The real message rioters are sending to businesses in downtown Portland is a simple one - “leave.”
“The number is like nothing I have seen in 42 years of doing business in downtown,” Greg Goodman of the A Downtown Development Group said in a letter he sent to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and the members of the Portland City Council.
After nearly 90 straight nights of riots, it appears some businesses are packing their bags and relocating to areas where looting and burning are not regular activities.
Goodman said these companies include Daimler Chrysler, AirB&B, Banana Republic, Microsoft (who he said is permanently closing their retail store), Saucebox and Google, 'who leased 90,000 square feet in the Macy’s building (and) has stopped construction of their improvements. The list goes on and on. If you know a retail or office broker, give them a call and ask them how many clients they have are trying to leave.'
Goodman is fed up and said so in his letter to the entire City Council.
'I would encourage each of you to walk around downtown Portland in the morning,' he wrote. 'Name the time and I will give you a tour. You aren’t sweeping the streets, needles are all over the place, garbage cans are broken and left open, glass from car windows that have been broken out is all over the streets, parks are strewn with litter (their fountains turned off) weeds are taller than the plants in the planter boxes, graffiti is on sculptures, etc. You are willfully neglecting your duties as elected officials to keep our city safe and clean.'