Providence Park

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Lore & Background

Providence Park has been the home of the Timbers since 1975. The stadium has been host to several major United States soccer events including U.S. national team matches, Soccer Bowl '77, the 1999 and 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the 2014 MLS All-Star Game, the 2015 NWSL Championship Game, and MLS Cup 2021. The Portland-based Multnomah Athletic Club was founded in 1891 and soon constructed the stadium for their amateur sports teams beginning in 1893. In 1926, the facility was expanded into a complete stadium, including the upper seating bowl and the wooden benches which can still be found in the park. In 1956, the stadium was renovated in earnest for the first time to reflect its growing usage in the community. In 1966 the City of Portland purchased the park and renamed it Civic Stadium. It was renovated in 2001 to accommodate the Timbers and the Portland Beavers, while the naming rights of the stadium were purchased by Portland General Electric and it was renamed PGE Park. In 2011, the park underwent renovations again, this time so it could accommodate the Portland Timbers MLS franchise and a year later the stadium name rights were sold, this time to Jeld-Wen (Jeld-Wen Field). In 2014, the name was changed again to Providence Park after Providence Health & Services bought the naming rights. A 2019 expansion raised the capacity to 25,218 and added a multi-level facade to the East End. Until 2023, the Portland Timbers sold out every game at Providence Park since moving to MLS in 2011, and the Thorns set a single-game National Women's Soccer League attendance record in August 2019 with a sell-out crowd of the same capacity. In 2019, both clubs ranked among the top ten in attendance among professional soccer teams (men's or women's) in the United States and Canada.

In Their Own Story

The rain falls gently on the green turf of Providence Park, a common sight for Portland fans who wear it as a badge of honor. As the clock ticks toward kickoff, the roar from the North End begins to rise, a low rumble that quickly swells into a deafening crescendo. The smell of wet earth and popcorn mixes with the electric tension in the air. When the Timbers break through the tunnel and sprint onto the pitch, the stadium erupts, a sea of green scarves waving in unison, ready to push their team toward another historic victory.

Reader's Guide

Providence Park is an outdoor soccer stadium that houses the MLS Portland Timbers and NWSL Portland Thorns. The stadium is owned by the City of Portland and managed by Timbers owner Peregrine Sports, LLC. The stadium sits on a rectangular block bounded by Southwest Morrison Street, Southwest 18th Avenue, the Multnomah Athletic Club building and Southwest Salmon Street, and Southwest 20th Avenue. The Multnomah Athletic Club (MAC), an athletic club in downtown Portland that originally constructed the venue, stands next door; the windows on the north side of the club overlook the field. The Interstate 405 freeway in Portland is also known locally as the Stadium Freeway and travels near the stadium. In addition, the Providence Park MAX Light Rail station is across the street. The property slopes significantly downhill from the south end to the north end, with the result that the playing surface sits well below street level. The elevation at street level is approximately 110 ft above sea level.

Did You Know?

• Since 1893, the site had been home to Multnomah Field, which consisted of sports fields with various grandstands.
• Before the MAC developed the site as an athletic field, it was a large Chinese vegetable garden, supplying produce to much of Portland.
• The site was used for college football (including seven Civil War games between the University of Oregon and Oregon State University), cricket matches and greyhound racing.
• In 1956, the Portland Beavers moved to the stadium after their original field, Vaughn Street Park, was condemned.
• In 1966, the Multnomah Athletic Club sold the stadium for $2.1 million to the city of Portland, which renamed it Civic Stadium.

Historical Evolution and Naming

Located in Portland's Goose Hollow neighborhood, this venue boasts a lineage dating back to 1893 as Multnomah Field. Originally developed by the Multnomah Athletic Club for amateur teams, it evolved into a complete stadium structure by 1926 under architect A.E. Doyle. Throughout its existence, the facility has undergone numerous identity shifts, known variously as Civic Stadium, PGE Park, and Jeld-Wen Field before settling on Providence Park in 2014 following a partnership with Providence Health & Services. Despite modern updates, it retains historic elements like original wooden benches from the early twentieth century. Recognized as the oldest soccer-specific facility for an MLS team, its endurance distinguishes it from newer domed complexes found elsewhere. The site itself predates even the athletic club, having once served as a large Chinese vegetable garden supplying produce to the city before sports fields were established on the land in the late nineteenth century.

Sporting Tenants and Major Events

Serving as a central hub for professional soccer, the stadium currently houses both the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer and the Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League. The Timbers have called this venue home since 1975, while the facility has also hosted significant national events including multiple FIFA Women's World Cup matches in 1999 and 2003. Beyond soccer, the grounds witnessed seven Civil War football games between University of Oregon and Oregon State teams, alongside hosting the Portland Rose Festival. Major competitions staged here include Soccer Bowl '77, the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and MLS Cup 2021. The venue also accommodated the Portland Beavers baseball team following their relocation in 1956 after their previous park was condemned. Its versatility allowed it to host college football for decades, with Oregon playing over one hundred games there between 1894 and 1970 before shifting focus primarily toward soccer in recent years.

Renovations and Attendance Records

Significant capital improvements have ensured the venue remains viable for modern competition while preserving its character. A major expansion in 2019 increased total capacity to 25,218 seats and introduced a multi-level facade at the East End. Prior renovations occurred in 2001 to accommodate baseball and soccer simultaneously, followed by updates in 2011 specifically for the Timbers' MLS return. These physical changes supported remarkable fan engagement; until 2023, the Timbers achieved sell-out crowds for every match since their 2011 MLS debut. The Thorns also capitalized on this demand, setting a single-game NWSL attendance record in August 2019 with a full house matching the stadium's maximum capacity. Consequently, both clubs ranked within the top ten for professional soccer attendance across North America during that same year. These figures underscore the facility's ability to draw massive crowds despite its age compared to newer constructions elsewhere in the country.

Location, Ownership, and Geography

The property sits on a rectangular block bounded by Southwest Morrison Street, Southwest 18th Avenue, and the Multnomah Athletic Club building itself. Ownership rests with the City of Portland, which purchased the park in 1966 for $2.1 million after rejecting plans for a new domed stadium nearby. Management is handled by Timbers owner Peregrine Sports, LLC. The site features a significant downward slope from south to north, placing the playing surface well below street level at an elevation of approximately 110 feet above sea level. Accessibility is enhanced by proximity to Interstate 405, locally known as the Stadium Freeway, and a dedicated MAX Light Rail station across the street. The adjacent Multnomah Athletic Club building overlooks the field from the north side windows. Local sentiment emphasizes that unlike many cities replacing old venues, Portland chose to retain this architecture, cementing its status as a unique landmark comparable to classic baseball parks like Fenway or Wrigley Field within the local sports culture.

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