Moda Center

Lore & Background

The original name of the facility was 'Rose Garden'; however, the arena was also commonly known as the 'Rose Garden Arena' to distinguish it from the International Rose Test Garden, also located in Portland. The name was chosen both to reflect Portland's reputation as the Rose City, and to reflect the importance to basketball heritage of Boston Garden and Madison Square Garden arenas in Boston and New York City, respectively. When the name was selected, the remainder of the former coliseum grounds were given the name 'Rose Quarter'. In 2007, the Trail Blazers and Vulcan announced that they were seeking a corporate partner to grant naming rights for the facility, with the goal of a new name being available for the Blazers' 2008–09 season. In August 2013, the Trail Blazers announced a 10-year deal with Moda Health, an Oregon-based health insurance provider, to rename the arena Moda Center. The renaming spurred a public outcry and petition by fans and Portlanders who preferred the old name. Portland mayor Charlie Hales initially expressed concern about the name, calling it a 'head scratcher'.

In Their Own Story

The lights dimmed over the hardwood as the familiar hum of the Portland crowd began to rise, a low vibration that seemed to shake the very floorboards. It was late in the fourth quarter, the score tied, and the air inside felt thick with anticipation. In this moment, the modern steel and glass of the Moda Center dissolved into memory; it felt just like the old days, where every pass and shot carried the weight of a city's hope.

Reader's Guide

Moda Center is a multipurpose arena located in the Rose Quarter in inner northeast Portland. The arena has a total of over 14,000 permanent seats arranged in two bowls, with an additional 1,540 permanent seats in 70 skyboxes. Over 4,200 portable seats may or may not be installed depending on configuration. When configured for basketball, capacity is 19,393, and up to 20,796 with standing room. For hockey or lacrosse, capacity decreases to 17,544. The arena features 70 Suites and 8 Skyboxes, each seating 22 guests. For smaller events, the 'Theater of the Clouds' configuration seats 6,500 with 16 luxury boxes usable. Two concourses (100 level and 300 level) are open to the ticket-buying public; a third concourse (200 level) provides guest services; a fourth concourse (Suite Level) is restricted to skybox patrons. The arena has 32 public restrooms, Wi-Fi hotspots, and historical memorabilia on concourses. The primary scoreboard is a Mitsubishi-manufactured HD video scoreboard with four 15 ft by 22.5 ft video screens. The arena also features over 650 television monitors and auxiliary scoreboards. A unique feature is the 'acoustical cloud'—160 rotating acoustic panels suspended from the ceiling, costing US$2 million to design and install. The arena is equipped with a JBL sound system. The Moda Center is owned by the City of Portland, which acquired the arena for $7.13 million from the Estate of Paul Allen in 2024. Management and operation is performed by Rip City Management, a sister company of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Did You Know?

• The arena opened on October 12, 1995, after construction began in 1993.
• The arena cost US$262 million to build, financed by the City of Portland, Allen's personal fortune, and $155 million in bonds.
• The bonds became the subject of a 2004 bankruptcy in which the Oregon Arena Corporation forfeited title; Allen later repurchased the arena in 2007.
• The acoustical cloud panels are shaped like airplane wings, 10 ft by 10 ft, and can be rotated to reflect or absorb sound.
• The arena was designed by architecture firm Ellerbe Becket and has been listed among the five ugliest buildings in Portland by a survey of local architects.