Portland Activity: Hotel Tours, Train Safety, and Elections

Heart of House Tours
ORLA held its first of three Heart of House tours at the Hyatt Regency Portland at the Convention Center. These tours are in partnership with our national affiliate, American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) and give elected officials a behind the scenes look at what it takes to operate a hotel. Brian Lang, general manager of the Hyatt Regency along with Brad Gillespie, the director of operations, showed Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez and Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards’ Chief of Staff Eric Zimmerman (who is running for City Council) an intimate tour giving them the opportunity to ask questions and have conversations with staff along the way. Upcoming tours will be held at The Bidwell, University Place, and Convention Center.

Keller Project Proposals
City officials have warned for years that the Keller Auditorium will collapse—as would many other old buildings that aren’t seismically reinforced—in the event of the “Big One,” the 8.0-magnitude Cascadian subduction zone earthquake that’s expected to hit Oregon within the next 100 years. City officials last year began exploring how to ensure the Keller wouldn’t collapse. It’s exploring two concepts: renovate the existing Keller or build a new facility elsewhere in the city. At our March PLA/PKC meeting we heard from Portland State University (PSU) on their proposal for the Keller. There are currently three projects up for consideration by Portland City Council. They will likely be deciding in June about which project the city will move forward with. In short, here is each project up for decision:

• PSU is pitching to build a sprawling performing arts center in the South Park Blocks, outfitted with a 3,000-seat auditorium, a high-end hotel, classrooms, and a plaza. 
• Urban Renaissance Group and New York lender KKR Real Estate Finance Trust, want to incorporate a new Keller into a full-fledged redevelopment in the Lloyd District that would include housing, retail, and entertainment.
• Renovate the Keller and turn it into a state-of-the-art performance venue

Concerns have been brought forth by Broadway Across America that if the auditorium is renovated, the Keller’s operations would be put on hold for at least 18 months, leaving no place for Broadway shows in the city during that time. Broadway Across America has asked the city when considering proposals to find a solution to closing operations completely. They suggest if it’s a new performing arts center than continue to bring audiences to the Keller until the new building is open, or if a renovation is the path forward the city should strongly consider phasing their renovations to allow for several abbreviated Broadway seasons.

May Election
Big leadership changes are coming to Multnomah County as four of its five commission seats will be up for grabs next month. The outcomes of those races are likely to impact crucial decisions in the coming months and years, including choices about the county’s Preschool for All program, homeless services spending, and funding for prosecutors and jails. Jessie Burke, hospitality industry member and owner of the Society Hotel is running for District 2 county commissioner seat against Sam Adams who is a former mayor of the city of Portland and Shannon Singleton who is the former interim director of the Joint Office of Homeless Services. Jessie Burke also sits as the board chair of the Old Town Community Association.

The 3rd Congressional District in Oregon will have a spot to fill when Rep. Earl Blumenauer retires later this year. Candidates hoping to take Blumenauer’s place include physician and State Rep. Maxine Dexter, former Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal, Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales, and businessman Michael Jonas. The May election will determine who will be running against the Republican candidate in November. Watch last Thursday morning’s debate forum here.

TriMet Safety Strategy Discussion
After the devastating loss of an industry worker earlier this month commuting home from work on the MAX train, ORLA engaged in conversations with TriMet leadership around concerns of safety. Following the tragic news there has been an outcry from other staff members voicing their fears of riding public transportation. ORLA is currently working to find a date and time to meet with TriMet about their Vision 2030 ridership strategies and various other TriMet safety initiatives. 

ORLA Regional Meeting in Portland
Join us for ORLA’s upcoming Regional Meeting April 23 from 2:30-4PM at Jupiter NEXT for an opportunity to engage in important conversations as we start to plan our legislative framework for the 2025 session. It's critical that we know what challenges our members are facing so we can educate our elected officials on how potential legislation can impact our businesses. ORLA members are encouraged to participate in discussions on legislative priorities, local advocacy, and workforce development. 

The tentative agenda follows:

• Introductions around the room to hear from members on top of mind issues
• Legislative recap, national updates, and open discussion on local and regional issues
• Open discussion on what members want to see in the 2025 Legislative Session
• Reminders on member engagement programs and workforce development efforts

RSVP for the Portland Regional Meeting and join us for a light reception hosted by ORLA immediately following!

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ORLA members wanting to get involved in a Portland area Regional Leadership Team should contact Makenzie Marineau, Government Affairs and Regional Leadership Teams Coordinator.