As the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners prepares to meet this week to discuss public financing for Moda Center renovations, the board’s influential leader has thrown her support behind efforts aimed at keeping the Trail Blazers in Portland.
In her first public comments on the proposal, Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said in a statement that she is “committed to the county doing our part” in the complicated package that would unite the state, city, and county in the shared cause.
“I am encouraged by the partnership of state, city, and county leaders working on a shared commitment to keep the Blazers in Portland even as each government is facing budget constraints and many competing priorities,” Vega Pederson said. “The Blazers and Moda Center are crucial economic engines for our region that provide an enormous benefit to our entire community and the work of Multnomah County. I’m committed to the county doing our part.”
The board will meet in an executive session closed to the public on Thursday morning with the listed purpose of discussing “emerging negotiations for public financing and partnership opportunities for the future of the Moda Center.”
The Trail Blazers are attempting to secure $600 million in public funds for a significant remodel to what is often called the oldest, non-renovated arena in the NBA. Under a working proposal, the state would contribute $360 million toward that goal through bonding that would need to be approved in the short legislative session that started Monday, while the city and county are being asked to split the remainder.
This effort is driven by the pending sale of the Trail Blazers to a group led by Texas billionaire Tom Dundon, who agreed to buy the team for $4.25 billion last summer. The absence of an arena deal has stoked concerns that Dundon could be motivated to relocate the team to a city with a more business-friendly environment and greater sponsorship opportunities.
The funding package is expected to be introduced as a bill in Salem in the coming days. However, multiple sources have said the process has been delayed due to concerns from some county officials about the extent of the county’s financial commitment.
With her statement on Wednesday, Vega Pederson joined Shannon Singleton—who earlier in the day announced her candidacy to replace Vega Pederson as chair—as commissioners who have generally expressed support for the county’s involvement. Although both support the effort, neither has committed to a specific dollar amount as of yet.
https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2026/02/multnomah-county-chair-optimistic-about-financing-package-aimed-at-keeping-trail-blazers-in-portland.html
