PGE Park
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PGE Park (formerly Civic Stadium, a name still used by locals; originally Multnomah Stadium) is a baseball, soccer and American football stadium located in Portland, Oregon. Originally built by the Multnomah Athletic Club in 1926 -- though playing fields and earlier stadiums had stood on the site since 1893.
PGE Park seats 23,150. It has been the home of the Portland Breakers of the USFL, the Portland Storm and Portland Thunder of the WFL as well as minor-league baseball over the years, most notably the Portland Beavers plus an interim period by the Portland Mavericks. The stadium also hosts the Portland State University football team and is one of three stadiums that host the high school state football championships (OSU's Reser Stadium and UO's Autzen Stadium are the other two). In soccer, it hosts the Portland Timbers of the USL First Division, hosted four group matches in the 1999 Women's World Cup and hosted two group matches, two quarterfinals, and both semifinals in the 2003 Women's World Cup. The stadium has also hosted an Exhibition Match of Australian Rules Football in 1990.
During the Great Depression, the stadium was popular for greyhound racing.
The Portland Beavers moved to the stadium in the 1950s after their original field, Vaughan Street Ballpark, was condemned.
Up into the early 1960s, the stadium hosted some collegiate games for Oregon and Oregon State football. Typically the schools would play their games versus University of Southern California, University of Washington and some other larger programs during this period because the on-campus facilities were inadequate.
The stadium consists of a covered grandstand from foul pole to foul pole, with the length of the football stadium aligned along the right field line. Stands have also stood in left and right field from time to time. A $38.5 million renovation took place in 2001, adding new luxury suites and club seats that replaced the seats behind home plate and upgrading the seating and concourse area. The stadium was renamed for Portland General Electric, which bought the naming rights.
It has been suggested that PGE Park might serve a major-league baseball team, should one move to Portland. Most likely, the stadium would serve as a temporary home while a new stadium would be construction, though plans to add an upper deck to PGE Park have been considered.