House Concurrent Resolution 40 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing the Portland Trail Blazers for their long-standing cultural significance in Oregon. It recounts the team’s history since 1970, its 1977 NBA championship, its many playoff appearances, and its role as a source of statewide pride and shared identity. The resolution also highlights the team’s community work through education, youth development, public health, and charitable efforts.
The resolution emphasizes the Trail Blazers’ economic importance to Oregon, especially through the Rose Quarter, Moda Center, and Veterans Memorial Coliseum. It cites a 2024 economic impact study estimating roughly $670 million in annual economic activity tied to the Rose Quarter, including substantial direct activity from Trail Blazers operations, job support, tourism, and spending from out-of-region visitors. In addition to recognizing these contributions, the resolution urges current and future owners, in partnership with the NBA, to keep the team based in Oregon for generations to come.
Impact
HCR 40 does not change Oregon statutes, create regulatory requirements, or appropriate funds. Its legal effect is limited to a formal expression of legislative sentiment and recognition. The practical impact is symbolic: it publicly affirms the Trail Blazers’ cultural and economic value and communicates the Legislature’s preference that the franchise remain in Oregon, which may be relevant to civic, business, and sports-relocation discussions.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly positive and noncontroversial. It passed the House committee unanimously, cleared the House floor with only one no vote, and then passed the Senate committee and Senate floor unanimously. The voting pattern suggests strong bipartisan support for honoring the Trail Blazers and for the message that the team should remain in Oregon.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive opposition in the available record. The only notable point of potential contention is the resolution’s urging that current and future owners, together with the NBA, commit to keeping the team in Oregon, which is a policy statement rather than a binding requirement. Even so, the near-unanimous votes indicate that any disagreement was minimal and did not center on the resolution’s core recognition of the team’s cultural and economic role.