Please folks, just let Memorial Coliseum go. . . its time has come
Now there is a blog for all the well-meaning but misguided people who want to “save” Memorial Coliseum.
Look, you can be opposed to everything Merritt Paulson or Sam Adams has proposed. You can hate soccer and minor-league baseball and you can be against baseball evacuating PGE Park. But I’m telling you this right now: If you think Memorial Coliseum hasn’t outlived its usefulness to the city of Portland you simply don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. You obviously haven’t been inside it for an event in the past 10 years.
The old barn was fine for its time, a half century ago. In today’s world, nobody wants to be a tenant there — even the Winter Hawks, who are smartly just working this thing to try to get the best possible lease at the Rose Garden. The coliseum is empty most of the time — with good reason — because it’s inadequate as a spectator facility.
The concourses are too small, the bathrooms too few and the concession stands too outdated.
Don’t talk to me, either, about somebody’s ridiculous plan to turn it into some sort of athletic club on steroids. There are athletic clubs all over town and a good portion of them are losing money. We don’t need another one.
And please, don’t talk about it as being sacred because it’s a memorial to fallen veterans. The “memorial” part of Memorial Coliseum is a dank, usually empty pool on the northeast corner of the building, located below ground where nobody ever sees it and it’s been in disrepair for decades. It’s an insult, rather than a memorial.
Hey, nobody has better memories of that building than I do. I was at the first Portland Buckaroo game. The first Blazer game. Watched the Dream Team’s every game there. Saw the Blazers win a title and play for two others there.
But it’s over, folks. I don’t care what plan you choose for that area, the building has got to come down. Its time has come and gone and don’t insult its proud heritage by using it as a hostage because you don’t like the Paulsons, or the mayor or soccer.
Just let it go.
Baseball, Blogs, Soccer, small-town Portland | Dwight Jaynes | April 15, 2009
Dwight Jaynes, Memorial Coliseum, Merritt Paulson, PGE Park, Rose Garden, Rose Quarter, Sam Adams
I wrote over at the Trib site asking the same question. Dwight, why is the baseball field oriented as it is in that drawing? Isn’t a beautiful city vista/riverview being wasted?
Senator — I totally agree with you. The only concern with ballparks is that you don’t want home plate facing west, so that the sun sets in the hitter’s eyes. But this could be swiveled around so that the downtown view is available for fans behind the plate (and TV cameras). Must have something to do with light rail entrances or something but I’m going to try to find out what I can about that… I noticed it the first time I saw the drawing.
– Dwight
While you are at it Dwight, ask about why they are making the short-sighted move and building a brand new baseball park on a site that cannot support an eventual upgrade to MLB standards.
What gets me is the people who are trying to put it on that list of historical places. I mean come on!
Do we know for sure the stadium won’t be upgradeable for use by MLB? I’ve been trying to find the answer to that question. And I agree, that should be the top priority for any new baseball stadium in this town, regardless of location. Let’s not be shortsighted, and let’s not go through this all over again if we ever do land an MLB team.
I also agree that the Coliseum has to go. In all honestly, I’m surprised it’s been allowed to remain as long as it has. Isn’t it standard practice to raze existing athletic arenas when replacement ones are built?
As much as I love the old Memorial Coliseum, last time I was there (6 or more years ago) it was pretty much a dump.
As far as the new stadium, I agree with everyone that it only makes sense to build it if it can be upgraded for MLB use in the future.
Dwight, I propose that the new stadium be named Cesar Chavez Memorial Park. That way PCC could kill two birds with one stone, by clearing these two most pressing issues off the table, they might be able to move on to lesser issues like say, Schools or trying to reduce the crime rate.
I hope the Vulcans and Mr. Allen get the deal stopped before the wrecking ball is in place.
people in portland are always way too attached to the past…like that Made In Oregon sign or the Virginia Cafe or whatever. who cares?
Also, don’t forget that Sam Adams is in a fight for his polictical life right now. He might think this deal could save his job…but I think not.
Oregonians love to protest no matter what the issue. It is in our blood.
One of the problems is that no one SUPPORTING the tear down has been at the meetings/town halls. Only the people against the idea.
Squeaky wheel…
100% agree Dwight!
