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Event Coverage Portland EXPO center sold?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by nosford, May 6, 2021.

  1. I have heard some very strong rumors that the Portland EXPO center has been sold. The April swap meet that was held there has been canceled for the last two years, if this rumor is true that would mean the swap meet will be gone forever. Anyone else heard this rumor? Also heard the property was purchased by Amazon. I am really missing the big swap meet, it was as much a social event as it was a place to buy parts. Many old friends from out of state would get together there every year. Mark
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  2. It has not been sold, that deal has fallen through from my last conversation with other MHRC members. The big thing right now is that Halls A,B,C (the oldest halls near Marine Dr.) need to be demolished or major renovation and they dont know what to at the moment.
     
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  3. Thank you, I really want the swap meet to come back. With the loss of the Portland Meadows parking lot things were already looking down. At least the PIR race track is still there!
     
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  4. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    The big old main building at Expo should be demolished. It's a fire trap and would go up in minutes if it ever caught fire. It doesn't see nearly the use the other new buildings do, and even the C building is fairly old. A & B are 1925 vintage, and were replacements to the original 1921 building that burned down.
    Problem is that Metro hates managing these buildings, and would love to have the money from a sale more than the income from events. So doubt they'll build new buildings. And I'd guess if they ever did sell the buyer would teardown A&B at least, and just add more parking there, or make some other building that would be a motel, or other use.
     
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  5. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,136

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

  6. hotrodjack33
    Joined: Aug 19, 2019
    Posts: 4,128

    hotrodjack33
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    What a great turn out for a cruise-in...oh, wait a minute...those are NEW cars.:rolleyes:

    ...and I'm pretty sure the cows are there for the methane (alternative fuel source);)
     
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  7. Almostdone
    Joined: Dec 19, 2019
    Posts: 892

    Almostdone
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  8. BadgeZ28
    Joined: Oct 28, 2009
    Posts: 1,165

    BadgeZ28
    Member
    from Oregon

    It was part of the Vanport flood. I went to Jantzen Beach several times when I was a kid. Even took a ride on the huge rollercoaster.
     
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  9. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

  10. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    My late father was an electrician for the SP&S RR after WWII and had to wade out to the SP&S bridge by the Expo and shut it down during the Vanport flood. His helper was a little guy who was only about 5'6" and when they started wading back out the water got so high his helper couldn't keep his head above water, and he also couldn't swim. My dad told me he had to put the little 225 lb. short guy on his back and carry him piggy back out to where they had parked.
    When I was younger we used to hold illegal drags in the streets that used to go through Vanport. No houses left, and the dragstrip at PIR hadn't been built yet. They started ticketing cars just before they began building PIR, so they'd stay out until the dragstrip was built.
     
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  11. Marty Strode
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 8,796

    Marty Strode
    Member

    The street racers gravitated there, after running at Terminal 4, or one of those terminals, near St.Johns.
     
  12. My parents lived in Vanport during the time it flooded, heard many stories about how the press reported no casualties right after but my dad said he saw the bodies. I too remember the street drags at terminal 1 (so I remember) but I could be way wrong on the number. Portland International Raceway was built from the remains of the Vanport streets and I do remember going to many sports car races there. Cobras, Stingrays, Shelby Mustangs along with all the "smaller" sports cars doing battle was part of what I loved as a kid. On the east side of Interstate Ave Delta Park had a model airplane club that flew every summer on Saturday mornings. My dad was heavily into that scene and Friday night he would be outside firing up his planes to make sure they were ready for Saturday. I think the neighbors were hoping he would cut off his finger in the prop so he would stop making noise!
     
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  13. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,291

    jnaki

    Hello,

    One of the early times we went to Portland, our goal was Vancouver, WA, just across the Columbia River. We had crossed over most of the bridges and felt the North-South direction was pretty good for a huge city in this area. The I-5 was flowing heavy, but moving. We went as far south as we wanted in the Willamette Valley to a few wineries and local restaurants.

    But, after spending the whole day down there, we started to struggle with the long drive back to Vancouver, WA. As we approached the downtown area, the traffic was at a standstill. So we took a break to get our bearings. One street looked interesting called the N. Interstate Ave.

    In other cities in So Cal, there is always a side street or two going through major road blockages and heavy traffic. We did not mind side streets and we had never been on N. Interstate Ave. before. We took advantage of side road by passing all of the downtown traffic by using this street going North, parallel for the most part, the I-5 freeway and the Columbia River.

