modernization of the 197,000-square-foot arena that preserved the building鈥檚 historic character while updating aging infrastructure and improving the patron experience.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Portland landmark underwent a phased renovation led by general contractor Howard S. Wright, a Balfour Beatty company, and architect Scott Edwards Architecture, with design support from Perkins & Will. Construction began in 2024 and wrapped in October 2025.

The building鈥檚 expression of the International Style and unique features are notable. The building is a perfect square, and exterior materials include 80,000 square feet of gray-tinted glass and aluminum walls with a plywood fascia above and a concrete base below. The seating bowl is a concrete oval within the glass box and the roof structure is supported by only four cruciform columns inset from each corner of the concourse. Preserving the glass-walled cube and its legacy was pivotal to the modernization vision.

Improvements included replacement of fire alarm and sprinkler systems, mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades, complete arena bowl seating replacement for roughly 10,000 seats, accessibility upgrades, new and expanded restrooms, audio system re-placement, and loading area and egress improvements. Interior finishes were updated with a neutral palette that allows the original concrete bowl, glazing walls and glulam beam supports to remain prominent. The original black seating color was restored, and bright red concourse doors were replaced with black curtains to reestablish sightlines consistent with the building鈥檚 International Style design.

The project required working around an active event calendar, with only three short summer shutdown windows each year. During the summer 2024 closure, the team installed a new rigging grid over the arena bowl. Because the Portland Winterhawks鈥� deep playoff run limited early access for field verification, Howard S. Wright used 3D scanning of the existing roof structure to capture existing conditions, identify clashes, and begin fabrication earlier 鈥� a step the team said was critical because the steel package drove the overall schedule.

The project achieved LEED Operations and Maintenance certification, reducing lighting power density and indoor water use through efficient fixtures and compliant materials. The design firms awarded more than 20 percent of the design contract to COBID-certified firms. Howard S. Wright contracted with 10 DBE/SBE/WBE firms across multiple trade scopes.

鈥淭he updated VMC now meets current accessibility and safety codes and modern patron expectations while keeping its original charm,鈥� said Karl Lisle, spectator venues and visitor activities program manager for the City of Portland, in the Top Projects submission form.