Providence Park will finally reopen on Saturday, June 1 when the Portland Timbers host LAFC. Over the last two years, the Timbers organization has poured $85 million into expanding and upgrading the stadium. Through the project, the organization has added three new levels and 4,074 new seats to the east side of the stadium. They also installed two new video boards, added LED field lighting, updated their sound system, upgraded the turf field, remodeled the Timbers' and Thorns' locker rooms and added refreshed concession stands, among other changes.

Ahead of Saturday's reopening, here is a look at the evolution of the historic stadium and the different purposes that it has served since it was originally constructed in 1926.

Oregonian files

Providence Park was originally constructed as Multnomah Stadium in downtown Portland for $500,000 in 1926, according to information compiled by the Oregon Historical Society and the Portland Timbers. While the Multnomah Athletic Club had used the site for athletic fields previously, the site wasn't expanded into a full-scale stadium until 1926. Throughout the years, the stadium has hosted a range of different sports, political gatherings, concerts and other big events within the City of Portland.

In this June 18, 1933 photo above, an aerial view of Multnomah Stadium is shown with a dog racetrack in place.

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Oregonian Files

According to information compiled by the Oregon Historical Society and the Portland Timbers, the historic stadium has played host to numerous events over the years, including presidential visits, NFL games, a concert by Elvis Presley in 1957, the final professional game for soccer legend Pele in the North American Soccer League's 1977 Soccer Bowl, the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, numerous college football games and decades of professional baseball.

And of course, the stadium has been the home of the Timbers off and on since the first iteration of the club in 1975. The Timbers have been the primary tenant at the park since entering MLS in 2011.

In this undated photo above, fans pack into Multnomah Stadium for a football game.

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Oregonian Files

Two hundred young men, including 26 aviation cadets, were inducted into the Navy during halftime of the University of Oregon and St. Mary's pre-flight school football game at Multnomah Stadium on September 26, 1942.

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Oregonian Files

This September 5, 1950 photo shows the closing service of the Billy Graham revival. The final service at Multnomah Stadium was attended by nearly 25,000 people.

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Carl Vermilya/Oregonian Files

Costumed youngsters from Alameda, Beaumont and Fernwood schools dance on the field at Multnomah Stadium in 1952 during a Rose Festival program staged by the schools to honor Queen Jeanne.

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Frank Sterrett/Oregonian Files

In 1956, the Portland Beavers moved to Multnomah Stadium. A record crowd of 16,929 fans attended the Pacific Coast League team's opener at Multnomah Stadium.

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Dick Farris/Oregonian Files

In this 1958 photo, Royal Rosaria's princesses enter the stadium riding huge pieces of birthday cake, honoring the Rose Festival's 50th Anniversary.

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A crowd of 23,544 saw Los Angeles defeat the Minnesota Vikings 33-23 at Multnomah Stadium in a professional football game in 1962.

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Oregonian Files

After years of football and baseball games, Civic Stadium was preparing to get new turf in this photo from 1967.

By that time, the City of Portland owned the stadium, having purchased it from the Multnomah Athletic Club for $2.1 million in 1966. Multnomah Stadium was renamed Civic Stadium following the City's purchase of the stadium in 1966.

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Bruce McCurtain/Oregonian Files

The City of Portland embraced the nickname "Soccer City, USA" back in 1975 when the Portland Timbers joined the old North American Soccer League as an expansion team. Portland loved its new team. In this 1975 photo, Timbers fans converge on Civic Stadium to purchase tickets for the North American Soccer League quarterfinal playoff game against the Seattle Sounders. A record 31,000 raucous fans attended the match as the Timbers won in overtime.

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David Falconer/Oregonian Files

Portland Timbers goalkeeper Graham Brown concentrates on weight training as other Timbers work on their conditioning during the club's first workout of the season at Civic Stadium in 1977.

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Brent Wojahn/Oregonian Files

Portland Timbers coach Don Megson acknowledges the crowd at Civic Stadium after a 3-1 season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Aztecs in 1979. The North American Soccer League Timbers folded in 1982. Professional soccer returned to Portland in 1985 with F.C. Portland joining the Western Soccer Alliance. The Timbers were reborn in 2001 when they joined the lower division USL.

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In 1981, the stadium underwent a significant renovation. In this 1982 photo, Leo Jochim smooths cement outside Civic Stadium as work on the structure continues.

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Brent Wojahn/Oregonian Files

Only about 200 people showed up to Civic Stadium on a cold weekend day in 1982 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony that was supposed to give fans a chance to look at the newly renovated structure.

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John Gress/AP

Workmen lay down grass at Civic Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 1997. The temporary grass was placed at the stadium in preparation for a World Cup qualifying match between the United States and Costa Rica.

