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Timbers set to expand Providence Park

One of the best environments in North American soccer is about to get better.

The Portland Timbers announced on Wednesday that the club is going forward with an expansion of approximately 4,000 seats at Providence Park. The project, which is set to cost $50 million, will be privately funded and it will expand the east side of the stadium.

“Providence Park is one of the most special stadiums in sports,” Timbers and Thorns president of business Mike Golub said. “With our proposed expansion, we will enhance the incomparable fan experience and intimacy and provide the opportunity for some of the more than 13,000 members of the waiting list to become season ticket holders.”

The Timbers have sold out every regular-season and postseason match at Providence Park since 2011, and the wait list for season tickets continues to grow by the season. Although the new expansion won’t cover all of that, it will give more fans in the soccer hotbed a chance to experience matches firsthand.

The timeline for the construction will be over two offseasons, beginning at the conclusion of either the 2017 or 2018 campaign.

Here’s a closer look at the proposed expansion:

Comments

  1. I’m a Galaxy fan, but I’ve been to two Timbers home games (and one Thorns game, which was AWESOME!). The fan experience at that stadium is amazing. Truly. Maybe Seattle’s is just as good or better, I don’t know, I haven’t been, but I love going to the Timbers games.

    But yeah – stadium is too small, especially in the expensive seats where they’re looking to expand.

    Problems: The expensive side of the stadium, where they’re looking to expand… if I’m not mistaken, that’s got a city street directly behind it? Like literally, stadium exterior, sidewalk, city street. All within twenty feet of one another. The renderings make it look like that street will be closed to cars. Forever? Or just for games? Either way, they’ll have to close it during renovations. That alone could explain the high cost just for adding 4,000 seats.

    The bigger issue is the south end of the stadium opposite the supporter’s section. That’s completely taken up by the super-exclusive MAC Club, a private rich people club that entitles it’s members to enjoy the game from the comfort of their table or exercise bike or for all I know personal hot tub. The entire edifice probably grants a view of the game to maybe 100-200 people? Who probably aren’t even paying the Timbers for the privilege? That end of the stadium, if they built seats, could add another 10,000 seats maybe. Instead, nothing. Oh, wait – there’s a really good sandwich stand at that end of the pitch. For Portlanders and their craft food obsession, maybe that’s enough?

    The whole thing just seems like an expensive stop gap solution until the Timbers figure out how to build a stadium of their own. Which, based on my admittedly limited experience at their home games, they richly deserve.

    Reply
    • Glad to hear you enjoy our home games so much. However, gotta say you are way out there, thinking 10K seats — almost half current capacity — could fit in the south end, even if you could tear down the MAC.

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  2. It’s known to rain once in a while in England. Their grass is pretty solid. I think it’s more about who is in charge of decision making and who is the NFL’s bitch.

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    • Well Portland’s certainly not the NFL’s bitch. Neither is Vancouver. So I don’t quite get your point. Seattle certainly screwed the pooch trying to force their hand with the Seahawks, but the other Cascadia clubs have no excuse. Underground creek. What a crock…

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    • To be fair, you could make a case that even Tottenham is the NFL’s bitch… Being the NFL’s bitch ain’t all that bad, though. Just check out ATL United and the latest MLS cup winners.

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    • Seattle gets on average 10-15 more inches of rain per year than London, but NYC gets more than both.

      Hunky: Vancouver shares BC Place with BC Lions of the CFL, so not NFL but still is second to pro football in the stadium.

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  3. It won’t be grass, if anything fields in the northwest are going the other way.

    Most rainfall for Oct-May in Seattle ever. Second most? Last year.

    you better praying for better synthetic grass……

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  4. I have been saying for the last couple of years that MLS stadiums are too small. The soccer specific stadiums should be in the 30 to 35,000 range at a minimum. Last year Orlando averaged 6,000 more than the capacity of their new stadium. Portland could sell as many as 35,000 season tickets. Soccer is taking off in this country and stadium planners are thinking too small.

    Reply
    • I agree 100%, also been saying for years……BUT

      The problem Gary is that Chicago, NYRB are bankrupting cities, so there wont be a lot of public money.

      $50 million of private money to build 4,000 seats. Tough to add 15,000 seats to the 20k stadium at that cost. Now Portland is a little different and more expensive if you have been there. Very tight. Limited space. But still.

      Reply

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