    Jnaki

    For some reason during the heavy rush hour traffic, this side road traffic was not heavy at all. We passed up 1000s of cars heading North to Washington and the huge I-5 bridge. But, at the last minute moves, we were able to get on the last entrance to the I-5 Freeway headed over the river. The traffic was moving but all lanes were bumper to bumper. At least, we did not have to sit in bumper to bumper traffic from down south of downtown into the city.

    We went past the Portland International Raceway and the Expo Center while going back to Vancouver, WA. The view from above was pretty cool with the river and sunset. Traffic? What traffic?
    upload_2021-5-9_4-50-10.png The Hotel resort room, window view back to Portland, over the Columbia River towards the Expo Center. NOTE: The super fast current going out to the ocean for the day.
     
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  14. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,286

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    ^^^The Inn At The Quay. That place had one of the wildest hook up bars in the area. It's particular specialty was cougars, and I'm not talking WSU alumni.

    I went to a street cruise last night in Vancouver, the talk on Main Street wasn't favorable for the Expo. I hate the thought of no more indoor shows locally. The swap meet will survive a move to another venue. Clark Co Fairgrounds is only a few miles north on 5.
     
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  15. Not to get too far afield here, but the reality is: the Expo Center is doomed. It doesn't attract big money, high volume events like the Convention Center (even though that general area is a cluster f*$@ to get around in), it is old and scattered out, yada, yada, so there's no real reason to support/improve the old venue. Couple that with the proposed I-5 replacement bridge(s) that has no other placement options due to Vancouver overpacking the waterfront east and west of the existing bridges, along with the forced death of the Red Lion locations on Hayden Island, and it's clear that the 'powers that be' are slowly carving out the path of the needed revamp of I-5 to accommodate a new bridge. All of the land dealings have been slow and subtle, below the radar. Enjoy P.I.R. while you can!
     
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  16. Hey Jnaki,
    My wife and I ran into one of my high school teachers a few years ago (I graduated in '66, so this dude was long retired) and started catching up on teachers and classmates. He and his wife were both teachers it my school, and it seemed that most teachers were of the same age group. He told us about their 'secret' bridge club.... Every now and then there would be an announcement that "The Teacher's Bridge Club will meet at 4:30 pm". That was code for: "Let's meet at the bar at The Inn At The Quay for happy hour and watch the bridge traffic while we enjoy cheap drinks and bar snacks." None of them ever thanked me for diving them to drink, damned ingrates! We had some some good teachers, one of whom was a foxy little art teacher that always had a new GTO (she was popular), and our class reunions always included our favorites.
     
    jnaki likes this.
  17. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    It was every Tuesday night each week back in the early 60's Marty. The cops left us alone until the plans were approved to make PIR, and then they began ticketing street racers using the old Vanport streets at night.
     
  18. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,291

    jnaki




    Hello 28,

    When we were there for a several days during a vacation. There were quite a few people gathering in the room nearest the parking lot and overhead bridge way. But, we were on our way East along the cemented walkway under the bridge, for our "walks in the neighborhood" activities. We liked the atmosphere of being outside in the PNW, while watching those poor sailboats trudging back and forth in the fast current either way.

    Going down current was fast if you included the prevailing wind. But, going back to the original starting point back up current was a killer voyage. It did not look like fun. Sailboats are usually slow compared to the hot rods and fast cars we all have. For sailboat people, it is not the destination or how fast you get there, but how you enjoy being able to handle something cool and exciting.

    Going back against that strong current was not a fun opportunity. If the current were not there, the backdrop of the city skyline, the multiple bridges and even the westward sail past the industrial waterside places were interesting.


    We liked walking as far East and West on the concrete sidewalk along the river. It was a great way to spend an hour or two. Then if it was just before lunch or dinner, there were quite a few nice restaurants along the way with river/city views from most seats.

    Jnaki

    For us, there were a couple of groups of people gathered on the patio overlooking the West side of the bridge and river… straight into the Portland Expo Center area across the river. It was a gathering of some kind and lasted through pre-dinner time period and broke up just before we left for another restaurant in Portland for our reservation.

    If it is still there, a very cool memorial mural art is on the railroad track concrete berm wall for quite some distance in walking from the 3rd Street corner with Columbia St, just a block or two away from the old hotel complex. (soon to be another giant dock side loading center for the industrial complex being built there.)

    The mural parallels the Phil Arnold Way going East or West. One of our favorite side trips besides walking along the river was to drive along the river going East on Columbia Way ending at a community park with great views of the river and scenery.
     

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