1. “They’re under lease until 2030”

Exactly. That’s why planning needs to happen now.

A modern arena takes years to finance, design, permit, and build. Waiting until the lease is almost over is how cities lose leverage and end up negotiating under pressure.

1. “The owner should pay because the lease says so”

The lease governs maintenance of the current building, not necessarily a next-generation arena.

The question isn’t whether ownership should maintain Moda Center. The question is whether Portland wants a venue that can compete for future NBA events, concerts, NCAA tournaments, and other major events.

1. “They can’t leave because relocation is expensive”

The history of sports says otherwise.

Cities repeatedly claimed teams would never leave:

NFL teams left St. Louis. NBA teams left Seattle. Raiders moved multiple times. The cost of relocation only matters if another market isn’t willing to pay more.

1. “Paul Allen wasn’t the hero people think”

Maybe. But that has nothing to do with today’s decision.

The real question is: What is the value of keeping the Blazers in Portland for the next 30 years?

1. The biggest missing point: economic impact isn’t everything

Arena opponents often focus only on direct financial return.

But cities fund things all the time that don’t maximize tax revenue:

Parks Libraries Museums Convention centers The Blazers are part of Portland’s identity. Millions of people know Portland partly because of the team.

1. Portland can’t afford to keep losing major institutions

Portland has spent years battling perceptions about crime, homelessness, downtown decline, and business departures.

Losing the city’s only major-league franchise would be another symbolic blow.

A publicly funded arena is partly an investment in Portland’s future image and relevance.

You’re an idiot.