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Roger Jensen/Oregonian Files

In 2000, the stadium underwent a large renovation to bring minor league soccer and Triple-A baseball back to Portland. More than 750 tons of steel were added to the facility as part of substantial seismic upgrades, according to the Timbers and the Oregon Historical Society. The USL Timbers began play at the stadium in 2001. It was the first time a team had played under the Timbers name since 1990 when the club competed in the Western Soccer Alliance. The Portland Beavers minor league baseball team, which had left Portland in 1993, returned to the city and the stadium in 2001 as well.

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Roger Jensen/Oregonian Files

Civic Stadium was renamed PGE Park in 2001. Prior to the Portland Beavers' home opener in 2001, members of the media were given the opportunity to take photos of the renovated stadium.

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AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

World Cup Soccer came to PGE Park in 2003. In this file photo, United States star Mia Hamm, right, shields the ball from Germany's Stefanie Gottschlich during the first half of the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup semifinals on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2003.

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Jamie Francis/The Oregonian

The lower division USL Timbers played their final season at PGE Park in 2010 before joining Major League Soccer as an expansion team in 2011. In this Wednesday, August 11, 2010 photo above, the Timbers defend against the Minnesota Stars at PGE Park.

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Benjamin Brink/The Oregonian

PGE Park underwent massive renovations in 2010 to become a soccer-specific stadium ahead of the Timbers' entrance into MLS in 2011. In the September 2010 photo above, MLS Commissioner Don Garber, left, poses with Timbers owner Merritt Paulson for a ground breaking ceremony ahead construction at PGE Park.

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Benjamin Brink/Oregonian

Crews work on renovations at PGE Park on September 21, 2010, ahead of the Timbers' first MLS season in 2011.

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Thomas Boyd/Oregonian

A worker updates the reader board on March 14, 2011 after the Portland Timbers unveil the new name of their home venue, announcing that PGE Park would become Jeld-Wen Field ahead of the start of the 2011 MLS season.

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Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian

Crews work on the pitch at Providence Park on March 14, 2011 ahead of the Timbers' MLS home opener on April 14 against the Chicago Fire.

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Thomas Boyd/Oregonian

The Timbers Army welcomes the Portland Timbers to MLS with a huge tifo display ahead of the club's home opener against the Chicago Fire at Jeld-Wen Field on Thursday, Apr. 14, 2011. The club also celebrated the Timbers' first game as an MLS team with fireworks. The Timbers beat the Fire 4-2.

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Thomas Boyd/Oregonian Files

The Timbers Army cheers before team introductions against the Colorado Rapids at Jeld-Wen Field on Friday, Sept. 20, 2013. The Timbers finished first in the Western Conference in 2013 and earned a berth to the MLS postseason for the first time.

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Jamie Francis/Oregonian

The Timbers host Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference Championship series at Jeld-Wen Field on November 24, 2013. MLS playoff soccer was played at Jeld-Wen Field for the first time in 2013.

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Randy L. Rasmussen/Oregonian

Jeld-Wen Field was renamed Providence Park in 2015. In the June 28, 2015 photo above, the Timbers Army unveils a tifo before the Timbers beat rival Seattle Sounders 4-1 at Providence Park. The Timbers went on to win their first MLS Cup title in 2015. During their MLS history, the Timbers have twice finished first in the Western Conference during the regular season, made four trips to the postseason, competed in the MLS Cup twice and hoisted one MLS Cup trophy.

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Jamie Goldberg/The Oregonian

The Timbers unveiled a $50 million expansion project in April 2017 that would add roughly 4,000 new seats to Providence Park. The project evolved over time. The club ultimately spent $85 million on the privately-financed expansion project. Through the project, the organization added three new levels and 4,074 new seats to the east side of the stadium, as well as installed two new video boards, added LED field lighting, updated the sound system, upgraded the turf field, remodeled both the Timbers' and Thorns' locker rooms, added refreshed concession stands and built a new team store, among other changes. In the photo above, construction at Providence Park remains ongoing on November 26, 2018.

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Sean Meagher/Staff

The expansion project raised capacity at Providence Park from 21,144 to 25,218. The new seats were added to the east side of the stadium, as shown in the May 7, 2019 photo above. With the new capacity, the Timbers, who have sold out every game since entering MLS in 2011, are expected to rank in the top-five in MLS in per game attendance numbers.

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Sean Meagher/Staff

The revamped Providence Park will officially open on Saturday, June 1 when the Timbers (4-6-2, 14 points) take on LAFC in their home opener at 7:30 p.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN 2. The east side of the stadium was designed to keep sound in, which is expected to create an even more vibrant atmosphere at a stadium that already boasted arguably the best atmosphere in MLS.

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Sean Meagher/Staff

Providence Park will host plenty of soccer games in the coming months. The Timbers will play 17 games at Providence Park this season, closing out their 2019 campaign by playing 11 of their final 12 games at home. The Thorns, who will face the Chicago Red Stars in their home opener at Providence Park on Sunday, June 2 at 3 p.m. PT, will play 12 games at Providence Park this season and close out their 2019 campaign with eight of their final 11 games at home. T2, the Timbers' lower division team, will play the remainder of their 2019 home games at Providence Park as well.

-- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com

503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg

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