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June 07, 2009
The Lents Stadium: I Want To Believe.
Yes, I want to believe. I really do.
Because why? Because ... well, because it's kind of neat and nifty. MSL? Very world-aware – very Portland! And I see a replay of the heady old days I see in photos when everyone hied out to the Thurman Street field to take in the Greatest Little Ballteam Ever.
Everytime I manage to convince myself that the stadium/MSL combo would be something I would quite enjoy, something comes along to burst my bubble. And with the urban-renewal language that keeps getting thrown around, I just can't shake the feeling that a bunch of rich and connected people are trying to pick the locks on this enormous safe.
They talked urban renewal down at The Piggy, they talked urban renewal when the stadium was dreamt for the Rose Quarter. Well, at least it isn't like they're trying to deprive affordable housing of funds ..
Oh, wait, what's that you say...
One of the most controversial parts of the budget is cutting the area's required 30 percent set-aside for affordable housing. Deal supporters point out that the neighborhood already has a large amount of affordable housing, critics say funneling money from homeowner and rent-assistance programs to the stadium will hurt seniors and other low-income people.
Oh. It's on now. Whenever someone what gots needs something they figure out some way to carve it out of the poor people's ass. 'Tis the way of the world, my friends, and no mistake; and if you want to whinge that I'm raising the spectre of class warfare, remember what Mom Always Said™: Anyone who wonders if there is a class war going on is on the losing side. And you already lost.
What's really paining is to watch the whole "stadium economic bump" be accepted as reality, when ...
major economists agree that stadium projects only revitalize neighborhoods when coupled with overall neighborhood development projects — exactly the kind of projects the city would be cutting.
So we're kind of destroying the neighborhood in order to save it, I guess.
Now, don't get me wrong. Being rich seems rather nifty. I'd like to be a rich person. But it seems to me the terrifically-wealthy are so thrilled with being terrifically-wealthy, that they not only have forgotten who they stepped on to get there but also that they could probably be just as happy with maybe seventy-five percent as much.
And Merritt Paulson could probably be just as thrilled if the Timbers and Beavers kept sharing The Piggy, as a dedicated facility does not actually seem to be an actual requirement of geting MSL in Portland. In the meantime, Lents, since the ball's back in your court, go back to the Mercury article I've linked, download the PDF (link below the cut or here if you can't find it there) and decide what y'alls want to give up if your hep on the stadium.
And Happy Fun Commissioner Leonard? Well, he talks a good westside-eastside game, but when it comes to walking that talk, he seems to have a westside stride. So it goes, I suppose.
Posted by The Chinuk at June 7, 2009 09:21 AM
