Portland Diamond Project’s stadium funding bill heads for House vote

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A bill that would help bring a Major League Baseball stadium to Portland advanced in the Oregon legislature after passing out of the House Revenue Committee on Thursday.

Under Senate Bill 110, lawmakers could allocate $800 million toward the construction of a new ballpark.

The legislation builds on a pre-existing law from 2003, which set aside $150 million for a professional team. However, instead of public funds, SB 110’s revenue source would be taxes charged to local and visiting baseball players and other organization employees. They would be expected to repay the bonds within 30 years.

On Thursday, the bill was unanimously voted out of the Revenue Committee, bringing Portland one step closer to securing the park.

In a statement on Thursday, Portland Diamond Project President and Founder Craig Cheek said, “Portland Diamond Project is pleased to see SB 110 unanimously voted out of committee. We want to thank legislators for believing in this project. Next stop, the house floor for a vote!”

Representative Daniel Nguyen (D-Lake Oswego & SW Portland) described the bill as an opportunity for economic development, stating, “This session, we’re walking and chewing Big League gum: investing in Oregon families’ most immediate needs, and also in forward-thinking, once in a generation opportunities–like keeping Oregon competitive in the MLB’s search for its newest world-class stadium and team. Being able to continue making investments in strong education for our kids, affordable, accessible health care, and critical infrastructure is dependent on bills like SB 110 that unlock economic development opportunities that will stimulate our economy, re-energize small business and tourism, and boost our resources for years to come.”

The bill’s passage out of the House committee comes after the bill passed the Senate in mid-April. SB 110 now heads to the House floor for a vote.

The Portland Diamond Project has advocated for a local franchise since its founding in 2017. The organization has already proposed the South Waterfront’s Zidell Yards as the team’s potential stomping grounds.

PDP Founder and President Cheek previously told KOIN 6 that the ballpark’s first opening day wouldn’t be until 2028 or 2029. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said he hopes to begin the process of expanding the league with two new teams before his retirement in 2029.