REMEMBER THE DELTA DOME?

This was a huge push to put a roof over Multnomah Stadium. That was the first option, second was to build a new covered stadium in Delta Park. The measure failed by 9,000 votes! (Thanks to Stump readers for the reminder!)

Comments

[Scott Leverenz]

If memory serves, the delta dome was to be built at what is now delta park, east of I-5. The effort started to gain steam after the 1959 Centennial Exposition which was on the west side of I-5. The Memorial Coliseum has also recently been opened. Remember that Jantzen Beach was a going concern, so it seemed natural that the area be developed in this manner.

[bob]

It could have changed the face of the sports picture in Portland. Seattle was agressive, and now has baseball and football, and soon hockey and basketball.

Portland...one one horse town with the Blazers...ugh.

[Phil L]

It would have been such a great natural progression up I-5 from Cali to Seattle for MLB and the NFL. One thing I don't like about Portland, of course that would have already been replaced by even better!

[sam]

It was widely known that the Oakland Raiders were ours to be had. This was before the merger of the AFL and NFL. The new AFL was not attracting flies.
The DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS fought the Delta project. So today we have the
Fugging..................Soccer sh.....and Bozo clowns like Benito Canzano running sports into the ground.

[Aaron]

A.) The myth of the Raiders coming here was just that, a myth. They were already contracted and bought by the bidding family by the time this was brought to the table. False.

B.) Beaver Boosters were also involved in the fight against the project because it would have meant the end of minor league baseball in Portland, and at that time there were actually loyal Beavers fans. Sort of why we didn't get an NHL team, because the Winterhawks would be gone, and people made a fuss.

C.) The Portland Timbers have been around since 1975, that argument is about as tired as Lohan after a bender. The Timbers and Beavos coexisted for decades, folks. The fans let the Beavers down with poor attendance and no fight just as much as anyone else did.
If that place would have been packed for Beaver games EVERY game, they would still be here, guaranteed. You can't blame the most watched sport on the PLANET for an apathetic city's view on their history of baseball.

[sam]

Wayne Valley was an outsider. The DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS ! did not want someone in with better vision. We would have had both pro football and baseball long ago.