Beaverton adds Oregon Sports Authority to its baseball lineup

Beaverton’s plan to bring the Portland Beavers to the suburbs is getting a big assist.

The Oregon Sports Authority launches Tuesday a campaign to help the city attract the Triple-A baseball team. The statewide group hopes to keep the baseball team in the region, said Drew Mahalic, the group’s chief executive director.

“The core of our mission is to make sure that we preserve Triple-A baseball in Oregon, and Beaverton seems to be the best place for that,” Mahalic said.

Beaverton city official have courted the Portland Beavers minor league team, and team owner Merritt Paulson, for a couple of weeks. The city got serious about attracting the team when City Council members voted Aug. 3 to hire a Chicago law firm for $90,000 to help smooth the way for development of a baseball stadium and possibly attracting the Beavers.

– Excerpt from the Beaverton Valley Times, August 17, 2009

Click below for the full story and to listen to an interview with Drew Mahalic on KPAM 860.