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City councilors agreed Wednesday on an initial offer that Portland would pay $120 million toward Moda Center renovations, but they doubled what they're asking the Blazers to pay the city in the process.

Why it matters: The nonbinding term sheet is the city's first formal offer to the team, which is expected to play hardball with the city over Portland's expected contribution to revamping the aging arena.

The city would also be on the hook for another $275 million in maintenance costs over 20 years.

What's inside: The biggest change from a draft term sheet released last month is an additional $3.1 million in rent the team would pay to the city, which would go up by about 3% each year.

The city also added a guarantee that the team would continue its charitable work in the community.

That doubles the $3 million annual payment by the Blazers to offset property taxes in the earlier draft, which also included caps on how much public money could go toward upgrades and promises to use union labor.

In exchange, the Blazers would commit to playing in Portland for the duration of a 20-year lease.

The original draft term sheet floated by the city was described as a "non-starter" by Blazers representatives.

Team president Dewayne Hankins previously told councilors the draft had had 20 departures from what had been negotiated with the state Legislature but declined to say exactly what they were.

What they're saying: Councilor Loretta Smith praised Wednesday's offer.

"Portland's negotiated terms stand out as an incredibly responsible and protective document of the public trust," she said.

The other side: Angelita Morillo, one of four councilors to vote "no" on the term sheet, saw things differently.

"This is not a good deal," she said. "The public is getting fleeced."

Friction point: The Blazers have been unwilling to give city leaders much information about exactly what the city money would fund, saying they needed the money to hire architects to develop detailed plans.

The team has also cited the threat of lawsuits as a reason to withhold details.

Between the lines: It's still unclear where the city would find the money and whether it could tap the Portland Clean Energy Fund.

Context: The state already pledged $365 million toward the estimated $573 million project, along with another roughly $100 million from Multnomah County.

What's next: That state money expires in December, giving the team and city until then to reach a deal.

Portland one step closer to Blazers arena deal

The proposal would double what the Blazers pay the city.

Aerial view of a city along a wide river with several bridges; in the foreground a large white curved-roof building and turquoise glass pyramid-topped structures, plus roads, trees, and mid-rise buildings.

Now the real negotiating begins. Photo: Soobum Im/Getty Images

City councilors agreed Wednesday on an initial offer that Portland would pay $120 million toward <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Moda Center renovations" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/06/24/moda-center-funding-fight-intensifies" data-vars-content-id="3ce3076e-cc88-4765-98f3-c496f2bd52ee" data-vars-headline="Portland one step closer to Blazers arena deal" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/06/24/moda-center-funding-fight-intensifies" target="_self">Moda Center renovations</a>, but they doubled what they&#x27;re asking the Blazers to pay the city in the process.Why it matters: The nonbinding term sheet is the city&#x27;s first formal offer to the team, which is expected to play hardball with the city over Portland&#x27;s expected contribution to revamping the aging arena.

News

The Pacific Northwest will need to add a tremendous amount of new power over the next six years to keep the lights on for all of its residents, according to a new federal draft report.

Why it matters: Population growth, data centers and electrification are expected to send the region’s electricity demand soaring.

Driving the news: The Northwest Power and Conservation Council, which plans for the region's energy needs across Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, released its draft Ninth Power Plan last week.

By the numbers: To keep up with demand, the Pacific Northwest will need an additional 11 gigawatts of new generating capacity by 2032 — roughly as much annual power-generating capacity as Oregon has today.

Most of that — 9.2 gigawatts — will come from renewables like wind and solar, while 2.1 gigawatts will need to come from natural gas power plants.

The region will also need to add 5 gigawatts of storage capacity.

Plus: It will need to cut demand by about one gigawatt through energy efficiency, per the report.

For reference, one gigawatt is enough to power up to 750,000 homes simultaneously under normal conditions.

Reality check: It took the region a decade to add the last 10 gigawatts of power, per OPB.

Oregon and Washington also have some of the slowest rates of clean energy adoption in the country, per ProPublica.

And that was before the Trump administration pulled back tax breaks and other forms of support for renewable energy projects.

Zoom out: The challenge only grows from here.

Power demand is expected to potentially double over the next 20 years.

Follow the money: Meeting that demand will require more than $2 billion in investment from renewable energy developers and utilities.

It's a tall ask given power bills have already risen considerably since 2021.

What’s next: The report is still just a draft and the public will have multiple chances to weigh in before it’s finalized, either online or at a series of public meetings.

Pacific Northwest needs massive power boost

Data centers and population growth are driving a sharp rise in electricity demand.

A rural landscape with a grassy field dotted with small white flowers, a metal power transmission tower and lines stretching across the scene, blue sky with fluffy clouds and distant trees.

