Portland Timbers announce major-league soccer move

Takayuki Suzuki, Timbers forward

The Portland Timbers have made some serious major-league moves this year, including acquiring Takayuki Suzuki, a top-level Japanese player nicknamed the “Japanese Blond Bomber” for his aggressive, Jurgen-Klinsman-like skills at forward. Suzuki has only scored one goal, with three assists, but he excels at creative pressure on defenders to produce turnovers. He’s also very prone to fouls, and is tied for second on the team with 31.

When Portland brought Suzuki to the team this spring, there were rumors that this indicated team owner Merrit Paulson was ready to make the Timbers into a major-league team. That rumor became truth today when Paulson unveiled his plan to turn PGE Park into a soccer-only venue, at a cost of $40 million.

Courtesy Elerbe Becket Inc.

 That renovation would require the building of a whole new stadium for the Portland Beavers, AAA affiliate of the San Diego Padres, who share PGE Park and are also owned by Merritt. His plan includes a move to Lents Park in outer Southeast Portland for the Beavers, which would cost an additional $35 million.

Proposed Lents Park ballpark for the Beavers

This all sounds very exciting—depending on who you talk to, since many Portland folks like things just the way they are, thank you very much—but much hinges on things outside of Merritt’s control. He submitted an application to Major League Soccer for one of the expansion slots in 2011, and the league must approve his promotion from the current USL level.

The City of Portland must also help out, lending Merritt the $75 million required to relalize the project. The City’s usually cool to such notions, and Portlanders can be hostile if they feel that money’s being diverted from other public-works projects. And so the City Council would have to agree to the deal, along with MLS, and both processes are just beginning.

But the prospect is exciting, and would mean Portland would not only have another major-league franchise, it would have one of its premier Asian stars—assuming Suzuki is here that long: his contract is only through this season.