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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2001)
Page A6 May 2, 2001 ¿Etje ÿkirManh (líbsm ier Seats Fill For PGE Park Season Opener Monday about 20.000 fans took to the seats to welcome the return of Triple A baseball and the Portland Beavers. It was the first event for a newly renovated stadium. “It’s the great meeting place in Port land,” says Bob Higgins, a retired gov ernment auditor w ho's now the self- styled curator o f the stadium. In 1957, Elvis Presley played a con cert on the infield, nding into the sta dium on a white convertible Cadillac and wearing his famous gold lame’ suit, to the shrieks o f teen-age girls Sports have always had the run of the place, however. Jack Dempsey fought an exhibition at Multnomah Stadium, and Pele’ played his last pro fessional soccer game there. Now, new memories are about to be made with the return o f the Portland Beavers. The Triple-A farm team o f the San Diego Padres will christen the newly reno vated PGE Park on Monday night. To make way for the Beavers, the stadium has undergone a $38.5 million renovation. Modem amenities have been added, like luxury suites, and a new artificial surface called NexTurf- the same material used at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia - has replaced Civic’s worn-out rug. But the best additions were made with the past m mind: A hand-operated scoreboard, with a huge clock and red “PGE Park’ ’ letters on top, looms in left field. Ivy has been planted on the gray wall out in center, and the rows of bleacher - made from 1920s Douglas fir - have been painted forest green. Concourses, restrooms and con cession areas have been completely rebuilt, and such throwback fixtures as newsstands, an organ and shoeshine vendors will heighten the game-day experience for fans. “Nostalgia is in," says Marshall Glickman, chiefexecu tive officer o f Portland Family Enter tainment, which owns the Beavers and struck a deal with the city to run the stadium if the city paid for most o f the overhaul. The team is trying to capital ize on the popularity the “Lucky Bea A $38 million renovation transforms Portland's downtown stadium into a magnificent ballpark with a new state-of-the-art turf luxury seats and amedities such as the Widmer Café. The vers” enjoyed before the N BA ’s Trail stadium's revamped concourse adds many new concessions and restrooms. Spec factors also get a free look from the sidewalk where barriers once hindered the view along the left field Blazers arrived in 1970. (P hotos by D avid G iezyng /T he P ortland O bserver ) bleachers. Please join in a very important public meeting 1-5 lmProvg>r Open House May 10, 2001 4:00 - 6:30 p.m. Drop in anytime! Express B u s S e rv ic e Community Forum & Task Force Meeting 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. Participate in the evening’s agenda! DoubleTree Hotel • Portland Lloyd Center 1000 NE Multnomah, Portland, OR Just think: Your son is b rig h t, h e a lth y a n d h e a d e d fo r college one day You love the direction your career has taken. You're doing a lot o f the things you planned We need your help to narrow the lis t o f improvement options and even a few you didn't. Living life to the fullest is easy when Fourth""“ ’. Please come and share y o u r thoughts, opinions and observations. Learn more about the Partnership and help us plan for our transportation future. Children are welcome. For translation services or more information, please call 503-731-8565 or 360-905-2054 TDD: 800-735-2900 www:i-5partnership.com I you have family behind* you. Am erican Family Mutual Insurance. Call and talk to one o f our helpful, friendly agents. You'll find out w h y we're consistently rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, the insurance rating authority Then, go on. Dream. Plan. W hat you do next is up to you and we ll be here to help you. u have family behind you. All Your Protection Under One Roof. American Family Mutual Insurance Company and its Subsidiaries. Madison, Wl 53783-0001 wwwamfam.com