BY GORDON R. FRIEDMAN

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Photographs of architectural renderings of a proposed Major League Baseball stadium obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive show backers of the pro-ball effort envision their team playing in a sleek, open stadium near the Willamette River.

The renderings depict a circular stadium with open views to the southeast and roughly two-thirds surrounded by translucent walls. A circular, crowd-covering awning appears supported by cables descending from a towering lighted white spire outside the stadium’s northwest end, similar to the structure of the Tilikum Crossing bridge.

Drawings also show substantial greenways and trees and – surprising for ever-rainy Portland – apparently no roof or dome over the field or many of the seats. It’s unclear whether the proposed design includes a parking structure.

A photo of the renderings was taken by a person who attended a meeting at the headquarters of TVA Architects, a local firm retained by the company formed by a group of wealthy local businessmen to pursue management of an MLB team. Printouts of the renderings hung on the wall of a TVA conference room.

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In announcing the pro-ball effort, a would-be management group of businessmen operating under the name Portland Diamond Project also disclosed plans to construct 8,000 apartment units as part of the stadium project. Renderings appear to show residential buildings near the proposed stadium site.

The drawings show the ballpark complex spanning the site of the Portland Public Schools headquarters and property fronting North Broadway Avenue owned by Joe Weston, one of the city’s biggest property holders.

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Backers of the pro-ball effort placed an unsolicited $80 million bid on the school district property in April. District officials said they will consider Portland Diamond Project's offer and open bidding to others.

The company said it is also interested in a northwest Portland property owned by metal parts manufacturer ESCO Corp. The property now houses a defunct foundry and sits on the original site of the Vaughn Street Park. That ballpark was home to the Portland Beavers, and was demolished in 1956.

A Portland Diamond Project spokesman, John McIsaac, said Wednesday that the images obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive depict "only one of the ballpark concepts we’re exploring," adding that the company is still "immersed in the design process." McIsaac said the company looks forward to a "formal unveiling" of a ballpark design in the future.

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Portland Diamond Project managers include former Trail Blazers announcer Mike Barrett, retired Nike executive Craig Cheek and former state senator Jason Atkinson. The trio formed a subsidiary company, Portland Diamond Development Co., in January – six months after forming Portland Diamond Project.

Atkinson and Barrett are also partners in at least three other companies. The two control a company called Atkinson Barrett Management, founded in June 2017. They also co-run Aspiration Productions and 3 Days Show, companies established on the same day in April 2017, with David Turin, a former personality on the gold mining reality television show “Gold Rush.” Atkinson said Wednesday that his companies with Barrett and Turin are not baseball-related.

Portland Diamond Project has also retained two prominent lobbyists who held meetings with Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Nick Fish earlier this year to discuss MLB plans. Those lobbying efforts cost $30,000, according to public filings. The company has said it will not seek any new public incentives to construct a stadium, and Wheeler has said he is not willing to offer additional incentives.

Portland Diamond Project has also sought to raise money, though it's unclear what for. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings show the company wants to raise $6 million and has sold equity worth $500,000 to two investors. The investors remain unknown.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

GFriedman@Oregonian.com

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