I kind of visit stadiums and arenas and music venues all over the country for my work, so I have some perspective on this. Portland does not have a music venue to fit the needs for today's customers and acts. Period.
1. Cross Insurance Arena.... lousy for sound and F&D offerings, but good on logistics and great on capacity.
2. Aura... great for sound, intimacy, F&D, new logistics, new tech, but tiny capacity.
3. Merrill... great for sound, intimacy, not bad for capacity, but bad for F&D and logistics.
4. State... average for sound, okay on intimacy, okay for capacity, bad for F&D and logistics.
5. Thompson's Point, good for capacity though no seating, good intimacy, logistics, good F&D, but seasonal.
6. Expo? Lol.
Best idea fix that would not be a ton of money? Cross Insurance Arena... Install acoustical panels that can be lowered from the rafters at the half-end of the south part with the VIP sections. Remove some seating and blast out some concrete to install two large standing bars with giant view screens. It would eliminate about 600 seats but that would be offset with patron standees and bar tops extending back into the existing F&D areas. Carpet this entire area for a cozy feel. Cost? Maybe $3-5 million, but well worth it. So, in effect, the venue seating for music acts at this half end of the building is cut in half, or around 4,000 when using seats on the floor (possible to push it back some more to total 4,500 seats). CIA will never be a viable music venue as is. F&D offerings are the big money maker for venues now. But people don't want to experience that in a boring place. They also don't have to be close to the stage if they are eating and drinking from a bar-like setting with giant screens to see what is going on up close. Fun option: build a killer dressing room area for the act/s. Something higher up with views of the city. Cost: 1.5 to 2 million, but well worth it. They will want to come back.