On Wednesday, September 18, the Portland Metro Chamber voiced its support for a key development in the Central Eastside during testimony before the Prosper Portland Board of Commissioners. The board voted 4-0 to clear the way for the sale of a vacant lot near the Hawthorne Bridge along SE Water Avenue to Beam Development and Colas Construction, which plans to lease the site to Live Nation Entertainment for a large-scale music venue. This 3,500-person concert venue would fill a current gap in Portland’s music market which forces many tours to bypass our city.
Jay Clark, Public Affairs Director for the Chamber, emphasized the broader significance of the project: “This is bigger than just a music venue. It’s about the message we want to send to the national capital investment community. It’s about actualizing the opportunities for the kind of investments in Portland that we all say time and time again we want and need.”
The Chamber strongly supports this transformative project, seeing it as a key driver for revitalizing Portland’s Central City. Expected benefits include:
- Attracting high-profile musical artists and events
- Boosting business in the surrounding area
- Creating new local jobs
- Enhancing livability in the area
This development is a proactive step in advancing Portland’s economic and cultural growth while building a vibrant and thriving neighborhood for future generations.
Related media articles