Comments on: memorial coliseum as concert hall?

By: Charles Noble

Charles Noble — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:29:00 +0000

True, but there have been plans for some sort of boutique hotel in the Rose Quarter area, and I’m sure some great restaurants would locate in order to be near the premier cultural venue in the city!

By: Elaine Calder

Elaine Calder — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:38:03 +0000

Charles, I think this is an idea with lots of potential – as long as we could move SouthPark, Higgins and the Heathman with us! Otherwise, I worry that many members of our audience would find it hard to follow.
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By: Erik

Erik — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:46:58 +0000

Actually, I suspect PCPA wouldn’t shed too many tears over losing the big arts companies as tenants in the Schnitz and the Keller. It would free up a lot more dates for rock concerts and touring productions, to whom a significantly higher rental fee is charged. The venues wouldn’t sit empty.

By: Charles Noble

Charles Noble — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:34:29 +0000

Certainly, there is no chance that this could happen, at least not within the next decade, I think, but I felt like someone had to at least put a fine arts use alternative out there with the baseball park and the velodrome. I’d rather have a healthy Oregon Symphony playing in the Schnitz than a dead orchestra with a half-built hall, no question. As for the downtown core – where would one get the land at this point? The South Waterfront has no more open space until the shipyard folds up shop. The area around the train station north of the Pearl District is filling up. Most of the other locations near the South Park Blocks probably don’t have enough space in the small blocks to make something viable, unless you involve some sort of bridge over one of the East/West streets (or like the art museum, remove the street to create a double-length block). At the very least, here’s a spot which the city already owns. The more cynical side of me thinks that maybe the city could leverage Paul Allen to build the concert hall complex in exchange for some more tax breaks for the Rose Garden/Blazers money losers.

By: curtis heikkinen

curtis heikkinen — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:00:49 +0000

Nikos, you raise some good points and it is hard not to share your pessimism. I can’t see something like this happening immediately but I still think this idea has some viability. Granted, conflicts with Blazer games may be a problem but I don’t see that as an insurmountable hurdle. I do not believe that the number of concflicts will be that great. As for funding, the beauty of this idea is that it may not cost nearly as much as building a brand new facility from scratch. The economy is bound to pick up so the necessary funds may eventually become available. Yes, the symphony has to survive the current financial crisis and that is the most pressing concern. But I have to believe that it will. This city really needs a first- rate performing arts facility. This is a very intriguing idea that should be explored at the appropriate time.

By: Nikos

Nikos — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:19:32 +0000

I mean neanderthal, I am a spelling neanderthal.

By: Nikos

Nikos — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:17:24 +0000

Portland has a nice downtown cultural core, that it needs to enhance by building a new concert hall around the same area, rather than moving everything (Opera, Symphony and Ballet) across the river, leaving the Keler and the Schnitz empty for long periods of time. Imagine the traffic 20000 people descending for a Blazers game next door and the Opera and Symphony having concerts at the same time!
Second, there is no indication the City has any money or that the few deep pockets around here (including mainly Nike) give a flip about (high) culture.
Third, the real problem in this city is the very survival of the major cultural organizations, not where they will be housed. You can fuss about your venue all you want, it won’t do you any good if you go out of business (New York City Opera, anyone?)
Fourth (run on sentence alert) I have to try very hard to convince myself that the average Portlander who would theoretically exert some political pressure to the city leadership for a concert hall instead of a Mall with a money making Hooters Restaurant at the site of the MC (or a sports venue) is not a cultural neadertal.

By: James Bash

James Bash — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:17:05 +0000

Terrific idea!

By: Erik

Erik — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:22:52 +0000

I agree! – and keep waiting for this idea to start gaining traction. I bet there’s room within the bowl for both a concert hall and a separate opera house configuration, and then space elsewhere in the complex to house the administrative offices of the Symphony, the Opera, the Ballet, and perhaps others (with shared ticket office facilities) – as well as ample warehouse space for everyone.

By: Robert McBride

Robert McBride — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:21:26 +0000

I like this idea, and I wish I’d thought of it myself. I’ve been to the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, and I love it.