Sports Column

Kick up soccer to next level, with care

On Sports

By dwight jaynes

The Portland Tribune, May 2, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (20 Reader comments)

PAULSON

Merritt Paulson, the owner of the Portland Beavers and Timbers, has some big dreams, and I applaud him for that.

In order to pursue a Major League Soccer franchise, Paulson wants to convert PGE Park to a baseball-free venue and build a ballpark for the Beavers somewhere else. Soccer fans, who automatically assume I hate them and the horses they rode in on, will be surprised to hear that I’m not against chasing an MLS franchise for Portland.

I think it’s a fine idea.

But my advice to both Paulson and the city – which is going to have to partner in this venture – is to proceed with caution. Hopefully, they have learned from history. I could support this effort if it is done in a responsible manner, but there must be an understanding of some basic realities.

And those realities are:

• The last time the city got into the ballpark business, things didn’t turn out so well. PGE Park was a fiasco.

I don’t think that means we can’t go there again – because it’s hard to find a major city anywhere in the world that doesn’t believe its residents deserve a sports gathering place. And, heck, we got off real easy with the Rose Garden.

Whatever deals we make must protect the city from financial harm.

So I’m not saying the city shouldn’t get involved. My goodness, enough high-rise condos, trolleys and trams get subsidized around here that a stadium – a place where all Portlanders can go with their families to have a good time – isn’t totally out of line.

• Building a “minor league ballpark” for the Beavers is fine, as long as it is built with footings that could handle expansion to big league status. Build something with a future – something that won’t be out of date in 10 years.

It makes no sense to fund something that will accommodate only Triple-A baseball. Portland is increasingly showing that it has no real taste at this point for minor league sports.

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