Portland Diamond Project (MLB) | Proposed

[PdX Farr]

Originally Posted by AdamUrbanist

Or the other possibility I haven’t heard mentioned is gateway. It might not be the first site that jumps to mind, but it is a transit-accessible area with large landholders in need of an anchor institution (or two). There was a generation of ballparks (Baltimore, Detroit, San Francisco) that we’re all about taking a leap of faith and investing in a run down late 19th century neighborhood. I think it would be interesting to see a similar concept that was about revitalizing and urbanizing a late 20th century district.

Only problem with the 3 cities you mentioned was that those neighborhoods were still located downtown. Gateway is way to far from downtown and from a good portion of the metro area to really work imo.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by Tupac

With no traffic it’s about a 8-12 min drive.. if that..

I'll just leave that one to stand on its own.

[babs]

Originally Posted by Tupac

First of all Gateway is not far from downtown. With no traffic it’s about a 8-12 min drive.. if that..

Second, say gateway is somehow the preferred option where in gods name do you put a stadium there??

The only two realistic spots are the Mall 205 site or the Gateway Fred Meyer shopping center site. I can't think of any other area large enough for a stadium, has additional redevelopment potential and is near transit.

[pylon]

excerpt from this july 10 article...
https://ballparkdigest.com/2018/07/1...ballpark-site/

“I think, optimistically, within a month we could announce the acquisition of property,”
he said during an appearance on “The Dwight and Aaron Show” on 620 AM.

Barrett said PDP is progressing in its bid to purchase a site for the stadium and has narrowed it down to two properties they’re really excited about. He added that the door hasn’t been shut on any of the properties they’re considering, some of which have been made public, some which haven’t.

“We are really kind of buckling down on a couple. I don’t want to limit it to two, but we’re really grinding on a couple right now that we’re really excited about,” he said.


EDIT and for those with bizjournal accounts (i.e., locked)...
https://www.bizjournals.com/portland...for-8-000.html

Why the Portland Diamond Project's plan for 8,000 housing units may be too far out in left field
The Portland Diamond Project’s grand vision for Major League Baseball in Portland includes developing 8,000 housing units over a decade around a new stadium. Delivering on that proposal could prove even more difficult than landing a MLB team.

[MarkDaMan]

Originally Posted by babs

The only two realistic spots are the Mall 205 site or the Gateway Fred Meyer shopping center site. I can't think of any other area large enough for a stadium, has additional redevelopment potential and is near transit.

Just answering the question as I don't particularly think Gateway is the best location, however the old Elks Lodge and surrounding property could possibly be large enough. NE 99th to 102nd and NE Pacific to Irving. There is part of an apartment complex that would probably have to be purchased to make this work...

[PdX Farr]

PDP reps have explored the possibilities of five sites in Portland — the old Esco site, Portland Public Schools, Terminal 1 and 2 along the Willamette River and a South Waterfront property owned by the Zidell family.

Jay Zidell said two weeks ago he had met with PDP officials about the site, which the family calls "Zidell Yards," a spot located between the developed north and south ends of the South Waterfront.

continues at: https://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sp...orts-northwest

[zilfondel]

Originally Posted by johnliu

Most baseball stadium areas I know of are pretty dead almost all year.

Apparently, the average number of games scheduled per year per team is 162. If you have 1 game a day, then you have a game hosted 44% of the year.

That is a ton of games and a lot of activity. More than any other sport.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_...eball_schedule

[Pavlov's Dog]

Originally Posted by zilfondel

Apparently, the average number of games scheduled per year per team is 162. If you have 1 game a day, then you have a game hosted 44% of the year.

That is a ton of games and a lot of activity. More than any other sport.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_...eball_schedule

Only half of the games are home games though. The other half are played at the opposition's ballpark. Still 81 games is indeed a lot.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by zilfondel

Apparently, the average number of games scheduled per year per team is 162. If you have 1 game a day, then you have a game hosted 44% of the year.

That is a ton of games and a lot of activity. More than any other sport.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_...eball_schedule

it would be 44% if they got to play no double-headers all the games at home...

[CherryCreek]

Originally Posted by PdX Farr

You need to look at the modern day baseball stadium and how they fit them into the downtowns and make them destinations year round. It’s so much different than a basketball/hockey arena. They are usually open air and flow into the city/streets around. Plus as a poster already mentioned, they host twice as many games. 81 for baseball versus 41 for basketball.

