Portland - The Sporting Planet Travel Guide to sports teams, stadiums, events and facilities around the world

PORTLAND
CITY OVERVIEW	Portland is considered one of the cleanest and most modern cities in the US. Although not having many sporting franchises, the City has a major motor racing track and excellent sporting university to attract sporting fans. Portland is renowned as the urban planning capital of the US, with its innovative and pro-environmental transportation and land use planning system being copied in many parts of the US, and even the world. It was one of the first cities to develop a tight land use zoning system as well as bringing back the tram, when many had forsaken it long ago. Portland is a city designed for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, with 37,000 acres of parks containing miles of nature trails. The three-week Portland Rose Festival in early June celebrates Portland’s penchant for growing roses. In the largest of the open spaces in Portland, Washington Park contains the Hoyt Arboretum, the International Rose Test Gardens, the Japanese Gardens, the World Forestry Center, and the Oregon Zoo. Portland is located on the Willamette River and it also uses the River as a major centrepiece of downtown area attractions. Downtown shopping is also a feature of Portland as there is no sales tax in Oregon. The first ever Nike outlet store was located in Portland, and now the downtown areas offers three major department stores, and several more factory outlet stores. Multnomah Village, the historic Hollywood District, Old Sellwood Antique Row, and the Portland Saturday Market in the Skidmore/Old Town District are all also other well-known shopping areas in Portland. Portland also has Powell's City of Books, the nation's largest bookstore. Portland is also renowned as maybe the key performing art centre on the US West Coast. The Portland Center for the Performing Arts is home to the Tygres Heart Shakespeare Company; the Civic Auditorium offers the best of Broadway's national touring shows; and the Musical Theatre Company presents Broadway musicals in the Eastside Performance Center. Portland’s Tri-Met provides a ‘cultural’ bus service that accesses all these facilities.
GETTING THERE	Portland International Airport is located some 16 km north east of the downtown area. The Tri-Met bus service provides access between the airport and the downtown. Amtrak is located at on the edge of downtown not far from the North Park Blocks at 800 NW 6^th Av. Greyhound buses are also located nearby at 550 N W 6^th Av. Portland operates a modern integrated transit system (Tri-Met) of buses and light rail that are free in the downtown area. The MAX light rail system, in particular, effectively links the downtown area with some of the key attractions outside the downtown area, as well as some of Portland’s larger suburbs.
NBA PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS ROSE GARDEN ARENA	The Portland Trailblazers began life in the NBA in 1970. After a typical period of expansion blues during which the team languished at the bottom of the standings, the ‘Blazers turned into one of the league's most solid franchises. In 1977, after only seven seasons in the league, the Blazers claimed the NBA Championship. The Trail Blazers continued to be successful in the late 1980s and early 1990s, rarely missing the playoffs and reaching the NBA Finals twice under the leadership of one of the greatest movers in the game – Clyde ‘the Glide’ Drexler. So solid have the Trailblazers been that since their championship win in the 70’s the Trailblazers have only had two seasons under .500.
WNBA PORTLAND FIRE ROSE GARDEN ARENA	The Portland Fire WNBA team entered the competition as recently as 2000 but are still trying to reach their first playoff series.
ROSE GARDEN ARENA	The Rose Garden Arena hosts the Trailblazers and the Fire and is located at One Center Court, Portland. It is located within the Rose Quarter entertainment complex, approximately 1-mile northeast of the Downtown District across the River. Opened in 1995, the Arena has a capacity of 21,500. The Rose Quarter complex contains the Rose Quarter Transit Center, which provides direct access to Portland’s Max Light Rail System. Direct connection to the Downtown area is available from here.
GOLF Late August - Jeld Wen Tradition, The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club, 4805 229th Avenue, Aloha.	The Reserve Golf Club is located some 20km west of downtown Portland in the suburb of Aloha. From Downtown, take the Tri Met MAX Blue Line to the Beaverton Transit Centre stop and then take Tri Met Bus Route 57 (TV Highway/Forest Grove). Get off as close to 229th Avenue as possible and then walk south along it to the Golf Club entrance.
GOLF End September - The Safeway LPGA Championship, Columbia Edgewater Country Club, Portland.	Columbia Edgewater Country Club is located at 2220 NE Marine Drive, Portland - on the banks of the Columbia River, right next to Portland International Airport, some 10km north of the downtown area. Tri-Met Bus Route 6 along Martin Luther King Boulevard goes somewhere near the Course (get off at 6^th Drive and Poloma) and you can walk about 1km to the golf course. The other option is to catch a taxi from downtown, as it is a little over 10km away.
MOTOR RACING Mid June 16 – NASCAR G I Joe’s 200, Portland International Raceway, West Delta Park, Portland. End June - CART Portland Grand Prix, Portland International Raceway Early September, US Formula Championships, Portland International Raceway.	Portland International Raceway is located at 1940 North Victory Boulevard, Portland, which is located only 6km north of downtown, just off Route 5. Tri Met Bus Route 8 goes right by the Raceway on Route 5 – get on in the downtown and get off at Victory and Whittaker, which is only about a 200-metre walk westwards along N Victory Boulevard to the track.
HORSE RACING Portland Meadows Racecourse, 1001 N Schmeer Road, Portland (season: October to February)	Portland Meadows is located across from Portland International Raceway. Therefore, Tri-Met Route 8 is the appropriate bus route for here as well but get off at Denver and Whittaker and walk eastwards.
NCAA SPORTS - DIVISION 1 UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND	The University of Portland Pilots are located at 5000 N. Willamette Boulevard Portland, which is located some 10km north-east of the downtown area. The Pilots have teams in many sports, including men’s and women’s basketball, soccer and athletics. The Chiles Center is the home of the basketball teams, and is located on the campus. It has a seating capacity of about 5,000. To get there from the downtown, catch the Tri-Met Bus Route 40 (Mocks Crescent) and get off at University of Portland at Willamette Street.
NCAA SPORTS - DIVISION 1 PORTLAND STATE	The Portland State Vikings are located in downtown Portland along the tree-lined South Park Blocks between SW 13^th and 8^th Streets, north of Route 405. The Vikings have teams in most sports, including Football and men’s and women’s basketball. The Football team play out of PGE Park, which is a short walk from the University campus and has a capacity of around 20,000. It is located on the corner of SW 18^th and Morrison, which is adjacent to the downtown MAX Light Rail System. The Basketball teams play out of the Stott Center for smallish games, which is on the campus. Some bigger games are played out of the Rose Garden Area, which is where the Trailblazers play. Directions to the Rose Garden were given beforehand.