Stadium Updates - Late Night

You know it's a big deal when Fark picks up the baseball stadium idea to move the Portland Beavers to Beaverton. Fark.com is a website dedicated to the collection of odd and crazy news, all set up in one happy home. While this was going on and announced Tuesday night, about 50 people were touring the Memorial Coliseum to get a close up look at the building whose near death and now spared death sentence has potentially pushed baseball to Portland's suburbs. Some people appreciated the art, while it appears a big group sweltered in the heat and stuffiness of the MC. Gee, anyone who has been to an event there within the past few years could have told you about the stagnant air and warmth when it's full, but hey, it's a architectural treasure that needs to be saved.

At least one city gets it, and is trying to do something. Beaverton has been trying to forge an identity in the metro area for years, and so far, it's been the headquarters of the swoosh, and traffic. Beaverton has been one of the fastest growing suburbs of Portland for years, mostly because of their good schools, abundant land, and up until recently, available jobs. However, the density has caused a bit of sprawl, the schools are starting to struggle with extra kids in the classroom, and people can't seem to drive anywhere easily. Well, that's the perception anyway.

Beaverton is actually a nice town, proud of its area, and is full of people that are interested in improving their region. Many time, school measures have passed there simply because the taxpayers want to help their schools, or even general services when needed. I can imagine it's tough being a suburban city put in the shadow of Portland, which dominates the landscape and attention. Beaverton does a lot of good things for its residents, but I think often times, it gets lost in the static and not recognized for being a progressive, thoughtful city. Getting a baseball team to Beaverton might just get rid of some of the inferiority complex, and actually give people a reason from outside the area to visit.

But I will give them the biggest credit of all in this situation. They wanted baseball, and they had the courage to write to Merritt Paulson and ask, even promoting a few stadium ideas in the process. Considering how Paulson has been treated at a lot of meetings in the area around here, plus his now famous interaction with the Lents neighborhood, I can imagine it's a wonderful feeling to be wanted, and be treated positively. Sounds like it's a match made in baseball heaven.