The City of Portland "supports the Timbers' proposal to expand its stadium by 4,000 seats, even though it calls for a tax exemption that would have the city forgo" at least $2M over the course of 10 years, according to Jessica Floum of the Portland OREGONIAN. The Portland City Council last night "unanimously voted" to approve supporting the Timbers' proposed $50M expansion. By approving Mayor Ted Wheeler's resolution, the City Council "set in motion a process that will have the council vote in May on whether to hire architects and planners to represent the city during design of the new stadium section." Portland Chief Administrative Officer Tom Rinehart said the council in June will "vote on specific terms for the expansion and the associated tax break." By voting to support the Timbers' expansion plan, the city council "signaled it approved in concept a tax exemption that would waive all ticket taxes on the 4,000 new seats for 10 years." Timbers President of Business Operations Mike Golub said that after that period, the Timbers will "pay the city a tax on tickets it sells for those seat in perpetuity." Portland Commissioner Nick Fish, Wheeler and Golub all said that the proposal "asks the city to waive taxes on tickets that would not otherwise exist without the Timbers spending" $50M on an expansion. Fish: "It seems reasonable to ask for an exemption on taxes that would not already be generated" (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/11).
