This week's Paulson put-on (Jack Bog's Blog)

We're sure you were all sitting on the edge of your seats, but yesterday yet another deadline came and went for the City of Portland to knuckle under and do whatever Little Lord Paulson says in financing yet another wasteful renovation of the city's PGE Park. The last time a deadline for a final financing package passed without a deal was September 1. Before that it was May 14, before that April 15...

It's obvious that these deadlines are just smoke being injected up our collective outfall pipes by the "major" soccer league -- similar to the nonexistent "requirement" that baseball must be kicked out of the remodeled stadium. The plain fact is that the league will never say no to Paulson's $35 million franchise fee, no matter what kind of stadium the team is going to play in. Without that money and Portland's rabid soccer fan base, the league would look even shakier than it does at the moment.

The supposed new deadline is year-end. They probably hope that they can seal a deal over the holidays, when no one's looking. Good luck with that.

Comments (12)

You act surprised? They already decided a long time ago what they wanted. They gin up items to keep the sheeple happy and then wait until the noise level is high enough they can do what they want and it gets ignored. Kinda like the couplet or the Oregon Conv Center - I never knew we ever agreed to that.

Keep Portland Weird (and Ignorant!)

Posted by Steve | October 2, 2009 10:39 AM

People of Portland: "Oooh noooo! What is MLS going to do? Are they going to stomp out in a huff? You gonna cry MLS? Huh, you gonna cry?" (Administer noogie)

Posted by Snards | October 2, 2009 11:17 AM

I hear that after the initial euphoria in Seattle, the Sounders are not exactly drawing them in big time anymore. Does anyone here also think that MLS will go down the tubes just the way the last one did?

Posted by Dave A.. | October 2, 2009 12:09 PM

Wasn't it back in June that Randy said, "I just couldn't in good conscience hold soccer hostage any longer than I have"?

Now it's, "The scam's going great. What's the rush?"

Posted by Bill McDonald | October 2, 2009 12:55 PM

We can all thank one of Mayor Adams' staff members for letting slip in an email back in August that Major League Soccer actually has written, objective stadium standards, dated July 2008. When that document was finally made public on September 3, 2009, it became clear that PGE Park can never meet -- or even come close to meeting -- minimum MLS requirements, and, therefore, never be able to function as a viable MLS venue, even with all of the $30 million-plus in renovations currently planned.

So, now the city is stuck, because how can it sell bonds to pay for a project that the city must acknowledge is completely flawed?

And why hasn't the mainstream media, including the two alternative weeklies, reported on any of this?

Posted by Peter Apanel | October 2, 2009 12:59 PM

The "mainstream media" is here, this blog and others like it. Thanks for reporting the facts Bojack, and forget the weaklies.

Posted by lw | October 2, 2009 1:50 PM

After MLS is here can an an Olympic games deal for 2020 be far behind? After all guaranteeing all the cost overruns will be second nature by then.

Posted by portland native | October 2, 2009 2:20 PM

"Paulson was en route to the Timbers’ United Soccer Leagues playoff game in Vancouver, British Columbia, and unavailable for comment. City officials also could not immediately be reached."

Maybe we can pass the hat & get some of them cell phones.

Posted by pdxjim | October 2, 2009 3:57 PM

I hear that after the initial euphoria in Seattle, the Sounders are not exactly drawing them in big time anymore.

Uhhh...not exactly...unless you consider a higher attendance than at the start of the season "not exactly drawing them in big time."

http://www.mls-daily.com/2009/04/seattle-sounders-fc-2009-home.html

Posted by Garrett | October 2, 2009 6:31 PM

....but...but...LLP gives to charity according to this week's Biz Journal!
He "writes big checks"...

Posted by portland native | October 3, 2009 9:41 AM

Mmm Hmm. Big checks with other people's money that is....

Posted by RANZ | October 3, 2009 12:45 PM

"Uhhh...not exactly"

Glad to see they are making up for NY, LAX, CHI and Dallas - All down more than 25% and in the ebiggest markets in the country.