City Commissioner Amanda Fritz sent me and other City Hall reporters (The Oregonian’s Mark Larabee and The Mercury’s Matt Davis) her comments on Merritt Paulson’s pitch for major league soccer in Portland. A special prize to anyone who CANNOT tell if she will be a “yes” or a “no” when the five-person City Council addresses the topic next Wednesday. Here’s her note, in its entirety:
Dear Mark, Beth, and Matt,
I will wait to hear the recommendation of the Task Force, the final proposal from the proponents of this deal, and the testimony at the public hearing next week, before making my decision on whether bringing Major League Soccer to Portland is good for Portland’s citizens and taxpayers.
For me to even consider supporting this proposal, which does not seem to help provide basic services in Portland’s neighborhoods, the following concerns will need to be addressed.
I am concerned that the deals proposed so far count on urban renewal dollars, taking scarce resources from the Oregon Convention Center district.
I am concerned that a new urban renewal area around PGE Park is being proposed as part of the deal, rather than being considered in an orderly, independent process.
I am concerned about impacts of a new urban renewal district on County and School District budgets.
I am concerned that there has been no hearing before the Planning Commission, repeating the mistake made in planning previous changes when Civic Stadium converted to PGE Park.
I am concerned that the City must receive no financial risk, and that the City must receive clear, objective, measurable financial benefit.
I am concerned about dedication of prime land near the river and adjacent to expensive transportation infrastructure, to be used for a stadium which will be empty the majority of the week and the majority of the year.
I am concerned about the impact on the proposed Entertainment District in the Rose Quarter, and on the other needs in the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Area.
I am concerned about the viability of Major League Soccer as a spectator sport in Portland. I believe Portland is a city of participants, not spectators, and also that the viability of Major League Soccer in the United States is in doubt given the current economic challenges
I am concerned about the number of long-term living wage jobs that would be provided by this use of the space, compared with other potential development of the area.
I am concerned about the gender equity of construction jobs and of MLS executives, coaches, and administrative staff.
Amanda Fritz
Commissioner, City of Portland
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Wow, Amanda does seem quite intelligent, speaking other than in defending the fraudulent mayor, maybe she could be mayor.
Soon Amanda Fritz will then preach to us that, speaking as a psychiatric nurse with decades of experience, she thinks we need to ………………………………………
Anyone concerned about the "Viability of Major League Soccer" or in Portland need only look up I-90 to Seattle where they are sold out of season tickets and will open the season with a crowd of 32,400.
This in a city which always had a lower USL attendance than Portland. If Portland gets MLS you can count on PGE Park being sold out like in Toronto and Seattle and a waiting list of people wanting season tickets the next year.
Sure it’s economically viable, with an $85 million dollar hand out from taxpayers.
"you can count on PGE Park being sold out like in Toronto and Seattle and a waiting list of people wanting season tickets the next year."
Well there you have it. Paulsen AND MLS Rumors
guarantees sellouts and financial success for everyone.
except . . .
"the league lost $20 million with $166 million in revenue."
http://usasoccer.blogspot.com/2008/09/forbes-mls-team-values-revenue.html
"operation wouldn’t turn a profit until 2015."
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/01/major_league_soccer_and_minor.html
" It’s a delayed death sentence. It may take years of decline
yes Amanda does seem like she has some smarts here-however she is blind when it comes to the Mayor. Apply your intelligence there please Ms. Fritz and then I can take you a little more seriously.
Well seeing how the task force voted TUESDAY 18-0 to move forward with this proposal that kills that talking point.
Here is the thing Amanda – you have refused to meet with Paulson or representatives of his business for 6 months on this issue. You have refused to meet with the grassroots people who are supporting this initiative. All of these "concerns" could have been addressed and dealt with if you choose to be a part of the process. Instead you hid behind the task force and now when they are recomending a yes vote you are coming up with anything that will stick. There are 78 regular season baseball games a summer plus the incredible opportunity for concerts overlooking the waterfront in a 9,000 seat venue. You worry about the RQ being empty. Have you been there at all during a non Blazers game? Tumbleweeds.
