Commissioner Garber announces further Pacific Northwest expansion.

NEW YORK — Major League Soccer has reached an agreement with The Paulson Family that will bring an MLS team to Portland in 2011, MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced Friday. The announcement of Portland as the League’s 18th club comes just two days after Vancouver was announced as the League’s 17th team, also beginning play in 2011.

“A city with such a storied soccer tradition deserves an MLS team, and we are proud to have Portland join the top level of professional soccer in our region,” Garber said. “Merritt Paulson and his family provide a vibrant and innovative ownership group that truly loves the world’s game and we believe PGE Park will provide a world-class soccer environment for soccer fans.”

Known for its fervent support of soccer since the heyday of the North American Soccer League’s Portland Timbers in the 1970s, Portland completes this round of expansion for MLS, which could expand to 20 teams by 2012 if two additional cities are deemed ready to join. The Portland MLS team will retain the storied Timbers name.

Merritt Paulson is the owner and president of Shortstop, LLC, parent company of the Portland Beavers and Portland Timbers professional sports franchises. Before assuming ownership of the baseball and soccer teams, he was the Senior Director of Marketing and Business Development at NBA Entertainment in New York.

“Today is a historic day for Soccer City, USA, and it is a big win for our economy, our community and for soccer fans everywhere,” Paulson said. “We are in a position to make this announcement today because of our incredible fans and strong leadership from city leaders. Not only does this bring Major League Soccer to Portland, but it creates hundreds of jobs, protects taxpayers from risk and shines a positive national and international spotlight on Portland and the state of Oregon.”

On March 11, Portland’s city council paved the way for today’s MLS announcement, voting to approve a proposal to improve PGE Park for MLS and to build a new ballpark for the Portland Beavers Triple-A baseball team at the site of the Memorial Coliseum.

“The Portland City Council’s recent approval of the framework for the renovations of PGE Park was a key factor in Portland becoming our 18th team,” Commissioner Garber added. “While I understand that there are some additional steps to formally conclude this process, we are confident that the package will be finalized in the next few months.”

Upgrades to PGE Park will transform the historic venue into a world-class soccer facility and provide an even more authentic fan experience for the MLS Timbers. The improvement will add several state-of-the-art amenities, including permanent seats and concessions on the east side of the park, widened concourses, improved player facilities and a restaurant with a view of the field.

The Timbers, who first entered the Portland professional sports landscape in the 1970s as a member of the NASL, will field a team in the United Soccer Leagues First Division in 2009 and 2010.