City and Metro Seek to Dissolve Venues Contract

The city of Portland and the regional government Metro are about to get a highly theatrical divorce.

Since the 1980s, Metro has operated the city of Portland’s five performing arts centers—the Keller Auditorium, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and the three theaters tucked into Antoinette Hatfield Hall—collectively termed the Portland’5 Centers for the Arts.

They aren’t exactly a cash cow: Across the five venues, the Keller, the only venue that can host Broadway shows, has been the sole profit center.

Now, Metro and the city of Portland are negotiating to end their contract—if it’s terminated, the city would take back operations at all five locations, either by bringing them in house or contracting with a third-party operator. The ramifications of the split are unclear at this point, but if all goes smoothly, the city would assume responsibility for the five facilities in July 2027.

News of the negotiations appeared to come as a surprise at a Nov. 18 meeting of the Portland City Council’s Arts and Economy Committee. City staff told committee members the termination was being actively negotiated by both governments.

“There are huge implications for us,” Councilor Olivia Clark said of the potential termination. “And we need to know a little bit more about that.”

A Metro spokesperson says the Metro Council will take a vote on entering negotiations to dissolve the contract later this week.