PORTLAND, Ore. - In a city that says it can barely afford to fill potholes, Portland city commissioners are talking about borrowing millions of dollars to build a soccer stadium.

Some call Portland 'Soccer City USA' with the Portland Timbers drawing enthusiastic fans and big crowds.

"Portland, Oregon has got the greatest soccer fans in the U.S., no doubt about it," said team owner Merritt Paulson.

City leaders believe bringing major league soccer to Portland would create jobs but they would have to borrow millions of dollars to make it happen and taxpayers would be on the hook to pay the money back if fans don't show up.

The plan would be to remodel PGE Park to create enough stands for a major league soccer team. The Portland Beavers baseball team would then move to a new stadium, possibly in Lents.

The city would borrow $75 million - half of the money would build a new ball park for the Portland Beavers and the other half would go towards remodeling PGE Park for soccer.

Whether all of this happens depends on city leaders and their decision at the end of the month. But if fans don't show, taxpayers would be forced to pay and the city still owes $28 million for its last facelift of PGE Park.

"We don't have a deal yet," said City Commissioner Randy Leonard. "My ultimate goal would be to insulate the taxpayers from any liability."