A Message from Mayor Sam Adams
Thank you for your continued commitment to the future of the Memorial Coliseum and revitalization of the Rose Quarter.
Over the last three weeks, I have been working alongside PDC and City staff to foster collaboration between the three Coliseum concept teams-VMAAC, MARC and Trail Blazers / Winterhawks. As I've said throughout this process, my philosophy is that a collaborative proposal that adopts the strongest aspects of each concept will enhance the overall community benefit and financial viability of the Coliseum, while respecting the Veterans Memorial and the building's architectural integrity.
At my request, Portland Development Commission (PDC) Board Chair Scott Andrews and PDC Board Commissioner Charles Wilhoite have engaged in this process to provide their recommendation on next steps. In addition to their work on the PDC Board, they each have a wealth of experience in finance, real estate and development. They met with each team to identify commonalities and strengths, and have recommended a path which will be outlined for you in the coming weeks in a detailed synopsis of the meetings and key decision points. Based on their feedback-plus input from many of you and staff- it is my belief that it is best to suspend the Coliseum RFP process at this time and commence the Rose Quarter Development Strategy discussion. My City Council colleagues have been made aware that the Request for Proposal process, which they authorized through Council action in April, has been suspended with the opportunity to reissue it as needed.
We began this effort knowing that it needed to start with the Coliseum and understood that it would be an iterative process to ensure that the Coliseum and new surrounding development complemented one another. Now is the time to begin that iterative discussion. We know our possible choices for the Coliseum will inform the Rose Quarter discussion and detailing the future of the larger district will better guide our decision on the Coliseum.
Rose Quarter Development Strategy work will create a starting point from which more detailed development plans can be created for the MC, with the goal of moving towards implementation within the timeline of the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Area's remaining life. This planning effort will launch on July 12, 2010 from 5:30-9:00 pm at the Gerding Theater as a special edition of Portland Monthly's "Bright Lights: Discussions on the City" and will feature Portland Monthly editor Randy Gragg as the event host. This public event will focus on the community's desires for new development at the Rose Quarter, beyond the walls of the Memorial Coliseum.
City and PDC staff will continue to ensure that representatives of the three Coliseum concept teams remain engaged in the Rose Quarter process. Teams will also be encouraged to creatively address integrating those community-supported aspects of their program into the Rose Quarter District Development Strategy. Over the next week, staff will be working on the details of the "Bright Lights" event and welcome your input.
Following the Bright Lights event, the RQSAC will receive a Rose Quarter District 101 session at the July 27th SAC meeting followed by RQSAC workshops in August to examine initial plans and provide specific feedback as well as a public open house intended to engage the broader community in the development of the Rose Quarter.
Thank you again for continued work on this important forward-looking, community effort. I look forward to seeing all of you at the July 12th event at the Gerding Theater in Portland's Pearl District.
Sam Adams
Mayor, City of Portland
Five of the teams that submitted concepts for the redevelopment of the Memorial Coliseum have been invited by the Rose Quarter Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) to present their project visions at the Tuesday, Feb. 23 SAC meeting. That meeting is scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and will be held at the Portland Development Commission, 222 NW 5th Avenue.
Watch Live on PCMTV.
