Of course it will. Just as we keep griping about, Portland is in actuality a real estate development body masquerading as a city wrapped in green slogans.

Sell the convention center and use the money to fix the streets

http://oregontaxnews.com/2012/02/12/oregons-zoo-convention-center-losing-revenue/

"The Zoo and Convention Center contributed to a nearly $19 million loss last year spread collectively among the Zoo, Convention Center, Centers for the Performing Arts, and Portland Expo. The Convention Center was responsible for the bulk of the loss—$10 million. The venues lost roughly $16 million during the prior fiscal year."

"In most cases, the optimistic projections used to sell new and improved convention centers to taxpayers have failed to materialize. Regardless, city officials keep building bigger, better facilities and related accommodations even though attendance continues to dwindle. For example, convention center attendance in 2010 was down by 40 million compared to 2000. In the same period, exhibit space grew nearly 40 percent to 70 million square feet."
“While the supply of exhibit space has expanded steadily, the demand for convention and trade show exhibit space has actually plummeted.”

Isn't this 'conversion'?

The conversion of public property for private gain?

The same should have gone for the expansion of the convention facilities, which the voters of the tax district VOTED AGAINST, and the mayor unilaterally overrode the decision of the voters and illicitly approved the expansion. I think we should demand that Vera pay back the losses. She, after all, is responsible for the misappropriation of public funds for an unnecessary, wasteful,and illicit public project.

Masquerading is right.
"The City of Masquerades."

In my opinion one of the worst has been having our Portland Water Bureau
masquerading as a municipality. They are supposed to be stewards of our assets,
but their actions are more like an independent private corporation opening the path to privatization so that the people may lose ownership of their water and water rights.

Uh oh, sounds like we'd better build a publically funded hotel up by the zoo, too.

No hotel is "not possible"-they've already run some projections, have the public subsidy in place, too late to turn back now!

Three years later, it's still bad planning.

I wrote one of the worst because another that comes to mind is the masquerade of democracy we have had to put up with in our "choke-hold" agenda here.
When the city (we in fact) have to pay for mediators at city meetings, and cannot have true dialogue, or question and answer sessions, something is seriously wrong!

Having the people divided up to go to small tables and seems like at each table is a designated one to make sure of control, is part of the formula. I have been at meetings where people refused to go to the tables and insisted on a question and answer period, one where Charlie Hales wouldn't allow that question and answer period. Instead he said if someone had a question to go to a corner and ask him.

If they don't want to answer a particular touchy question, we are told, they don't know, will get back to you later. That way the rest of the people won't hear "what they don't want them to hear!"
Had enough? I have of this charade of citizen involvement.

Along the same vein, is next up a city meeting to get consensus that a hotel is needed?
Rounding up the same usual suspects, I imagine.

"...regional leaders have agreed to turn the original proposal on its head..."

I'm brimming with confidence.

Zero subsidy is possible but not probable.
This thing is obviously going to happen. The folks at Metro need something to do and that "underutilized" piece of land across from HQ and the Convention Center is too much to resist.

What's next? Climate modification to make Portland warmer and sunnier so Portland can compete with Phoenix and San Antonio? Then they'll have to move the Convention Center closer to the center of the country so it can compete with Denver, etc.

Maybe Portland & Metro should just consider opening a Convention Center Hotel in Florida or San Diego.

It's the OHSU model of opening a biotech research facility in Port St. Lucie.

They had a grand opening recently.

http://www.vgtifl.org/vaccine-and-gene-therapy-institute-of-florida-grand-opening-ceremony-slated-for-february-29-2012.html

How funny.
A guy named Goldschmidt gave the keynote address.
But OHSU's President Robertson also spoke.

I wonder if his speech mentioned Portland's Tram & biotech cluster in SoWa.

"By Nick Christensen. Bylined writers are Metro staff. Stories with a byline do not necessarily represent the opinions of Metro or the Metro Council. Metro news is committed to transparency, fairness and accuracy."

If this story does NOT represent the Metro council, this tool would not have a job!

Sell the Zoo, Convention Center, Centers for the Performing Arts, and Portland Expo to Phil Knight. Let Philly modernize them plus add a new hotel and everyone wins!

Let's not forget that city taxpayers are subsidizing The Nines hotel:

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/03/post_73.html

Quote:

Nevertheless, three years since Sage first approached the city for relief, it continues to get a free pass. The 2009 agreement puts Sage on a "cash-flow dependent" basis, meaning it has pay on its debt to the city only if it has the money to do so after paying all its other expenses.

To date, The Nines has failed to generate sufficient cash to warrant payment to the city, PDC spokesman Shawn Uhlman said.

End quote.

And the population just keeps voting the same cadre of thieves into office. Things wont change until something happens to wake them up.

Bylined writers are Metro staff. Stories with a byline do not necessarily represent the opinions of Metro or the Metro Council.

I can't recall ever having read a byline piece that wasn't effusive in its praise of all things Metro and "Green". The organization is as committed to transparency, fairness and accuracy as it is to fiscal responsibility.

Having bought up "greenspaces" (removing property from the tax rolls forever) it has suddenly occurred to them that they don't have the money to maintain and improve them - although the bond measures that voters approved specifically stated that funds would be used for acquisition, maintenance, and improvements.

So they're going to toss out another bond measure to fund upkeep of the areas. Their approach to fiscal responsibility is sort of like buying a big ol' house and then "discovering" that you don't have money for utilities, maintenance, and food.

The Portland electorate behaves as though it's compulsively attracted to abusive relationships with its politicians. Intervention and counseling is badly needed, but there is none available.

And no 12 step program either!

There's a reason the Convention Center will forever be a huge money loser. It's called the City of Las Vegas; a city superbly equipped to host conventions and trade shows from the smallest to the very largest. Where would you rather be in March - a city where it's sunny and in the 60s or 70s; or a place where it's 40ish and there's a 70% chance of rain?