Portland leaders look to city’s cash-rich climate fund to help keep Trail Blazers in town

Portland leaders consider controversial move to use climate funding for Moda Center upgrade

Portland leaders are considering using up to $75 million from the city's Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund to help pay for renovations at the Moda Center, in order to keep the Trail Blazers in town.

Portland leaders look to city’s cash-rich climate fund to help keep Trail Blazers in town

A key city councilor expressed skepticism about the proposal to use clean energy fund money for Moda Center renovations, saying those dollars are supposed to reduce carbon emissions, not finance arena deals.

Blazers Notes: Deadline, Cissoko, Love, Thybulle, Krejci, Arena

After making a minor move at the start of the week to acquire Vit Krejci from Atlanta, the Trail Blazers didn’t make any additional trades between Monday and Thursday. As Joe Freeman of The Oregonian writes, that was a relief to the Blazers’ players, who admitted to being nervous in the days leading up to the deadline. “The players were joking around a little bit, (saying) ‘We’re all back,'” interim head coach Tiago Splitter said on Thursday. “I…