We're gonna need a bigger tower. Photo: George Rose/Getty Images

The Pacific Northwest will need to add a tremendous amount of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new power" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/04/14/electricity-costs-average-rate-increase-data-centers-power-act" data-vars-content-id="4f8f5ea8-0de7-422c-9a00-d29490fc022d" data-vars-headline="Pacific Northwest needs massive power boost" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/04/14/electricity-costs-average-rate-increase-data-centers-power-act" target="_self">new power</a> over the next six years to keep the lights on for all of its residents, according to a new federal draft report.Why it matters: Population growth, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="data centers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/06/24/data-center-backlash-ai-expansion-oregon" data-vars-content-id="4f8f5ea8-0de7-422c-9a00-d29490fc022d" data-vars-headline="Pacific Northwest needs massive power boost" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/06/24/data-center-backlash-ai-expansion-oregon" target="_self">data centers</a> and electrification are expected to send the region’s electricity demand soaring.

Tech Policy

Oregon is one of 29 states regulating AI deepfakes in elections, reflecting the patchwork of rules governing the tech across the country.

Why it matters: AI-generated attack ads and campaign content are rampant leading up to the midterms, with candidates across the political spectrum using the technology.

State of play: Oregon Senate Bill 1571, passed in 2024, requires candidates to disclose when they use AI to create campaign ads.

Minnesota and Texas prohibit political deepfakes for a certain number of days before an election. Maryland's ban is year-round.

Yes, but: Similar laws in California and Hawaii were struck down in court on First Amendment grounds, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Zoom in: Oregon's AI election law is getting its first test this year after complaints about ads run by Jonathan Lockwood, who unsuccessfully ran in the 5th Congressional District primary to unseat U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, OPB reported.

One ad showed Bynum and Gov. Tina Kotek with glowing red eyes chasing a group of scared children.

Another showed Bynum in a McDonald's uniform handing a drag queen keys to a girl's locker room and saying "Don't let me down."

The Secretary of State's office initiated an investigation in July following a complaint.

Lockwood wrote to state officials that the ads were so outlandish that no one could mistake them for the real thing.

The Secretary of State's office told Axios the investigation is ongoing.

If he's found to have broken the law, Lockwood could face prosecution and a fine of up to $10,000.

The big picture: At the federal level, lawmakers have yet to establish a baseline standard for election AI deepfakes.

Congress did attempt to tackle nonconsensual intimate deepfakes — an issue that has collided with election ads targeting women lawmakers.

But implementation has been difficult, advocates say, citing inconsistent processes for removing posts and predicting litigation will be needed for strong enforcement.

House Democrats say they plan to push legislation next year targeting election deepfakes if they regain power.

The bottom line: Proposals to tackle AI in elections have been floated in Congress for years, but Oregon has proven ahead of the curve, at least so far.

AI deepfakes test Oregon election law

Oregon is among 29 states regulating AI deepfakes as Congress remains on the sidelines.

A cartogram of the U.S. shows states with election-related AI deepfake laws. 29 states have these laws in effect and two have similar laws struck down by courts as of June 23, 2026.

Oregon is one of 29 states regulating <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="AI" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/08/06/poll-finds-oregon-wary-of-ai-and-data-centers" data-vars-content-id="62588e92-d287-4a56-8989-db336b8e0927" data-vars-headline="AI deepfakes test Oregon election law" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/08/06/poll-finds-oregon-wary-of-ai-and-data-centers" target="_self">AI</a> deepfakes in elections, reflecting the patchwork of rules governing the tech across the country.Why it matters: AI-generated attack ads and campaign content are rampant leading up to the midterms, with candidates across the political spectrum using the technology.

Demolition of the fire-ravaged Centennial Mills building began Monday, starting with four controlled explosions to bring down the building's rooftop water tower.

State of play: Ever since a blaze gutted the blighted 116-year-old Northwest Portland landmark earlier this month, nearby residents and property owners have been on their toes as city officials warn the unstable structure is at risk of collapse.

The threat posed by the seven-floor building's husk collapsing prompted closure of part of nearby Northwest Naito Parkway and Fields Park, and halted Amtrak service between Portland and Seattle indefinitely.

Threat level: A sudden collapse could send debris containing asbestos and lead airborne and into surrounding neighborhoods.

Zoom in: Crowds started to gather along the eastern shore of the Willamette, on the Broadway Bridge and even in boats — and at least one paddleboard — hours before detonation.

Crews could be seen attaching white explosive charges to each of the four corner beams holding up the water tower before the explosion, which was heard all over town.

The latest: The water tower removal was the first step in what officials have described as a complex demolition.

