"We love everyone who loves the Timbers, no questions asked."

This is true. Timbers love is cultlike, but without the new sneakers suicide pact.

Good work kid, here's an unwritten rule - real reporters are banned from saying "white stuff" when referring to snow

no one, including me, will ever claim that I'm a reporter.

I want to expand on the bond issue... in regards to the CURRENT bonds.

The current contract, signed by the city and the now-bankrupt Abe Alizadeh (who owned the Beavers and Timbers at the time) only guarantees the current teams in the stadium through 2010. Past that, there are no guarantees that Paulson will want to subsidize the city by leaving the Beavers in there... he's saying the stadium is too big for the Beavers. Lose that, there likely won't be a new owner, there are actually suitors in other cities for AAA (Tucson just lost their team and might want a replacement, while Vancouver BC and a Houston suburb are currently angling for the Omaha Royals)... meaning the rent Paulson pays to cover the current bonds would go unpaid. That would leave the city holding the bag on the current bonds.

What the city wants to do is tie Paulson into a long-term contract. Paulson has named his terms, essentially.

A 20,000-seat stadium isn't maximizing an investment by hosting a baseball team that brings 5,500 in per game. The team Reno is buying from Tucson is building a smaller stadium than the one the Sidewinders is leaving. The 9,000-to-12,000 seaters are proving to do the best attendance-wise in the PCL (adjusted for location). When there are too many seats, there are less season-ticket sales, less guaranteed income, more late payments. That's why the Beavers struggled under previous owners... why Paulson bought in is kind of a mystery to me.

MLS averages 16,000... far better suited to PGE Park. Seattle is in to the tune of 18,000 season tickets, the probability is that Portland will do as well. Seats on the east side will very likely help Portland State football as well, especially in their coffers with more 50-yard-line seats that they want on the east side.

Some of you who simply believe the city shouldn't be in that business- it's too late. The city bought the stadium 40 years ago, they are currently paying bonds on the renovation, and to keep the ability to not touch the general fund, they need to make sure to attract the right investor. Merritt Paulson may have the wrong name at the wrong time, but he's almost paid off the back rent (what the previous owners welched on), and is suggesting size-appropriate alternatives to the current fare at the park. It will cost a more reasonable sum than other cities are paying, but it provides opportunities for success that the current contract isn't quite bringing through.

excellent work mark. hands down the best article about mls2pdx that i have read so far. you accurately and effectively answered just about every question that i've been asked. from now on, i'll be referring anyone who asks me about bringing an mls team here to this article.

Nice work Mark. I'm going to hold you to the pinke swear about being a new fan, so don't yell at me when I ask you, during my first game, "Why aren't they using their hands?."