No one could argue that Yankee Stadium was one of the pre-eminent sports stadia in the world. And guess what? New Yorkers took a wrecking ball to it. Same with the Boston Garden.
None of these “save the MC foks” have the slightest clue on thinking logically. Why would you pour 50-75 million into the MC, to save it, and bring it to code, and not even come close to duplicating what is a world class arena that we already have in the Rose Garden.
Portland needs to think forward and towards the future, new ideas, new innovation.
I bet a lot of these protesters never even supported the local teams or events that played in the MC, or even grew up in Oregon.
I agree 100%
Still have great memories, but don’t need a dump of a building to remember them.
Find a more suitable place for the “memorial” and upgrade it to show the respect it should be shown.
My best memory First Winter Hawks game in 1976 and 1977 championship
The fact that ballparks are usually built with the batter facing east, is why left-handers (pitchers and otherwise) are called “southpaws”–When a pitcher faces the plate, looking west, his left hand points south.
Regarding the Hawks–I guess my biggest concern with closing the MC would be them. Without a competitive venue in town, can they afford the Rose Garden? Is there room on the Rose Garden calendar to accomodate the Winter Hawks season (which of course coincides with the Trail Blazers), the other events (concerts and such) the Garden currently hosts, and any other event currently hosted in the MC that will need a new venue? (Went to a circus in the Coliseum a few years back–having a circus perform in the Garden, unless during the summer, means the Blazers are on the road that week. Ask the Chicago Bulls about their annual “circus road trip” to start the season).
As far as making the new stadium upgradeable,
People, get real. If portland ever went against some of the MLB organizations, they would be competing against clubs that just built 800 million and 1.2 BILLLION dollar venues in the same city.
Look at the kind of money we are struggling with and then look at what other towns can come up with.
The whole concept of MLB in Portland is fantasy. Sorry Dwight and others, but there is no evidence we are up to that challenge. I just don’t see Portland as being able to fill a venue of any kind for 80+ games per year, I don’t care what sport you talk about. It’s a long way from 3-4K per game for the Beavers and a 35-40K that would be required for a MLB franchise.
It’s never mentioned here, but I think we have a much better chance of filling a stadium 8 times a year for NFL games.
Good points Larry…it is just a reality
Arvydas well said
I have fond memories of the MC but the reality is it is just past it’s time. There is an opportunity to have a brand new ballpark in a centrally accessible area close to the river…
Push the button and get this whole city up to date with modern times
I posted this on another blog but is very relavant to this discussion-
Three things-
1- If the MC is kept around the city better come up with the $30+ million that it will take to update (and bring into code) the building…important items like earthquake upgrades, electrical wiring (the whole building needs rewired), major plumbing repairs, roof replacement, tear out and replacement out all arena seating, restroom upgrades, concession upgrades etc. The $30+ million wouldn’t include a much needed upgrade of the MC’s ice surface which isn’t regulation size for hockey and the WHL (the league the Winter Hawks play in) will insist that this happen to be able to continue play in the building.
2- Is it worth it to spend $30 – 60 million on the MC for hockey and a political rally every 4 years when the Rose Garden sits right next door? Not in my opinion. I urge people who support saving the MC to go watch a few hockey games in the Fall in the building…after you go to a few you will want to tear down the place yourself.
I don’t support the MLS idea and building a new AAA ballpark, but people need to realize that if the MC stays it will cost a ton of money to keep it going. Another issue I have with the building of an AAA ballpark is that the Rose Quarter site won’t allow for expansion of the park into a MLB park some day…which is just stupid! There may be some MLB teams looking to move in the next 5 years.
3- And one more thing, the Winter Hawks will end up playing all games in the Garden if the MC goes away…not Valley Ice or Lloyd center. The scheduling will work. Up in Seattle the Sonics and Thunderbirds shared the Key Arena for years (along with concerts, the circus, and other stuff) with no impact on the Birds not being able to get many weekend dates. Plus the Garden draws much better for the Hawks and is such a better place to watch a game!
Larry-
Good points about MLB, but it is a possibility.
I hadn’t thought of the NFL…that would be awesome in Portland.
I am a Season Ticket Holder for the Winter Hawks and prefer to watch the games in the MC. I know a lot of other Season Ticket Holders that feel the same way.