PORTLAND, Texas — City of Portland is finishing work on a major revitalizing project of its historic “Old Town” district in the southern part of the city. 

The $33 million Leisure and Entertainment District has been in the works since 2019 when it finally got voter approval of the project in 2019.

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Diane Pritchard has seen the city of Portland change over the years. Her family moved to the area in 1966 and today, she’s living in the same house she grew up in. 

“This is our history. This is our old Portland, and of course we have the new areas and all that, but we have kept it here and that’s important to me,” Pritchard said.

She said she is excited for the new LED building will be a great addition the community. 

“Well, I love it because we’ve never had anything like this. If we wanted entertainment we had to leave town. To go to Corpus or wherever and they anticipate this is gonna be a very energetic and moving activity place so I’m thrilled,” Pritchard said.

The historic heart of Portland — near Fifth and Elm Street — is entering a new era. Mayor Cathy Skurow said the project marks a major milestone for that area which wasn’t bringing in enough tax revenue to cover city services. 

“But we’re hopeful this project will do is bring in other businesses that will tag along with the leisure and entertainment district that will develop the tax base so that one, maybe they’re standing on their own in this area for city services, or they now become the economic driver for some of the other city services throughout our city,” Skurow said. 

City of Portland Manager Randy Wright said there’s nothing like this 130,000 square foot outdoor and indoor venue in south Texas.

“We have a large indoor ballroom space. We have an outdoor lawn that is covered in artificial turf. We have a permanent stage, we have water features, we have climbing facilities for kids, a lot of things for kids to do outdoors. A place for people to go to restaurant,” Wright said. 

Pritchard praises the city officials for making this project possible.

“I’ve just seen so much growth. And as our population has grown, the city has stepped up and like this project, I would have never thought this project would have been here. And so they went ahead and they found the money and they did it, and I’m very happy,” Pritchard said.

Skurow said the grand opening for the LED project is set for November 14.