Moda Center

Moda Center
Name	Moda Center
Location	Portland, Oregon, United States
Broke ground	1993
Opened	1995
Capacity	19,000
Owner	Portland Arena Management, LLC
Operator	Portland Trail Blazers

Moda Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Portland, Oregon, United States, home to the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association and a venue for concerts, World Wrestling Entertainment events, and NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament games. Located in the Rose Quarter near the Moda Tower, the arena sits adjacent to Memorial Coliseum and is part of Portland's sports and entertainment district that includes the Lloyd District and Old Town Chinatown. The arena has hosted playoff series, championship tours, touring productions, and municipal conventions, drawing visitors from across the Pacific Northwest, United States, and Canada.

History

The arena was developed amid a wave of 1990s sports venue projects that included facilities in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver. Groundbreaking followed negotiations involving the City of Portland, local business leaders such as the Meyer Memorial Trust and civic groups including the Portland Development Commission. Construction contractors worked with engineers from firms that had completed projects for the Madison Square Garden expansion and the United Center. The venue opened in 1995 and quickly became the primary home for the Portland Trail Blazers after decades at Veterans Memorial Coliseum and transitional arrangements with nearby arenas during renovation periods. Over time, the arena has been a site for playoff matchups versus teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Golden State Warriors.

Naming and Sponsorship

Originally known as the Rose Garden, the arena's corporate identity changed following a naming-rights agreement involving firms from the healthcare and insurance sectors. Sponsorship deals have tied the arena to national corporations including Moda Health, and earlier local and national partners from the banking and retail sectors. The arena's naming deals reflect broader trends in venue sponsorship comparable to agreements for Staples Center, PNC Arena, and Barclays Center. These partnerships have involved the Portland Trail Blazers front office, corporate legal teams, and marketing divisions from major firms that manage venue branding across North American markets.

Architecture and Design

The arena's design was led by architects and engineers experienced with stadia like Madison Square Garden and arenas in Sacramento and Phoenix. Architectural elements draw from Portland's civic aesthetic with references to the Willamette River waterfront and the Rose City identity. The bowl design accommodates flexible configurations for NBA basketball, NHL-sized ice conversions for touring hockey exhibitions, and end-stage setups for performers such as Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and U2. Structural systems incorporate components developed by firms that worked on the MetLife Stadium and the AT&T Stadium, emphasizing sightlines, acoustics, and crowd circulation comparable to venues like Madison Square Garden and TD Garden. Interior finishes have featured contributions from local artisans linked to the Portland Art Museum scene and fabricators who previously collaborated on installations for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

Events and Tenants

Primary tenant is the Portland Trail Blazers, whose regular-season and playoff schedules anchor the arena calendar alongside touring concerts by acts including Metallica, Adele, Elton John, Coldplay, and Paul McCartney. The venue has hosted NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament rounds, WWE SummerSlam preview events, and boxing matches promoted by organizations like Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions. Other tenants and users have included minor-league franchises, college programs such as the University of Oregon Ducks for special events, and cultural productions like the Cirque du Soleil tours. The arena has also been used for political rallies by figures associated with the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, commencements for institutions including Oregon State University and Portland State University, and conventions for associations such as the National Association of Broadcasters.

Renovations and Upgrades

Since opening, the arena has undergone phased renovations focused on technology, hospitality, and safety systems similar to upgrades completed at Barclays Center and Chesapeake Energy Arena. Improvements have included LED scoreboard and ribbon-board installations akin to those in Staples Center, wireless network overhauls modelled on deployments at Levi's Stadium, and premium seating expansions comparable to projects at United Center. Hospitality upgrades added premium lounges and club spaces designed by consultants who have worked with Wembley Stadium and the Mercedes-Benz Arena. Accessibility and sustainability retrofits incorporated guidance from state agencies and advocacy organizations aligned with standards used by LEED-certified projects.

Transportation and Access

The arena is served by the MAX Light Rail system, nearby TriMet bus lines, and surface transit connections to the Port of Portland and regional corridors linking to Beaverton, Vancouver, Washington, and Clackamas County. Parking coordination relies on municipal lots and private garages managed in partnership with entities such as Republic Parking and downtown business improvement districts like the Portland Business Alliance. Regional access is supplemented by proximity to Portland International Airport for visiting teams and touring productions, and intercity rail connections that facilitate travel from hubs including Seattle, San Francisco, and Eugene.

Category:Sports venues in Portland, Oregon Category:Indoor arenas in the United States