​  A drumbeat of laudatory speeches praised state lawmakers’ bipartisan sprint this spring to pledge $365 million toward a revamp of the now publicly owned arena and keep the Trail Blazers in Portland, after a group led by Texas billionaire Tom Dundon purchased the team for $4.25 billion. A phalanx of business and elected leaders, including Mayor Keith Wilson and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, touted the civic and economic benefits that the estimated $600 million project — to be funded exclusively by taxpayers — would bring.Oregonian      ​Read More