Portland Mulls Coliseum Revamp

Officials in Portland are considering a proposal to fund $30.5 million in renovations for the city’s aging Memorial Coliseum.

The project would bring improvements to the venue including new seats, an NHL-size hockey rink, restored landscaping, remodeled concession stands, updated lighting, a new roof and other measures to make the facility compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the Portland Tribune.

The fate of the 12,500-capacity venue hasn’t always been clear in recent years. The 52-year-old Coliseum sits in the Rose Quarter entertainment district that also houses the newer Rose Garden Arena, and officials had considered demolishing the aging facility to make room for a new ballpark for the minor league Beavers in 2009.

But preservationists rallied around the Coliseum and officials began considering alternative development proposals to keep the facility intact.

The city, working in coordination with the minor league Portland Winterhawks hockey team, would provide more than $17 million for the project, the Trib reported. The team – the venue’s main tenant – would provide $10 million with additional funds in the form of historical tax credits.