What is the Central City Roundtable?

 

The Central City Roundtable is a working group convened by Mayor Keith Wilson that brings together leaders from business, real estate, education, culture, philanthropy, and community organizations to help strengthen and revitalize Portland’s Central City.

 

The goal is to activate and enliven Portland's Central City with more housing, more businesses and workers downtown, and lively streets and storefronts that attract people and create real energy in the city.

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Why convene a Central City Roundtable now?

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The Central City is at an inflection point: many projects and investments are already in motion, but coordination and momentum are needed to accelerate recovery and restore confidence. Portland faces both internal challenges and external pressure, including hostile national narratives and growing competition from other cities. 

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Responding to these challenges requires the leadership, ideas, and networks of people across business, culture, higher education, development, and the broader community. The Roundtable brings those leaders together to align efforts, build on Portland’s strengths, and focus on practical steps that will accelerate the Central City’s long-term success as the civic and economic heart of the region.

What and where is the Central City?

 

Portland’s Central City is the region’s main economic and cultural center. It includes downtown and several surrounding districts on both sides of the Willamette River, including the Pearl District, Old Town, the Central Eastside, the Lloyd District, and the South Waterfront.

 

Downtown is one part of the Central City, but the Central City includes multiple neighborhoods that together form the heart of Portland’s economy, culture, and civic life.

 

Who participates in the Roundtable?

 

Members include leaders from across Portland’s civic and economic ecosystem, including business executives, real estate developers, nonprofit leaders, cultural institutions, universities, and community organizations.

 

The Mayor chose the group intentionally to include institutions and organizations from all sectors that are already deeply involved in the Central City and whose leaders have the authority and resources to help move projects, partnerships, and ideas forward.

 

How is the Roundtable different from past initiatives or task forces?

 

This Roundtable is designed to be  hands-on and action-oriented. Rather than producing a  long-term plan or strategy, the group is focused on execution, identifying practical steps that can move projects forward and strengthen the Central City now. It’s intentionally a small group of executive leaders who can mobilize their organizations and networks, track progress through clear metrics, and stay closely connected to the Mayor’s office so ideas can quickly turn into action.

 

How is the Central City Roundtable connected to the Governor’s Central City Task Force and Governor Kotek’s Prosperity Roadmap?

 

The Roundtable builds on the work of the Governor’s Central City Task Force, which established a shared vision and initial priorities for strengthening Portland’s Central City.

 

At the same time, the state’s Prosperity Initiative is examining Oregon’s broader economic competitiveness. The Roundtable helps ensure these efforts stay aligned, recognizing that Oregon’s economic success depends in part on a healthy and thriving Portland. The Governor’s Prosperity Initiative Officer attends the meeting as staff to help ensure alignment and coordination.

 

What is the role of City bureaus and City Council?

 

The Roundtable is focused on implementation of City plans and coordination with partners. City staff are available to provide information and expertise as needed, and to respond to Roundtable recommendations. On matters that affect City policies, Roundtable members may be asked to brief councilors and committees. Where City Councilors are engaged in projects or initiatives relevant to the central city, they may wish to collaborate with the Roundtable to share their work.

 

How often does the Roundtable meet?

 

The Roundtable meets approximately every two months, with ongoing coordination between meetings. Each meeting builds on previous discussions and helps move the group from alignment toward implementation. Roundtable members have been invited to serve a two-year term. 

 

What issues will the Roundtable focus on?

 

The Roundtable focuses on the major factors that shape the vitality of Portland’s Central City, including economic activity, housing, public spaces, cultural life, and the overall experience of being downtown.

 

Members will work together to identify barriers, support key projects, and coordinate leadership across sectors to help strengthen the Central City as a place to live, work, visit, and invest.

 

How will progress be measured?

 

The Roundtable aims to:

 

• Unlock stalled development projects

• Align philanthropic or private investment

• Support legislative or funding priorities

• Coordinate public and private partners

 

They will track success by a set of shared indicators through 2030, including housing units in the pipeline, filling vacancies, foot traffic trends, and street-level occupancy.

 

These indicators will help guide priorities and provide a consistent way to measure progress.

 

How does the Roundtable make decisions?

 

The Roundtable operates through a consensus seeking process. Members work toward agreement on priorities, recommendations, and areas where coordinated action can help move projects or initiatives forward.

 

The group serves as an advisory body to the Mayor and does not have formal governing authority. Its role is to align leaders across sectors and identify where mayoral leadership, state partnership, or key partners can help accelerate progress.

 

Who ultimately decides what actions are taken?

 

City policies and public investments continue to be decided through the normal processes of city government.

 

The Roundtable’s role is to provide advice to the Mayor, help identify opportunities to move projects forward, and coordinate leadership across institutions that shape the future of the Central City. Mayor Wilson convened this group because he takes its input seriously and intends to use the insights and recommendations from Roundtable members to help guide priorities and actions.

 

What is the long term vision for the Central City?

 

The Roundtable builds on the vision developed by the Central City Task Force. That vision focuses on creating complete urban neighborhoods, strengthening the Central City as a hub for innovation and opportunity, and restoring it as the region’s gathering place.

 

A thriving Central City also helps elevate Portland’s reputation nationally as a place where people want to visit, invest, and build their future.

 

How will the public know if the Roundtable is working?

 

The Roundtable will publish a public dashboard tracking key indicators. Progress updates will also be shared publicly on the website and in the annual impact brief. Early indicators could include new housing projects moving forward, additional office leasing announcements, visible activation of ground-floor retail, and coordinated events that bring people back to the Central City.

 

Put simply, success will mean more people living, working, visiting, and doing business in the Central City.

 

How can the public follow the work of the Roundtable? 

 

A public website and dashboard will share updates on the Roundtable’s progress. 

 

Are meetings open to the public? 

 

Roundtable meetings are not open to the general public, but summaries of each meeting will be posted on the website, along with materials and presentations from the meetings.