Bucky Lasek wins in the Dew Tour Portland Invitational

Bucky Lasek took first place in the Skateboard Bowl competition in the Dew Tour's Portland Invitational at the Rose Quarter in 2011, the last time the event was held in Portland. Brent Wojahn/The Oregonian

A few blocks of Southwest Broadway in downtown Portland will be transformed into a BMX and skateboarding competition next month after the City Council officially approved a permit request Wednesday.

The Dew Tour, the traveling skateboarding, BMK riding and extreme sports showcase, will return to Portland in August for the first time since 2011. The 2014 edition will make the eighth time Portland has hosted the tour in its decade-long existence.

But for the first time, the event won't be held at the Rose Quarter. NBC Universal, which owns and broadcasts the summer Dew Tour stops, will host a two-day competition with four events along a stretch of Southwest Broadway.

The idea is to frame the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and the famous Portland sign for a national and international television audience.

Broadway will be closed between Southwest Jefferson and Southwest Salmon starting the evening of August 15 and lasting until the morning of August 18.

Chris Prybylo, the vice president of NBC Sports subsidiary Alli Sports, said the Dew Tour sought out Portland as a potential site for the downtown event.

"We'll make sure people have a sense of place," he told the City Council.

San Francisco hosted a similar Dew Tour production last year. The tour will also host a street style competition in Brooklyn, New York in September.

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Prybylo billed the Dew Tour stop as an economic boon for the city of Portland. It will include five hours of combined TV coverage (on NBC and NBC Sports) of the August 16 and 17 events, and live streaming.

Drew Mahalic, CEO of the Oregon Sports Authority, told the City Council the Dew Tour will bring thousands to downtown Portland and create a truly memorable experience. "Every nation that we care to do business with and we care to attract tourists from, will be able to see the Dew Tour on TV," he added.

Despite lacking the official sign-off on permitting and proposed street closures, it appears the Dew Tour was already ready to move forward. The Portland stop is featured on the official website, and was included in a May press release.

City officials said they've already worked with the Heathman Hotel and other surrounding businesses that could be impacted by periodic closures of cross streets. Officials said there were no objections to the event.

Commissioner Steve Novick quipped that it's fitting the Dew Tour will hold an event under the watch of Mayor "Skateboard Charlie" Hales.

When Hales was a City Commissioner, he earned the moniker after ending laws outlying skateboarding in downtown Portland.

Sidewalks on Broadway will remain open for pedestrians, although some crossings on side streets may be closed.



- S.W. Main Street between S.W. Broadway and S.W. Park beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, August 14 and ending at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, August 18

- S.W. Main Street between S.W. 6th ,and S.W. Broadway, S.W. Broadway between S.W. Salmon and S.W. Jefferson, and S.W. Madison Street at its crossing with S.W. Broadway beginning at 7:00 p.m. Friday, August 15 and ending at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, August 18.

- Local access to S.W. Madison Street shall be via temporary conversion to two- way street sections between S.W. 6th and S.W. Broadway and between S.W. Park and S.W. Broadway beginning at 7:00 p.m. Friday, August 15 and ending at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, August 18.

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-- Andrew Theen