Sixteen NBA arena deals since 2014. Fifteen required private capital, rent, revenue sharing, or meaningful public protections. One does not. Portland's SB 1501 is the only deal in modern history where ownership contributes nothing and the public gets nothing back.
| Deal | Total Cost | Public Funding | Private Funding | Private % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Portland Trail Blazers SB 1501
Moda Center renovation
2026 — proposed
|
$600M | $573M | $0 | 0% | ONLY deal with zero private capital, no rent, no revenue sharing, no relocation penalty, no ticket surcharge. Shortest lease (20 yrs). TRUE cost includes bond interest + city operations: $1.06B–$1.11B. |
|
Philadelphia 76ers
New South Philly Arena
Approved 2025 · Opening ~2031
|
$1.5B | $0 | $1.5B | 100% | Shifted from 76 Place to South Philly joint venture with Comcast Spectacor. 100% private. |
|
LA Clippers
Intuit Dome (new arena)
Deal ~2017–2021 · Opened 2024
|
$2B+ | $0 | $2B+ | 100% | Ballmer 100% private. $500M+ Intuit naming rights retained. Hosted 2026 All-Star. |
|
Golden State Warriors
Chase Center (new arena)
Deal ~2012–2014 · Opened 2019
|
$1.4B | $0 | $1.4B | 100% | 100% private. Franchise value $11B+ (Forbes 2026). |
|
Cleveland Cavaliers
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (renovation)
Deal 2017 · Completed 2019
|
$185M | $70M | $115M | 62.2% | Dan Gilbert absorbed all overruns. Hosted 2022 All-Star. |
|
Detroit Pistons
Little Caesars Arena (new, shared NHL)
Deal 2013 · Opened 2017
|
$863M | ~$358.5M | ~$539M | 59.6% | Plus $34.5M Pistons-specific upgrades. Shared with Red Wings. |
|
Sacramento Kings
Golden 1 Center (new arena)
Deal 2014 · Opened 2016
|
$534.6M | $255M | $279.6M | 52.3% | CAA Icon negotiated FOR THE PUBLIC. Hard cap — Kings absorbed $57M overrun. City keeps 100% naming rights ($6M/yr = $210M over 35 yrs). 35-year lease. |
|
Milwaukee Bucks
Fiserv Forum (new arena)
Deal 2015 · Opened 2018
|
$524M | $250M | $274M | 52.3% | CAA Icon represented BUCKS (team side). 30-yr non-relocation. $2/ticket surcharge (~$60M over 30 yrs). |
|
San Antonio Spurs
New downtown arena + district
Approved Nov 2025 · Opening post-2029
|
$1.3B | $800M | $500M | 38.5% | $4M/yr rent + $2.5M/yr community benefits = $195M returned over 30 yrs. 30-yr non-relocation. $1.4B surrounding private development. Voter-approved. |
|
Washington D.C.
Capital One Arena (renovation)
Deal 2024 · Completed 2027
|
$800M | $515M | $285M | 35.6% | D.C. bought arena $87.5M, leases back. $1.5–$2.3M/yr lease through 2050 + options to 2070. CAA Icon is PROJECT MANAGER — same firm on Blazers' side in Portland. |
|
Atlanta Hawks
State Farm Arena (renovation)
Deal 2016 · Completed 2018
|
$192.5M | $142.5M | $50M+ | 26%+ | Hawks absorbed all overruns above $192.5M. City-owned. Lease through 2046. |
|
Indianapolis Pacers
Gainbridge Fieldhouse (multi-phase renovation)
~2020–2025 · Ongoing
|
~$360M | ~$295M | ~$65M | 18% | Capital Improvement Board + city funded 82%. Downtown sports hub expansion. |
|
Charlotte Hornets
Spectrum Center (renovation + practice)
Approved 2022 · Completed 2025
|
$245M (+$60M) | $245M | Overruns only | ~0% | No base private capital. Hornets pay $2M/yr rent + $1.1M/yr capital fund from 2031 (~$32M through 2045). City-owned. |
|
OKC Thunder
New downtown arena
Approved 2023 · Opening ~2029
|
$900M | $850M | $50M | 5.6% | CAA Icon negotiated FOR THE PUBLIC. $1B relocation penalty declining over 25 yrs. $58K/game rent + 3% escalator. F&B revenue share. 25-yr lease + renewals to 2068. Highest public % but strongest protections. |
|
Memphis Grizzlies
FedEx Forum (renovation)
2024–2025 · Ongoing
|
$550M | $550M | $0 | 0% | 100% public via TN state bonds + local taxes. No private capital. Lease extensions beyond 2029. |
|
Salt Lake City Jazz
Delta Center (renovation + district)
Approved 2024 · 2025+
|
$525M arena; $900M district | $525M | $4B+ (district) | * | 100% public for arena BUT $4B+ private surrounding development + $1–$3/ticket public benefit fee. Dual NBA/NHL. City-owned. |
| Source | Principal | True Cost (w/ interest & ops) |
|---|---|---|
| State of Oregon (SB 1501 bonds) | $365M | $530M–$625M |
| City of Portland (upfront) | $120M | $120M |
| City of Portland (operations) | — | $280M ($14M/yr x 20 yrs) |
| Multnomah County | $88M | $88M |
| Trail Blazers / Tom Dundon | $0 | $0 |
| TOTAL | $573M | $1.06B–$1.11B |
Source: Oregon Legislative Fiscal Office, Mayor Wilson testimony
CAA Icon negotiated for the PUBLIC in Sacramento and OKC — securing hard caps, naming rights, and $1B relocation penalties. The same firm is on the BLAZERS' side in Portland, where none of those protections exist.
Three teams — the 76ers, Clippers, and Warriors — funded their arenas entirely with private capital. Every other deal in the last decade included meaningful private contributions from ownership, rent payments, revenue sharing, or strong public protections.
Portland's SB 1501 is the only deal where a billionaire ownership group contributes nothing — and the public gets nothing back. Not a reduced share. Not a smaller percentage. Not even rent. Zero.
Tom Dundon paid $4.25 billion for the Trail Blazers. The renovation will increase his franchise value, his suite revenue, his naming rights, and his eventual sale price. The TRUE public cost — $1.06B to $1.11B — is nearly double the headline number. Every other NBA city required ownership to share in the cost. Oregon should too.
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