Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty added her name to a letter from 24 Portland-area mayors pressing the city of Portland to finalize a deal that would keep the Trail Blazers and renovate the Moda Center.

The letter, reported by OPB on July 17, landed during a turbulent week for the arena negotiations.

Portland had just delivered its first draft term sheet to the Trail Blazers on July 16, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver publicly said the talks had "gone off track," and two Multnomah County commissioners called for a "reset" on the county's proposed funding.

The deal would commit more than $600 million in public funds to renovate the Moda Center, which was built in 1995 and is often called the NBA's oldest non-renovated arena.

Oregon's legislature has already approved $365 million in bonds. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson has pledged $120 million in city funds, and Multnomah County is weighing more than $100 million.

The Trail Blazers' current lease expires in 2030, and the state's bond money is contingent on the city and county finalizing their packages.

Beaty has not issued a public statement explaining why she signed. The Beaverton Beat has requested comment from the mayor's office.

Why the letter landed when it did

On July 15, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told reporters at the Board of Governors meeting in Las Vegas that he had "hoped more progress would have been made" and that negotiations had "gone off track in various ways."

Portland Mayor Wilson fired back on July 16, saying the absence of essential details from the Blazers was slowing progress.

Trail Blazers spokesperson Charles Boyle responded the same day, saying the team was ready to begin formal negotiations immediately.

The suburban mayors' letter arrived the same day a business coalition called "We Are Rip City" launched to push Portland's City Council toward approving the deal. The coalition warned the opportunity to keep the team would not return.

What the term sheet proposes

The draft term sheet Portland sent to the Blazers calls for a 20-year non-relocation commitment, $3 million in annual payments from the team that would escalate over time, and caps on public funding, according to Axios Portland.

The team's $3 million annual payments would be split among the city, Multnomah County, and Portland Public Schools.

What's next

Portland's City Council is scheduled to vote on a formal term sheet on August 12. Multnomah County Commissioners Julia Brim-Edwards and Meghan Moyer wrote in a letter on July 17, that they want to ensure community benefits before committing the county's share.

Beaverton residents who want to weigh in on the city's regional stance can contact Mayor Beaty's office through the city website at beavertonoregon.gov/mayor.