Portland will begin sale negotiations with the Ohio-based Rockbridge Capital over most of a city-owned park where the company wants to build an events center.
The Portland Press Herald reported the city’s Housing and Community Development Committee voted 3-1 Wednesday to begin negotiations to sell a portion of the plaza to Rockbridge, which is about halfway through a $50 million renovation of the former Eastland Park Hotel. It purchased that hotel in 2011 and plans to reopen it later this year as the Westin Portland Harborview Hotel.
The committee’s approval Wednesday allows negotiations for a sale of two-thirds of the plaza property, a plan that has drawn public protesters to the square in recent weeks. The paper reported supporters were outnumbered by opponents of the plan, who recommended the public space should be renovated and not sold.
