PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — There have been two major questions hovering over the Portland Diamond Project since April: when could a Major League Baseball team come to Portland, and where? After a report from Kerry Eggers of The Portland Tribune, we might be close to some answers. 

The Portland Diamond Project, according to Eggers, hopes to control land for a potential Major League Baseball team in “four to six weeks.”

“We think that’s possible,” Portland Diamond Project Managing Partner Mike Barrett told Eggers. 

Eggers said the project has been working “behind the scenes” to get a spot. He also reported five possibilities: the old Esco site — the most unlikely of the options — a Northeast Portland PPS site, Terminal 1 and 2 with the Port of Portland along the Willamette River and a South Waterfront property owned by the Zidell family, known as “Zidell Yards.” In June, the Zidells and the City of Portland ended their agreement to build barge-themed towers on that site, which is near OHSU. 

“While the termination of the agreement is significant, it does not signal the end of development work in South Waterfront,” Mayor Ted Wheeler told The Portland Tribune on June 25.

Jay Zidell told the Portland Tribune that he met with Portland Diamond Project about the site two weeks ago. 

Eggers also reported that Portland Diamond Project is also looking at a “secret” site outside Portland’s city limits. 

Portland Diamond Project officials also told Eggers say, in a perfect world, that Portland would have a team in time for the 2022 season.

How a baseball team would suit up in Portland is a different question, one that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred hinted at on the Dan Patrick Show on Tuesday. Manfred included Portland on an expansion short list of cities, adding that he hopes to eventually add two more teams into the league. 

Manfred said the league has an “embarrassment of riches” with potential, viable options. Along with Portland, he also named Las Vegas, Nashville, Charlotte, Montreal and even Mexico as places that could add a baseball franchise. 

The Portland Tribune is a KOIN 6 News media partner