Greetings from Portland, Oregon. Below is an update on the area’s newest travel-related developments. We hope you will find this information useful. If you prefer not to receive future media updates on Portland, please click here.

OCTOBER TOPICS

Food & Wine – Southpark Restaurant Launches Will’s Wine Guide

Holidays – Trace Your Christmas Tree’s Genealogy at VisitMyTree.com

Families – Star Wars Opens at OMSI

Sports/Meeting Venues – Rose Garden Arena Unveils Capital Improvements

Southpark Restaurant Launches Will’s Wine Guide

Southpark Seafood Grill & Wine Bar, known for offering one of Portland’s most extensive wine lists, has launched a wine guide that includes both Oregon wine suggestions and descriptive, easy-to-follow tour routes through Oregon’s various wine regions. Written by Will Prouty, Southpark’s wine director, the inaugural edition of the guide (fall 2006) outlines a loop tour through the northern end of the Willamette Valley with stops at the Ponzi Wine Bar and the tasting rooms of Argyle, Sokol Blosser, Lange, Elk Cove and other wineries. For visitors who want to tour the region, the guide includes detailed driving directions and tips for making the most of a day in the wine country. Will’s Wine Guide is published quarterly. Copies of the guide can be picked up at Southpark restaurant or downloaded from Southpark’s website. Southpark Seafood Grill & Wine Bar is located in downtown Portland’s Cultural District at 901 S.W. Salmon St., 503.326.1300, www.southpark.citysearch.com. For more information on Southpark or Will’s Wine Guide, click here.

Media Contacts:

Lisa Donoughe, Southpark Account Rep, 503.827.6564, lota@ladcommunications.com

Lota LaMontagne, Southpark Account Rep, 503.827.6564, lisa@ladcommunications.com

Trace Your Christmas Tree’s Genealogy at VisitMyTree.com

It’s a question that gets asked nearly as often as “How does Santa fit down the chimney?” Just where do all those Christmas trees come from? Well, with nearly 300 Christmas tree farms in Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory (aka Clackamas County), it’s a strong bet that many of those trees are Oregon born. Each year, Metro Portland-area growers tag their trees with details on their farms and information on how to care for the trees. This year, however, the tagging effort will also include the logo and address for a special website that includes stories, photos, games for kids, and fun facts (In 2005, for example, Oregon harvested 7.3 million Christmas trees, far surpassing its closest rivals: North Carolina, 3.5 million trees; Michigan, 3 million; and Pennsylvania, 2.3 million). The address for the site, which will launch in mid-November is www.VisitMyTree.com. The site will also link to the visitor website for Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory … just in case tree buyers decide to plan a trip to their tree’s birthplace.

To be notified of the launch of VisitMyTree.com, please contact Megan Conway. For more information on Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory, click here.

Media Contact:

Megan Conway, Communications & Public Relations Manager, Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory, 503.275.9786, megan@mthoodterritory.com, www.mthoodterritory.com

Star Wars Opens at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)

Could humanoid droids and vehicles that hover on a cushion of air — once limited to the fantasy world of Star Wars — actually become a reality? Now you can find out. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) presents the West Coast debut of Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination on Oct. 11. Developed by the Boston Museum of Science in collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd., this 10,000-square-foot exhibit explores the fantasy technologies depicted in the Star Wars film saga, the actual science behind them and the current research that may someday lead to remarkable real-life versions of these technologies. The exhibit includes extensive video interviews with filmmakers, scientists and engineers; costumes and props from all six Star Wars movies; and hands-on components, including two design labs, where visitors can build and test their own “speeders” and robots. Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination will run through Jan. 1, 2007. Timed tickets are now on sale ($15 for adults; $13 for seniors and kids). For additional information and exhibit images, visit OMSI’s online newsroom.

Media Contact: Elaina Medina, Communications Director, OMSI, 503.797.4537, emedina@omsi.edu, www.omsi.edu

Rose Garden Arena Unveils Capital Improvements

Portland’s Rose Garden arena, home court for the NBA Portland Trail Blazers and one of the region’s largest event venues, recently completed the first phase of a major capital improvement program. The initial phase, a $15 million project, consists of substantial upgrades in the Premium Seating areas of the 20,000-seat arena, including the construction of the new Courtside Lounge; improvements to the Club Level; major remodeling of the Suite Level; and upgrades to the back-of-the-house preparation facilities. Inside the arena bowl, the most advanced light-emitting diode (LED) technology has been installed, enhancing the experience for all spectators. This state-of-the-art lighting technology has the ability to change the mood of the arena by creating distinctive atmospheres and/or displaying specific timely images. Finally, approximately 10,000 binoculars were installed under individual seats in the Club, Suite and 300 levels.

The Rose Quarter complex includes the 20,000-seat Rose Garden arena, the 12,000-seat Memorial Coliseum, the 6,500-seat Theater of the Clouds, the 40,000-square foot Exhibit Hall, and the Rose Quarter Commons. The Commons, Portland’s largest outdoor public plaza, can accommodate 5,000 people for outdoor events.

Media Contact: Eric Blankenship, Marketing Manager, Rose Quarter – Global Spectrum, 503.963.3896, eric.blankenship@rosequarter.com, www.rosequarter.com