Dan Saltzman Also Ready To Move Forward On Soccer Deal

Commissioner Dan Saltzman said this afternoon that he still plans to vote for the Major League Soccer deal going forward in a revamped PGE Park, despite Beavers/Timbers owner Merritt Paulson's announcement that he's pulling out of the deal's other piece — moving the minor-league baseball Beavers to a proposed stadium in Lents.

Saltzman says he's not a soccer fan but thinks there's a buzz around Major League Soccer that makes it an OK tradeoff if the Beavers end up re-locating somewhere outside Portland such as in Hillsboro or in Clark County.

He says MLS "has the potential to bring some excitement to the city" and also is a "good fit with [Portland's] apparel and footwear industry."

We're still waiting to hear from the other two members of the five-person council, Commissioners Amanda Fritz and Nick Fish. But Mayor Sam Adams has already said he too will move forward on the soccer-only deal. Commissioner Randy Leonard has said he will vote against the deal.