The Portland Timbers return to Providence Park for their season opener Saturday, but off the pitch fans can take in a new beer patio, try a kalbi beef wrap or drop in at the "world's smallest dive bar."
Timbers CEO Heather Davis' take: “I think the chimichurri tri-tip sandwiches are probably going to be the biggest hits.”
The team and Providence Park introduced some of the stadium's new restaurants and bars and other features to help fans enjoy soccer games.
A new 700-person capacity beer patio sits at the south end of the park, just below the Multnomah Athletic Club section. This area will feature what Providence Park is calling the “World’s Smallest Dive Bar” inside a 10 Barrel-branded Airstream camper, complete with taps, cocktails and dive bar necessities like a dart board and pool cues.
The venue is part of a multiyear deal with 10 Barrel Brewing and Widmer Brothers Brewing that makes the two the official craft beer partners of the club.
Killer Burger and Society Pie, some of the popular vendors already in the stadium concourse, have added new locations in the park in addition to their established locations. Previous vendors such as Cha Cha Cha, Vista Nachos and Tillamook will be in the park again this year. The park and its hospitality partner, Levy, also are introducing several new menu items, including chimichurri tri-tip sandwiches, Hawaiian loaded nachos, kalua pork bowls, loaded barbecue nachos, kalbi beef rice wraps and s’mores doughnut holes.
Davis said the Airstream bar is something fans definitely shouldn’t miss this season, and said she hopes the additional Killer Burger locations throughout the concourse will help relieve some line wait times.
Fans who don’t want to fuss with parking in the Goose Hollow-area on game days will be able to use game tickets as proof of fare on TriMet buses and MAX trains. Providence Park is also making itself more bicycle-friendly by now offering free, secure bike parking on game days on Southwest Morrison Street close to the 18th Avenue intersection.
The new features are part of Providence Park’s push to be more environmentally friendly. The campaign, called Green is Gold, also introduces reusable drinkware via Bold Reuse, a Portland company dedicated to reducing waste. Bold Reuse's pilot program will only be in Providence Park's premier areas, with a plan to expand park-wide eventually.
Bold Reuse’s expansion into Providence Park makes Portland the only city in the country with circular options at all of its professional sports venues and marks Major League Soccer's first venue to offer reusable containers. Bold Reuse was a 2023 Portland Business Journal start-up to watch and secured investment from Seattle-based Mastersfund.
“What my hope is is that people start to do this at home as well, not buy so many disposable products, and that when they go to a restaurant or go to a venue, that they more easily are engaging with Reuse and expect it from their businesses that they are frequenting,” said Heather Watkins, co-founder of Bold Reuse.
The pilot project is limited to the three premium spaces in Providence Park, The Club, Lexus Lounge and Tanner Ridge, with plans to expand stadium-wide if the pilot is successful.
The Timbers start the regular season at home against the Colorado Rapids, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m.
