The Portland Timbers are seeking to follow through on plans to expand Providence Park, which could add about 4,000 seats under the latest proposal.
On Wednesday, the Timbers revealed renderings and other details on their proposed $50 million expansion of the stadium. Providence Park would receive new seating on its east side, with a vertical expansion creating a 93-foot tall stricture that includes about 4,000 seats and allow the Timbers to incorporate new amenities into the stadium.
The project would be privately financed, and construction would take place in phases. If the plan receives proper approval by September, work could begin after the 2017 season before stopping at the beginning of the 2018 campaign. Once the Timbers wrap up their 2018 slate, construction would resume and the expansion would be completed for the 2019 season. In an alternate timeline, the work would begin after the 2018 season and wrap up before the 2020 campaign.
Between the approximately 4,000 seats and other new offerings the expansion would provide, the Timbers believe the concept is a positive for both the organization and the city. More from The Oregonian:
The design calls for the construction of four new levels and a larger roof on the east side of the city-owned Providence Park, as well as the widening of the sidewalk and a covered arcade on SW 18th Ave. The first level of the new section will include enclosed club seating, the second and third levels will be for general seating and the fourth level will be for group seating that can be reserved by companies and large groups. There will be stairs and two high speed elevators leading up to the new levels.
No existing seats will be impacted by the new construction, except in that the new roof will cover more seats on the east side of the stadium. All of the new levels will also have their own concession stands, bars and bathrooms.
While the project is a considerable investment, it will be 100 percent privately financed by the Timbers and the club believes that it will ultimately be economically beneficial for the City of Portland, which collects a tax on every ticket the Timbers sell.
“We’re willing to make an investment in the future of the club and the stadium,” Golub said. “We want this to be a win for the City and a win for our fans.”
The process of finalizing the plan will require a few steps. On May 11, the city’s design commission will get a look at the concept as part of an advisory review meeting, and it will eventually have to sign off on it before the Timbers can proceed. The club is also seeking to make some changes to its lease agreement with the city, and will have to work with area neighborhood associations throughout the process.
A Providence Park expansion has been discussed previously by the Timbers, who frequently draw capacity crowds to the roughly 21,000-seat stadium, and have more than 13,000 individuals on their wait list for season tickets. The concept released on Wednesday was designed by the Portland-based Allied Works.
In addition to the Timbers, Providence Park is home to the NWSL’s Portland Thorns, who are traditionally one of their league’s top-drawing teams.
Renderings courtesy Portland Timbers.
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