PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — NBA commissioner says Moda Center renovation talks have “Gone off track.”

CONTINUING COVERAGE | MODA CENTER RENOVATIONS

The future of the Portland Trail Blazers in the Rose City remains tied to ongoing negotiations over the proposed Moda Center renovation, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged that discussions have not progressed as quickly as he had hoped.

When asked about the status of the arena renovation deal and speculation surrounding the possibility of the Trail Blazers leaving Portland, Silver said several key issues remain unresolved.

“I was hoping more progress would have been made by now on that agreement, and it seems to have gone off track in various ways,” Silver said. “I have a colleague, Joe Maczko, who is day-to-day on it. We are working with both sides to ensure that the Trail Blazers can have a long-term future in Portland. But there are several open issues that still need to be resolved.”

Silver visited the Moda Center in March as part of the league’s ongoing involvement in discussions surrounding the arena’s future. However, it remains unclear which specific agreement the commissioner was referencing, as Portland City Council has yet to approve the proposed renovation plan.

As negotiations continue, questions have intensified about whether the Trail Blazers could eventually leave Portland if a deal to modernize the Moda Center is not reached.

New majority owner Tom Dundon has not publicly suggested he intends to relocate the franchise, but he also has not made a long-term commitment to keeping the team in Portland, adding to uncertainty surrounding the organization’s future.

The proposed $600 million renovation has been at the center of debate for months. While Oregon has already approved a $365 million contribution toward the project, that funding depends on the City of Portland agreeing to finance its share of the plan. Without City Council approval, the entire agreement could collapse.

A recent report, analyzed by KATU’s Wright Gazaway, found that the state’s consultant and the Trail Blazers remain divided over which NBA markets should be used as comparable cities when evaluating the project’s financial assumptions. The report was required under the legislation authorizing the state’s funding commitment.

Portland City Council is scheduled to hold two additional public meetings on the proposal in July before a possible vote on tentative deal terms in August.

Negotiations between the city, state, and the Trail Blazers are expected to continue through the remainder of the year as all sides work toward a long-term agreement that would keep the franchise at the Moda Center for years to come.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson issued the following statement in response to Silver’s comments:

“From the start, the City has committed to striking the best deal for Portland. The Blazers are our tenant. We’re their landlord. We value them, and we recognize that we need each other for the longterm. We are continuing to engage in a communitydriven process as we approach a City Council vote in August.

We are operating on an aggressive timeline to reach a new lease, and we have been explicit with the Blazers that design information and clarity around public investment are necessary to move forward. The absence of essential details from the Blazers is slowing progress at a moment when urgency is required. We know that the NBA is committed to Portland and we look forward to working with them to ensure negotiations on a renovated Moda Center and a new long-term lease happen in good faith.”

A spokesperson for the Trail Blazers issued the following statement:

“The suggestion that the Trail Blazers are withholding essential information is not accurate. The Trail Blazers and the City worked for several months in lockstep with the state and county in developing what became Senate Bill 1501 and a market-rate deal framework.

Since that time, we’ve been engaged in multiple discussions of renovation elements, conceptual visions, and building walkthroughs with the Mayor and other City officials. The City has more information than state leaders had during the legislative session.

The Trail Blazers are ready to begin formal negotiations immediately using the framework set for us by SB 1501 and the $365 million already made available for this project. However, the parties must reach an agreement this year. We share the City’s sense of urgency. The next step is for the City to bring a term sheet to the table.”