While the city of Portland does not have an MLB team, plans are moving forward for an MLB stadium.
The Portland Diamond Project announced on Thursday that it had signed an agreement with the Port of Portland to develop the area and build a stadium.
We are thrilled to announce that the Portland Diamond Project has signed an agreement in principle with the Port of Portland to develop the Port’s 45-acre Terminal 2 property. Release: https://t.co/Ddi79kP4i7 #MLBtoPDX pic.twitter.com/B7PvImtXvB
— Portland Diamond Project (@PDXDiamondProj) November 29, 2018
Obviously, the natural question becomes, who would play there?
There are options. Until the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays fix their current stadium situations, both will be possible targets for any city looking to add a MLB team. Both have had discussions about getting new stadiums. But as of yet, nothing has gone beyond preliminary planning.
If nothing else, Portland’s plan should serve as motivation for those cities to get new stadiums built.
If the A’s and Rays aren’t options, Rob Manfred has talked recently about wanting MLB to add two new teams to become a 32-team league. Then, similar to the NFL, it would have eight, four-team divisions.
Portland was one of six cities (along with Las Vegas, Charlotte, Nashville, Montreal, and Vancouver) listed as possible destinations. Certainly, having a stadium would be a huge leg up for any city. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has even championed the cause.