NBA Commissioner Attends Trail Blazers Game After Renovation Funding Approved

Silver met with local officials about next steps for Moda Center renovations.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 10:36am

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver attended the Trail Blazers' game against the Jazz on Friday night following the Oregon Legislature's approval of funds for the renovation of the Moda Center. Lawmakers passed a measure that gives the state joint ownership of the Moda Center with the city and provides a mechanism to secure $365 million for renovation of the 30-year-old building.

Why it matters

The legislative effort comes amid the sale of the Trail Blazers by Paul Allen's estate to a new ownership group led by Tom Dundon, owner of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes. The renovation funding helped allay fears that the new ownership might move the team out of Portland.

The details

During his visit to Portland, Silver met with local officials about the next steps for the Moda Center renovations. He noted that the arena is not just home to the Trail Blazers, but it will also be home to the expansion Portland Fire in the WNBA.

  • The Oregon Legislature approved the renovation funding last week.
  • Silver attended the Trail Blazers game against the Jazz on Friday night.

The players

Adam Silver

The commissioner of the National Basketball Association.

Tom Dundon

The owner of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, who is leading the group that recently purchased the Trail Blazers.

Paul Allen

The late owner of the Trail Blazers, whose estate sold the team to the new ownership group.

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What they’re saying

“I've had great conversations with the governor and the mayor, and it's been a bipartisan effort. I think everyone in this community recognizes that, even in addition to the Trail Blazers and the Fire -- and we can't forget about the Fire, which are about to open this season -- that these arenas are multiuse facilities, whether it's conventions or trade shows, concerts, graduations, you name it. They're part of the lifeblood of communities. So it's not just for the Trail Blazers and the Fire. You need a state-of-the-art arena here.”

— Adam Silver

What’s next

Silver noted that the next steps for the Moda Center renovations will involve continued collaboration between state and local officials.

The takeaway

The approval of renovation funding for the Moda Center, home to the Trail Blazers and the new WNBA expansion team the Portland Fire, demonstrates the importance of modern, multi-purpose arenas to the lifeblood of a community. The bipartisan effort to secure the funding also helped allay concerns about the team's future in Portland under new ownership.