Before the blasts, which took place at 2:28pm, contractors cleared a 300-foot exclusion zone surrounding the site. Nearby residents received a public alert an hour beforehand, followed by sirens at the three-minute mark and a five-second verbal countdown before detonation. 

Anyone nearby was encouraged to stay inside during and immediately after the blasts and wait until visible dust cleared, or wear an N95 mask if they had to be outdoors.

Group of cyclists on a red metal bridge under a blue sky. Foreground rider wearing a white helmet leans on railing with a bag; others ride behind, including a woman in a teal helmet.

Bystanders await the big boom. Photo: Kale Williams/Axios

Flashback: Built in 1910 as Crown Mills, the waterfront complex was once one of the Pacific Northwest's major producers of flour and milled grain.

Renamed Centennial Mills in 1949, it remained the last operating flour mill downtown until about 2000. Over the last decade, the mill sat vacant and deteriorating as several redevelopment efforts stalled.

What's next: The water tower was just phase one.

Eugene-based contractor Staton Companies — hired by Centennial Mills' owner and real estate investor Stuart Lindquist — will now begin dismantling the building's remaining walls "in a controlled manner to minimize the spread of debris."

The city said it could take up to two weeks to reduce the building to half of its current height. Officials did not provide a full timeline on how long the full demolition will take.

Demolition begins at fire-damaged Centennial Mills

Crews used controlled explosives to bring down the blighted landmark's rooftop water tower.

Urban waterfront scene with a weathered graffiti-covered brick building, a tall glass tower, and an elevated highway overhead. Smoke covers lower structures as a river and green trees appear in the foreground.

Thar she blows. Photo: Kale Williams/Axios

<figure><img alt="Gif of a building explosion" height="720" id="fb467b70-c0f5-4ef2-95d0-81afd0905fcb" src="https://images.axios.com/7Wuavs0ugxPhRm21QGW6skiDiFo=/0x0:1280x720/2026/08/17/1787006044676.gif" width="1280"/><figcaption>Big boom. Image: Kale Williams/Axios</figcaption></figure>Demolition of the fire-ravaged <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Centennial Mills building" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/08/10/centennial-mills-collapse-risk-freight-trains" data-vars-content-id="b2f79ebd-c578-44dd-9aef-72c20400a56b" data-vars-headline="Demolition begins at fire-damaged Centennial Mills" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2026/08/10/centennial-mills-collapse-risk-freight-trains" target="_self">Centennial Mills building</a> began Monday, starting with four controlled explosions to bring down the building&#x27;s rooftop water tower.State of play: Ever since a blaze gutted the blighted 116-year-old Northwest Portland landmark earlier this month, nearby residents and property owners have been on their toes as city officials warn the unstable structure is at risk of collapse.

Oregon has confirmed 45 cases of measles so far this year, more than any year in recent history.

Why it matters: Measles is highly contagious and potentially deadly, and cases have risen nationally as vaccination rates have fallen.

By the numbers: The 2026 case count as of Thursday surpassed the previous peak of 27 cases in 2024, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle.

Four cases have been identified in the last week and 15 over the last month, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

Zoom out: Most of the cases have been clustered in Multnomah County, though wastewater testing has shown the disease is also present in Washington, Polk, Marion and Klamath counties.

What they're saying: The uptick in cases is straining health officials' ability to respond, Multnomah County spokesperson Dennis Theriault told the Oregon Capital Chronicle.

"Traditionally, a measles case was an immediate emergency," he said. "With the sustained increase in cases and reduced funding for public health, we do not have the resources to respond in the same way."

Between the lines: Last school year, almost 11% of kindergarteners had nonmedical vaccine exemptions, up from almost 7% in the 2021–2022 school year, per state health officials.

Doctors say a 93% vaccination rate is necessary to prevent outbreaks.

2026 Oregon measles cases have already far surpassed 2024 peak

As vaccination rates fall, Oregon is seeing more cases than any year in recent history.

Illustration of circles of different sizes within the shape of the U.S.

Oregon has confirmed 45 cases of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="measles" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/08/29/oregon-measles-outbreak-vaccine-exemption" data-vars-content-id="dcc66f40-4b43-467d-abf2-47fc3e58d28d" data-vars-headline="2026 Oregon measles cases have already far surpassed 2024 peak" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/08/29/oregon-measles-outbreak-vaccine-exemption" target="_self">measles</a> so far this year, more than any year in recent history.Why it matters: Measles is highly contagious and potentially deadly, and cases have risen nationally as vaccination rates have fallen.

Kale Williams

Featured stories

Pacific Northwest needs massive power boost

Demolition begins at fire-damaged Centennial Mills

2026 Oregon measles cases have already far surpassed 2024 peak

Portland one step closer to Blazers arena deal

AI deepfakes test Oregon election law