Portland Opera gives 'full support' for PSU concert hall replacing Keller Auditorium

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Portland Opera Association is backing Portland State University’s plan to replace the aging Keller Auditorium with a 3,000-seat, “state-of-the-art” concert hall in Southwest Portland.

Proposals were made to refurbish or replace the Keller Auditorium after a 2020 seismic analysis performed by the Portland Office of Management and Finance showed that the 107-year-old building would not survive a major earthquake. The plan to refurbish the Keller is estimated to cost $290 million, and would require the theater to close for approximately two years, according to a study conducted by Oregon Metro. The proposed PSU concert hall, meanwhile, is estimated to cost $447 million and would allow shows to continue at the Keller during its construction.

After “months of reflection,” Portland Opera announced its “full support” of PSU’s proposed event center on July 23. The nonprofit said that it sided with the PSU project because it allows the city’s ability to continue hosting shows while a new venue is built.

“Portland Opera has deep concerns regarding the Halprin Landscape Conservancy’s proposal requiring a staggered closure of the Keller,” Portland Opera said. “In previous statements addressing the potential impact of this closure, Portland Opera emphasized the severe consequences a complete closure would have on the organization, and the broader arts community.”

The Metro study found that closing the Keller for two years would cost the city 336 jobs, $100 million in lost output, $42.3 million in lost labor income and $5.1 million in state and local revenues. Portland Opera CEO Sue Dixon said in a statement that the Portland arts community would struggle to survive the absence of a performance space if the Keller was refurbished.

“The Keller Auditorium remaining open until a new one is built is not only key to rebuilding our performances and revenue, but also necessary for our continued existence,” Dixon said. “Closing the Keller, even for one day, threatens the arts community and all of the artists, performers, technicians and support staff who all contribute to a thriving arts ecosystem.”

The proposed PSU venue would be built on the current site of the University Place Hotel & Conference Center on Lincoln Street — a 4.25-acre property owned by the university. The public overwhelmingly favored a renovation of the Keller Theater in a survey recently conducted by the city. The Portland City Council will ultimately make a decision on the future of the Keller Auditorium.

“It is crucial that we support the continuity and growth of our cultural institutions,” Dixon said. “We strongly urge the City Council to reject Halprin’s Keller renovation project in favor of endorsing PSU as the most viable solution.”