Portland State University's plan for a 3,000-seat Broadway-capable performing arts center stalled July 28, when the City Life Committee did not vote on Mayor Keith Wilson's resolution after hours of public testimony.
The committee will take up the issue again in August, KOIN reported. The delay puts pressure on PSU's goal of opening the center by 2030.
The resolution, Document 2026-270, would commit Portland to building a new city-owned venue at 310/330 SW Lincoln Street as part of PSU's larger Performing Arts + Culture Center.
It does not approve construction or lock in a final price. Instead, it would direct the Deputy City Administrator to negotiate a Project Commitment Agreement with PSU by Tuesday, December 1, of this year.
The state has already committed $137.5 million through Senate Bill 5505, and PSU has raised $157.6 million for its share. Total city and university costs are estimated at roughly $650 million, according to Oregon ArtsWatch.
PSU students say they need the space
Kim Cruz, a PSU music student, told the committee that students are fighting over inadequate facilities.
"As a music student at PSU, I see firsthand how desperately our performing arts programs need modern, functional space," Cruz said. "Right now, students are constantly competing for limited, outdated practice space."
Cruz said the center would give students direct experience working alongside touring productions and industry professionals.
PSU theater professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner argued that transformative performing arts centers are always built through partnerships between universities, arts organizations, private donors, and government.
He urged council members to seize the moment, saying the project "could change Portland's story."
Opponents warn of billion-dollar price tag
Not everyone was sold.
Portland resident Xavier Stickler told the committee the city cannot afford the project. Opponents warned that building the PSU complex while also renovating the aging Keller Auditorium could push combined costs close to $1 billion.
Keller supporters are pushing instead for $10 million to $15 million in upgrades over the next five years.
Duke Castle, speaking against the resolution, pointed to the Keller's existing infrastructure: parking for more than 2,000 vehicles, nearby hotels, and easy freeway access. He asked why the city would abandon a venue whose seismic and maintenance problems could be addressed directly.
Elise Haas, a consultant for Friends of the Keller, said in a July 24 statement that the city has no funding plan and no studies proving demand for a smaller Keller theater.
What the numbers show
The Keller, built in 1917, hosted 178 performances and nearly 400,000 attendees last year. Broadway shows averaged 94% capacity and generated more than $24 million in ticket sales, according to Axios Portland.
But a city-commissioned analysis by Hunden Partners found a new PSU venue would attract 8% more attendees and produce 12% more operating revenue than a renovated Keller.
A facility condition assessment in April 2026 found the Keller needs $8.5 million to $17.5 million just to maintain current service levels over the next decade, on top of more significant deferred maintenance and seismic work.
What comes next
The City Life Committee, chaired by District 2 Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney, is expected to vote in August, according to KGW. If the resolution passes committee, it goes to the full City Council.
Other committee members are Vice-Chair Eric Zimmerman (District 4), Candace Avalos (District 1), Angelita Morillo (District 3), and Dan Ryan (District 2).
Linda Moss, a former state senator who served on the steering committee that studied the proposal, called it "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the city of Portland."
