Merritt Paulson, owner of the Portland Timbers, has said that he is “cautiously optimistic” over plans to expand the North American Major League Soccer (MLS) team’s stadium.
The team is hoping to add 4,000 seats to Providence Park, boosting its total capacity to approximately 25,000. Paulson said work would take place during consecutive off-seasons in order to minimise disruption during Timbers home matches.
The entire project would cost an estimated $50m (€45.5m/£40.8m), with the club required to secure approval from various bodies
“We would be talking about adding about 4,000 seats in a way that really works operationally on the east side over where the Key Bank Club is now,” Paulson said. “Basically, bringing the whole stadium up to the level of the roof on the other side, still maintaining some street views even from the street on 18th Ave.
“I think it would be a two-phase construction period if we did it, two off-seasons, hopefully not putting the team on the road for too long a period in either case. But there's a plan that looks to work there and work well for a site that's pretty compact… so I'm cautiously optimistic.”
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