MLS in Portland: Pro 3-2 Against (Penalties)

By: Sean | March 11th, 2009

The Portland City Council met this afternoon to discuss and vote on Merritt Paulson’s proposal for bringing the MLS to the Rose City. In many respects, the marathon session was not unlike a cup replay: 0-0 after regulation and 0-0 after added extra time…so it went straight to a penalty shoot-out.

The vote was not an actual agreement. It is not even legally binding. It represented “an outline of business terms,” according to special legal counsel Steve Janik. For supporters of a Major League Soccer franchise in Portland, gaining City support was a critical step. With the City supporting the request for approximately $60 million in loans to renovate PGE Park for MLS soccer and to build a new baseball stadium in the Rose Quarter for the Portland Beavers, Paulson said he would be in consultation with MLS regarding the significance of the vote. There are two expansion franchises available for 2011. The other three cities in contention are Ottawa; Vancouver, B.C.; and St. Louis. Key to the deal was an amendment by Commissioner Dan Saltzman to remove $15 million dollars of urban renewal district funds from the proposal. The amendment passed unanimously. It was not known how that shortfall would be funded.

The meeting itself played out like a match in many ways, with slow build-up through the middle from the commissioners, some outlet play from the lawyers and eventually some hard challenges from Multnomah County chairman Ted Wheeler. Despite some testy play, nobody was carded and action continued with a lengthy list of substitutions–er, I mean speakers–that didn’t dramatically change the complexion of the match. You were for the proposal or you weren’t for the proposal. With a vote anticipated at 1:30, the proverbial fourth official never indicated that there would be an additional 120 minutes of extra time. Still scoreless, the vote went to a bureaucratic form of penalties. Most footballers believe that penalties are a crap shoot, a kind of dire way to end a game. After six hours of City government in action, I got the impression it was a blessed relief.

First up, Commissioner Amanda Fritz: High, wide and handsome.
Second shooter, Commissioner Nick Fish: He loves the game, but his shot slams off the post.
Pro-MLS is down 0-2.
Commissioner Saltzman steps up, spots the ball, and steps back. He stutter-steps on the approach but his shot slices just inside the post. GOAL! The crowd goes wild.
Commissioner Randy Leonard: Automatic.
Mayor Sam Adams: Nothin’ but net.

Much like the Champion’s League, Portland can’t hoist a trophy just yet…but they do move on to the next round. By the way, for a genuinely hilarious recap of the meeting, have a look at the Oregonian’s Ryan White live blog transcript here.