Portland soccer fans turn out to support stadium

The Portland Timbers Army, clad in green soccer jerseys and telltale wool scarves, invaded the Tuesday night meeting of the city’s Major League Soccer Task Force to show support for a bid to bring another major league sports team to town.

“This is an opportunity to go through a door that will close shortly,” said soccer fan Ean Todd. “We need to do this now.”

Todd was right on target in terms of timing. Major League Soccer is set next month to pick two cities where it will expand for the 2011 season.

Timbers owner Merritt Paulson, who also owns the Triple A Portland Beavers baseball team, is seeking city-backed financing to renovate PGE Park for soccer and to build a new baseball stadium for the Beavers. Both teams play at PGE Park, but MLS requires its teams to play in soccer-specific venues.

– Excerpt from OregonLive.com, February 25, 2009