Multnomah County, Ore. (Aug. 6, 2026) — The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners today adopted a resolution setting conditions for the County to invest up to $101.6 million toward renovating the Moda Center arena, standing alongside the City of Portland and the State of Oregon in a coordinated push for a reasonable deal that keeps the Portland Trail Blazers in the region for the long term.
The 4-1 vote builds on momentum already underway at the state and city level. In March 2026, amid negotiations with the Blazer and County and Portland leaders, the Oregon Legislature passed SB 1501, committing $365 million in state bonding toward the renovation. Commissioner Meghan Moyer voted against the resolution, citing the size of the overall contribution while highlighting some of the protections included in the package.
The terms approved in today’s resolution, following discussions about a series of amendments, do not represent a final deal. Instead they will serve as guideposts for the County and the City of Portland as they negotiate a formal agreement with one another as part of final negotiations with the Blazers. The City of Portland, which owns the Moda Center, delivered its own draft term sheet to the Trail Blazers on July 16.
Setting a number for a proposed County financial contribution
The resolution sets the County’s proposed commitment at up to $101.6 million (net contribution), for renovation and some initial ongoing capital expenditures. As amended, it removes the County’s ability to contribute any Business Income Tax revenues received from the recent sale of the Trail Blazers.
Instead, the resolution directs the County’s Chief Financial Officer to bring the Board of Commissioners funding proposals that prioritize using the County’s Motor Vehicle Rental Tax, including the County’s 2.5% surcharge, and other tourism tax revenues.
Under the resolution, Multnomah County would not be responsible for any cost overruns tied to the renovation or initial ongoing capital costs.
County outlines terms for partnership with City of Portland
The County’s agreement with the City would require at least a 20-year commitment that the Blazers remain in Portland, and pursue additional clauses, including:
Financial protections
- A funding clawback allowing the County to recoup its investment if benchmarks aren’t met. The County would also reserve the right to recover funds contributed for Moda Center renovations under certain conditions
- An annual payment-in-lieu of taxes (PILOT) — split among the County, City and all school districts in the County to offset property taxes not paid on the arena
- New or expanded revenue streams tied to Moda Center activity, potentially including fees on food, beverage, merchandise, parking, and tickets
- A City commitment not to expand Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts or grant blanket property tax exemptions in the Rose Quarter without approval from the Board of Commissioners
- The County’s net project contribution, including for initial ongoing capital costs, should not be larger than the City’s net capital contributions.
Labor and workforce commitments
- A Project Labor Agreement with the local/regional Building Trades Council and their affiliates for construction
- A multi-union Labor Peace Agreement for ongoing operations and maintenance work
Community and neighborhood commitments
- Granting development rights to parcels adjacent to the Moda Center to the Albina Vision Trust.
- Renovations must also include work to increase concerts and other events at the Moda Center, with a labor harmony agreement and hiring preferences for people who reside in ZIP codes near the Moda Center.
- A binding, multi-party community benefits contract prioritizing access and benefits scaled to the Albina District
- A binding commitment to engage impacted residents and businesses to mitigate construction, traffic, and other disruptions
- A binding commitment to engage people with disabilities in the design of new amenities at the Moda Center, to ensure equitable access.
- Equitable treatment of Portland Fire in the renovated facility, including player facilities, scheduling priority, and secure long-term tenancy rights
Resolution outlines conditions before any further funding action
The resolution sets three conditions the Board wants met before taking additional legislative action on Moda Center funding:
- An updated economic analysis of market conditions, tax revenue projections, and long-term costs and benefit
- A complete workforce audit of direct and contracted employees for the Trail Blazers and Rip City Management
- A detailed renovation and maintenance plan covering scope, timeline, budget, and risk management
Project timeline and next steps
Portland City Council is expected to vote on the proposed operator lease team sheet on August 12, 2026. Intergovernmental agreement negotiations between Multnomah County, the City of Portland, and the state of Oregon are expected to run through October 2026, with the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners set to vote on the final agreement and related tax codes amendments in December 2026.
Formal budget adoptions would come before the Board during the annual fiscal budget cycles in June 2027 and June 2028.
The Board voted to ensure the County has a professional negotiator that will act on behalf of the County Commission and provide regular updates and reports in accordance with the Board’s policy direction. Next steps are forthcoming.
Statements from the Board of County Commissioners
“I’m grateful our board passed a resolution that moves this process forward, providing strong negotiating terms to create good jobs, neighborhood revitalization, and safeguards for our investment that make it clear we want a deal that benefits our whole community,” said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “This step should be seen by the NBA as a sign of how serious we are about renovating the Moda Center and keeping the Blazers here in Portland where they belong.”
“Although the resolution was vastly better and reflected a ‘reset’ that centers the Board in future negotiations, I was ultimately unable to support the final proposal,” said Commissioner Meghan Moyer. “Unfortunately, the resolution included a commitment to contribute funding towards ongoing maintenance of Moda Center. I cannot support giving the City of Portland maintenance money for a building that the County does not own, while we struggle to fund maintenance of County-owned buildings.”