Here's where things stand in the effort to bring MLB to Portland
The Portland Diamond Project has played a major role in the push to build a baseball stadium in the Rose City.
There's been a push to bring Major League Baseball (MLB) to Portland for almost 20 years. The effort was put back into the spotlight earlier this month when the Oakland Athletics announced they were exploring relocation options and Portland could be in the running. The Portland Diamond Project (PDP), which is the group dedicated to bringing MLB to the Rose City, confirmed the A's announcement in a statement to KGW.
"PDP can confirm that we have engaged in talks with the Athletics, and plans for a visit by team officials are underway."
So how did we get here? Here's a look back at the effort to bring MLB to Portland.
2003 State legislature approves Portland stadium bill
The Oregon legislature passed a bill to fund building a new baseball stadium in Portland. The legislation set aside $150 million in income taxes from players' salaries to help build a stadium.
Meanwhile, Portland was in talks with the Montreal Expos in hopes of helping the team relocate to Rose City. In 2004, the Expos ended up moving to Washington, D.C. where they became the Washington Nationals.
2006 Florida Marlins consider move to Portland
The Florida Marlins looked to relocate and eyed Portland as a possibility. The team ended up staying put.
2017 Portland Diamond Project founded
Former Nike Executive Craig Cheek and former Portland Trail Blazers broadcaster Mike Barrett founded the Portland Diamond Project, with the goal of bringing MLB to the Rose City.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife, Ciara, signed on as investors in 2018.
In late 2018, the group announced they reached a deal with the Port of Portland to build a baseball stadium on their Terminal 2 property along the Willamette River.
The group released renderings of the ballpark. By some estimates, the project could require up to $2 billion in public and private funding sources. Before the stadium gets built, Portland needs a team.
