That means if the Blazers decide to leave Portland, …

The existing lease between the city and the Blazers establishes that Rip City Management is responsible for "maintaining the arena in a first-class manner," as well as funding repairs, maintenance and improvement projects. That means if the Blazers decide to leave Portland, the city could sue for the money required to upgrade the Moda Center. But the Blazers say the first-class provision — and the threat of litigation — is a sticking point in its negotiations with the city, which owns the arena. "We need the city to take the prospect of litigation off the table by affirming the work the team has done to maintain Moda Center in a first-class condition," Blazers spokesperson Charles Boyle told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Wednesday. "Removing that threat is a critical first step to unlock a freer flow of information about the building and the renovation."