The estate of Paul Allen’s plans to sell the Portland Trail Blazers will not impact improvements to the Moda Center already in motion, but future projects likely won’t get underway before a sale is completed.
In February, the Blazers announced plans to complete videoboard upgrades by the start of the 2025-26 season. That project will continue as planned, according to Natalie King, Blazers senior vice president, communications and public affairs.
However, no other major renovation projects were in progress before the estate announced last week that the Blazers would be sold.
According to the estate, that process will last into next season. Past sales of NBA franchises have taken anywhere from a few months to more than a year.
A new owner will probably seek to continue with renovation projects at the Moda Center. A deal with the City of Portland is already in place to do so, as well as upgrade the Rose Quarter.
The Rip City Management and the city reached a five-year “bridge agreement” last year that extended the team’s lease with the Moda Center. This allowed time for a long-term lease to be reached while the Blazers moved forward with renovation plans for the 29-year-old arena and the Rose Quarter.
The original 30-year lease ends in October. The bridge agreement includes a franchise option to extend for an additional five years to 2035.
The Moda Center, which opened for the 1994-95 season, is tied for the title of seventh-oldest NBA arena.
WNBA x Portland
The WNBA logo and Portland displayed outside the Moda Center on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian
The other seven arenas on that list are Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks, 1967-68), Target Center (Minnesota Timberwolves, 1990-91), Delta Center (Utah Jazz, 1991-92), PHX Arena (Phoenix Suns, 1992-93), United Center (Chicago Bulls, 1994-95), Rocket Arena (Cleveland Cavaliers, 1994-95) and TD Garden (Boston Celtics, 1995-96).
What all seven have in common is that each has undergone extensive renovations.
The Moda Center has experienced some upgrades here and there, but it sorely needs extensive work to bring the arena up to date with others around the league.
New team owners have frequently poured money into arenas. For example, in 2005, Dan Gilbert, owner of Rocket Mortgage, purchased the Cavaliers along with Rocket Arena and paid for numerous upgrades and renovations, including new seats, scoreboards, locker rooms and video systems.
Rip City Management started its renovation process with videoboards.
The project, done in partnership with ANC, a sports entertainment agency, will enhance in-game visuals and statistical displays across the arena.
The new LED HustleBoards and StatCentral displays will total 7,520 square feet of screen space and allow for more real-time stat and video displays.
Each corner of the arena will have 24-by-50 feet video screens, while the main scoreboard over midcourt will be 2,092 square feet, 56% larger than the outgoing scoreboard.
The new scoreboard will include underbelly displays for fans sitting courtside and in the lower bowl.
-- Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)