CEO Marshall Glickman was driving force behind renovation of Portland’s PGE Park
Eugene, OR—March 29, 2010—Save Civic Stadium has hired G2 Strategic, an international sports consulting firm based in Bend, to determine how Eugene’s historic Civic Stadium can be renovated, re-purposed and remain an economically viable community asset for years to come.
G2’s CEO, Marshall Glickman, is the former president of the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Arena Corporation and the founder and CEO of the company that renovated Portland’s Civic Stadium, now known as PGE Park. Glickman has been involved in eight major arena and stadium developments throughout the world, including American Airlines Arena in Miami, the Moscow Sports & Entertainment Complex and a new stadium at Paris’ historical Roland-Garros.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Marshall Glickman’s talents and stature working with us,” said SCS President Dennis Hebert. “He brings to the table tremendous, one-of-a-kind credentials for navigating the political, community, financial and design challenges involved in a project like this.”
In hiring G2 Strategic, Save Civic Stadium is responding to a decision by the 4J School District — which owns the Civic Stadium property — to allow a 90-day timeframe for a feasibility study that will help inform the school board’s next steps in determining the disposition of the property.
“Eugene’s Civic Stadium is a wonderful and historic community icon,” said Glickman. “My task will be to evaluate a mix of uses for the grandstand, field and surrounding property. My view is that there could be outcomes that will be embraced as a benefit for the community and can also address the 4J School District’s economic objectives.”
G2 Strategic has been hired for the first phase of an analysis — to be completed by early May — that will evaluate possible uses for Civic Stadium now that the Eugene Emeralds have moved to University of Oregon’s PK Park. G2 will explore a potential event mix that may include sports, entertainment, recreation and community events, and will also provide a conceptual site plan that would accommodate the possible uses. G2 will also provide a one-year forecast of operating revenues and expenses, and an analysis of potential ownership options.
On the design side, G2 is collaborating with Gensler, one of the world’s leading architectural firms, whose sports and entertainment practice is led by industry pioneer Ron Turner. Turner is well-known for overseeing the design of Staples Center, Turner Field, Lincoln Financial Field and Paul Brown Stadium, as well as thirteen NBA/NHL arenas. Gensler’s sports and entertainment practice has considerable expertise with community recreation, renovation and sustainable building practices. Turner will join Glickman in Eugene this week, working with other design and preservation specialists to begin evaluating various site plan scenarios.
Save Civic Stadium is currently fundraising for a second phase of the study, which, depending on the results from Phase I, will provide a financing strategy, a longer-term projection of expenses and revenues and a more comprehensive design plan.
In Portland, Glickman was the driving force behind the development and construction of the $262 million Rose Quarter, as well as the transformation of the city’s decaying 75-year-old Civic Stadium into a viable multipurpose outdoor venue.
For Portland’s Civic Stadium project, Glickman put together a highly complex public/private partnership, where he raised $8 million in private equity and $24 million in debt, resulting in a renovation that was completed to rave reviews, on time and under budget. The venue has served as the home for Triple A baseball, professional soccer, college and high school football, major concerts and many other activities. The renovation has also set the table for Portland landing a Major League Soccer franchise.
“We selected G2 Strategic, because we have a very short timeframe and much to accomplish,” Hebert added. “We evaluated several national consultants who could have produced a more traditional feasibility study report. But we decided that Mr. Glickman is the ideal advisor for a situation that requires vision, experience, critical thinking, local connections and the perseverance to turn our dream of preserving Civic Stadium into a reality.”
Save Civic Stadium is a Eugene non-profit dedicated to organizing and leading community involvement in the effort to preserve the historic Eugene Civic Stadium.
For more information contact:
Marshall Glickman
CEO
G2 Strategic
541.633.7088
marshall@g2strategic.net
www.g2strategic.net
Dennis Hebert
SCS President
(541)342-4842