You are right about that. Coors Field as others have mentioned turned the Denver LoDo are into a "destination." The Rockies are building off of that with this huge multi-use office, hotel, restaurant, condos across the street from the baseball park:





Other baseball clubs are doing the same to drive year around traffic to and near facilities.

[PdX Farr]

And I know first hand about what St. Louis has done with their ballpark village as well. These are areas even non sports fan gravitate to. I think it would make the south waterfront a huge destination and drive growth much more than a few more office buildings will.

[58rhodes]

Wonder what the real chances of Portland getting an MLB team here--I think its a great fit for Portland. Hope we are not pawns for some other city

[mhays]

Denver's LoDo might have grown in a similar way without the stadium. In any case, part of why it's grown is that it's easy to walk to the Downtown core. It might be less applicable in Portland depending on where the stadium is.

Having a stadium is a mixed-bag. Big crowds before and after games, but in Seattle's case Pioneer Square has a harder time attracting people on game days. There's the bar and restaurant crowd but less of the rug and gallery crowd.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 58rhodes

Wonder what the real chances of Portland getting an MLB team here--I think its a great fit for Portland. Hope we are not pawns for some other city

From what I am hearing, it is a very real chance Portland will be getting a MLB team. The league wants to expand by two more teams to even everything out, they want another west coast team, and even better a northwest team for a Seattle rival. A number of people in the MLB has stated Portland would be the number one choice.

[PdX Farr]

The PDP management group has looked seriously at several sites, both urban and suburban, including an 87-acre parcel along the Willamette River that borders the Pearl District and is close to downtown Portland. I've eyeballed the location and can tell you this — It would be a breathtaking spot for a major league ballpark. PDP's plan calls for revitalization that could turn a mostly desolate, unused area into what amounts to a new business/entertainment center near the central city.

Principal ownership is in place, and investors have joined in, including recently retired major league infielder Darwin Barney, the former Oregon State great. PDP has gone through the necessary political hoops — including an audience with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred — and is in line for an opportunity either to gain a relocated franchise or an expansion team.

I think we'll hear news of a land purchase in the upcoming weeks, and my money is on it happening is at Terminal 1 and 2 site along the Willamette. Patience is a virtue in this process, and it sounds as if PDP has its ducks in a row.

Article by the tribunes Kerry Eggers. Continues here:
https://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sp...ders-questions

Sounds like they have had the land secured for awhile and are just waiting for the postseason to conclude as to not steal any thunder.

I’m guessing this would be the location of the stadium:

[Derek]

Ugh. Worst possible choice. Zero transportation options down there.

[PdX Farr]

Originally Posted by Derek

Ugh. Worst possible choice. Zero transportation options down there.

Thats my thoughts as well. A pretty decent walk to max. That area is not really set up to handle that kind of traffic without having public transportation there as well.

It does sound like the whole area would undergo some serious redevelopment so who knows. This project really could change the whole downtown area to the north side of the Fremont.

[MarkDaMan]

Originally Posted by PdX Farr

Article by the tribunes Kerry Eggers. Continues here:
https://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sp...ders-questions

Sounds like they have had the land secured for awhile and are just waiting for the postseason to conclude as to not steal any thunder.

I’m guessing this would be the location of the stadium:

The way the US30 highway and Fremont hug this neighborhood, I could imagine this becoming an extension of the Pearl or perhaps even it's own identity. I didn't realize how that area has defined boundaries the keep it mostly separate from the heavily industrial just up the way.

Some sort of transportation option would need to be extended if there was a stadium built there. Moving walkways? 10,000 electrified scooters at the OTCT MAX station?

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by MarkDaMan

The way the US30 highway and Fremont hug this neighborhood, I could imagine this becoming an extension of the Pearl or perhaps even it's own identity. I didn't realize how that area has defined boundaries the keep it mostly separate from the heavily industrial just up the way.

Some sort of transportation option would need to be extended if there was a stadium built there. Moving walkways? 10,000 electrified scooters at the OTCT MAX station?

That whole area would need to be rezoned, and I am not sure if it would make sense to lose the businesses. With the amount of development that has happened along Front St, I could see a stadium working here, though traffic and parking would be a serious issue. I could also see a streetcar line extending up to this area, but I think that form of transportation wouldn't be able to handle the demand during games.

I hope this isn't the location, but at the same time, if it is the location, I hope the city can make it work.

[RED_PDXer]

I'd say this is close enough to downtown to make the transportation work somehow. Streetcar could be extended, but so could the Division BRT buses, which were planned to terminate at Union Station, as well as other bus lines. And/or add a shuttle bus on game days.