Convention Center Hotel Sorely Needed

A plan for a convention center hotel was considered Wednesday by thePortland Development Commission, with market studies showing that at least a 300- to 400-room hotel in the Lloyd District is clearly needed.

The expanded convention center needs a hotel that can book blocks of hundreds of rooms at a time for events, according to a report for the commission by the Strategic Advisory Group LLC. The firm recommends a hotel with a parking garage east of the convention center and connected with a pedestrian bridge. The convention center expansion is scheduled for completion April 17.

According to the report, the convention center hotel could sustain up to 800 rooms. Without a new hotel, many smaller, existing hotels would have to upgrade and expand their room capacities to accommodate convention participants. The latter option would likely require financial incentives in exchange for priority booking of room blocks for event groups.

The city has made three serious attempts in the last 12 years to land a convention center hotel. The Portland Development Commission owns about120,000 sf of land in the area, including the 60,000-sf lot east of the convention center and acquiring more land would be too time-consuming, city officials say.