The Burnside Blog
The World Comes, Portland Does Nothing
Maybe it’s because there are other more pressing debates out there, like which cafe serves the best cappuccino (in case you’re wondering, it’s this one) or perhaps because we’ve been embattled in germaine topics like renaming streets in North Portland (and downtown) after fallen agrarian leaders. Regardless, we have not been paying any attention to what could be one of the greatest tourism opportunities in decades.
On February 12th 2010, the Olympic torch will ignite only a half day’s drive from PDX, bringing 5,000 athletes, 3,500 members of the press, 100,000 visitors and three billion pairs of eyes to our region. Our more responsive neighbor to the north, Seattle, is officially partnered with the Vancouver Olympic Committee, towns in Northern British Columbia more than a day’s drive from Vancouver have ambitious tourism plans in place, and in Portland, there doesn’t exist a plan. And if there is, this journalist hasn’t heard of it.
Yesterday, the 2010 Olympic Games CEO John Furlong spent the day in Portland, spoke at a power breakfast at the Governor Hotel sponsored by the Portland Business Journal, met with the governor, and addressed a smaller group of big wig business leaders (and one out-of-place Mike Thelin) at Ecotrust for a catered lunch by Simpatica. The smoked cod was stunning, and listening to John Furlong expound on the importance of the event he’s producing only five hours away made me believe that Portland is letting an enormous opportunity pass. The Olympics is the world’s biggest dance, and Portland hasn’t event bought its shoes.
When Vancouver hosted the worlds fair in 1986, tourism in Oregon increased in double digits. Twenty two years later, Oregon has far more to offer an international traveler (better infrastructure, a world class wine industry, a culinary destination in Portland). What’s more, the dollar is weak and there are now several direct flights between PDX International, Europe and Asia. Our state and local leaders should have formed a plan when the games were awarded to Vancouver in 2003. Still, it’s not too late. Portland and Oregon should be heavily promoting itself for the games and the city should expedite improvement plans to host thousands of world tourists during the games.
Where is our leadership?
By Stephen on Friday, March 28, 2008 at 03:56PM PDT
I agree with you. I think it demonstrates something about the leadership – political and business – in Oregon and specifically Portland. They are inherently conservative when it comes to promotion of this sort. It has been demonstrated time after time in the state’s history. Seattle gets the Space Needle, we get a deranged Paul Bunyon in Kenton. Recently, very little was done to promote the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial.
I do think, the state will benefit regardless. Some folks will extend their vacations down the coast regardless, but we could be missing out on much more.
By Angry Neighbor on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 10:29AM PDT
That Paul Bunyon is scary, and tantamount to our cultural ambitions.
By Lizzy Caston on Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 11:55AM PDT
What Stuart said. One thing I’ve noticed is that Oregon seems to not always pay attention to keeping abreast of larger global trends that drive state, regional and city economics (such as the weak dollar right now) and how they can harness this information to capitalize and build on interest in Portland and Oregon on an international level.
I also think there is a general malaise in the City and State level, outside of a few organizations like POVA and Travel Oregon, in marketing our state and city on an international level.
What I see is that there is a big disconnect between the government and non-profit entities in Oregon and Portland that do tourism and marketing work and those same organizations that do economic development work. This is a shame because in a world economy strong cities are built on being global players. Manufacturing, trade and other traditional industries are certainly important, but it’s information sharing that is the driving force behind creating strong global connections. If Oregon and Portland truly want to be a world class player, then they need to start acting like it.
P.S. I love that Paul Bunyon.
By boib on Monday, April 07, 2008 at 02:01PM PDT
Well, the prevailing attitude of a significant amount of Oregonians is “shut the door behind you” – ‘get the fuck out of my state and leave me alone’ attitude.
People typically move here to get away from somewhere else.
Being a native who moved to Portland to take advantage of the circumstances here, I do not share these dimwitted sentiments. Actually, many people do not. But, you know, most people are “too busy” chatting away on myspace at the coffee shop to really give a shit.
I tell people that Portland is a “big town,” not a “small city.”
By Stephen on Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 10:12AM PDT
I agree, that’s where I think the disconnect lies in the business community and political communities here and this is historical. Look at our educational institutions, Oregon sold off it’s land grant properties in downtown Portland a century ago, UW kept valuable downtown Seattle property. And although PSU is a growing presence, it still has to battle with an outdated chancellery system favoring the other two major universities. I think all of this reflects an inherently provincial mentality.
We see fits and starts, but they really seem misguided. The biotech desire in Sowa is one. This was always kind of goofy. Portland never could compete globally or even nationally in this field – we do not have a critical mass of either existing educational institutions or existing companies working to create a dynamic cluster.
I think Mike pointed out in an earlier post that there is potential now, more than ever, for Oregon to become a global player. That is in the field of renewable resources. We are a leader in both the actualized aspects of this and in creating a community of thought that can propel us even further – we have the critical mass needed. My hope is that we have both a political community and business community than can take off their houseshoes and work for this.
The Olympics only present a kind of glossy idea of globalism. Vancouver has been going crazy building for this. It is also becoming outrageously expensive, something pretty to look at but increasingly impossible to live in. I also think Seattle is quickly following the same path, becoming more corporately generic with every mega highrise and condo tower. This is the failure of globalism, because so much is lost on the local level.
Renewable energy represents the best possible direction we could go. It relates to our values as a ‘place’ and to something that actually benefits the planet instead of benefiting corporations.
By boib on Monday, April 07, 2008 at 01:57PM PDT
What?! The Olympics?
What’s this, you say? In Canada? Isn’t that where all the hippies during the Vietnam War fled to? And Vancouver? Never heard of it.
^ this reflects the basic understanding of the average Oregonian. I know that nobody that I know realizes that the Olympics will be held in BC in two years’ time.
By Stuart on Friday, March 28, 2008 at 02:42PM PDT
These are great points. If people travel thousands of miles to Vancouver, they will certainly want to explore the region. I wonder if there’s any marketing initiative by POVA or PDC to lure any of these folks into Portland? I’m also wondering why Sam Adams hasn’t formed a committee. Sam Adams seems form committees for everything else. We want a committee!