Your schools argument is silly and bogus. This has nothing to do with schools.
You comments on the viability of Major League Soccer is silly and uninformed as well.
You have abdicated your responsibility on this issue and now are trying to come up with 11th hour excuses. Shame on you.
Her concerns seem to focus on use of urban renewal.
"Your schools argument is silly and bogus. This has nothing to do with schools."
Urban renewal takes money away from the school districts and the County. This is an indisputable fact. You are apparently the only person in Oregon who doesn’t know that.
Meanwhile, we are shortening our school year by, what was it at last count, a week?
I think it’s pretty clear Fritz is looking down on the MLS as she is from England. Typical Euro-snob.
I have a great concern about a publically funded candidate complaining about public funding for anything.
"Gender equity" – what a socialistic crock of shit. My wife makes twice my salary.
But then, she maintained a 4.0 in college and went into banking. I kept my comfortable 3.0 and went into a blue collar job.
Amanda, in the real world you get what you earn in life. You shouldn’t be given a job because of what is (or isn’t) between your legs.
She’s not talking about you and your wife, or about education or hard work or any other delusion that we can make life fair. Read the rest of the quote, and I mean READ it:
"I am concerned about the gender equity of construction jobs and of MLS executives, coaches, and administrative staff."
This is actually a valid point. The construction jobs will go almost exclusively to men, so while there will be work to build this thing, women won’t be getting any of it. Then consider that we’re talking about a sports franchise, one of the areas where the glass ceiling is still strongest. There will be jobs created by the stadium and the franchise once they’re up and running, but the higher-level jobs will all go to men.
It’s something to think about – projects like this will help out nuclear families and single men, but, say, a single mother would be effectively blocked out. Construction needs to be done, sure, but we need to think of ways to create jobs where women will be hired. And we certainly need to be helping businesses that think women can do more than get coffee.
And just like naysayers, find a sentance or two that supports their point, and declare their case solid.
If you had read the entire articles, you would see a smattering of challenges, with signs of encouragement in there. MLS certainly has some challenges in getting their product validated by some hardcore football fans, but it’s starting to make in roads.
Good things take time, and while there’s short term but small risk, the end results and potential rewards here outweigh that. Bring MLS to Portland!!
I don’t know if MLS is right for Portland or not, but if Paulson is really "willing to make a bet on the Portland market," as he claims, then he shouldn’t be asking the city to invest more than twice as much as himself.
If he really thinks it’ll work then he should be the one putting up all or most of the money and not gambling with the city’s money. Or is he not willing to make that big of an "easy bet"?
I am concerned that there’s even a debate about the use of public funds for a project such as this. I am concerned that there is, apparently, an automatic gender-quota for job creation in the minds of some elected officials.
Why is there a question of the viability of MLS as a league? It is being used as a model business by European soccer leagues. It’s single entity and cost controlling structure make it well suited to survive economic upheaval, contrast that to the bloated salaries of the MLB. The league is in no jeopardy – in fact its expanding (obviously). As for her financial concerns, the Paulson’s corporation is backing the bonds, there is no risk to the city, and no funds lost for other projects – unless the city thinks they can get the Paulson’s to back bonds for teacher wages. As for attendance – just look at Seattle, MLS in Portland if run well will be one of the highest attended venues in MLS, a 20K attendance average will be their baseline. If the commissioner stays open minded during meetings next week then she will vote for MLS, but it seems as if she’s already made a political stand, without considering the merits of the proposal.
Soccer was predicted to take over as the most popular sport in the US over and over again. It never happened. Prepare to be ripped off big-time. When the bill comes the legislature will say they are "shocked" and make the order "round up the usual suspects".
http://www.youtube.com/luddite333
I remember when the Yugo was the Katz Meow and I bought a franchise. I learned from that experience. I’ve never trusted anyone named Katz since.
[...] Amanda Fritz said this evening that she stands by her original objections to tapping urban renewal money for a soccer retrofit. Fritz also said she doesn’t understand [...]