The Multnomah Athletic Club will remain closed for at least a week as staff work to repair damage caused when a man drove an explosives-laden vehicle through the front of the clubhouse building.

“Our immediate priority is ensuring the club is safe and ready to welcome you back,” MAC staff said in a statement posted to social media Sunday afternoon. “That work is now in motion, but it will take some time.”

A source with direct knowledge of the investigation told OPB that officials suspect a former employee at the MAC as the driver in the attack. That employee was allegedly disgruntled and had a history of mental health issues, said the source, who agreed to discuss the active investigation on condition they not be named.

The driver rammed through glass windows at the front of the 135-year old eight-story MAC building just before 3 a.m. Saturday, then drove his vehicle around the club’s ground floor as he attempted to set off explosions, Portland Police Commander James Crooker said Saturday.

“There was an intent to detonate a number of explosive devices that just didn’t go off,” Crooker said. “The interior is not as damaged as it could have been.

By the time law enforcement arrived on the scene, the driver was dead inside his vehicle.

A challenging scene for law enforcement

Inside the entryway of the MAC’s first story, roughly 2 inches of water flooded the floor after firefighters worked to douse the early Saturday morning flames. It was also charred by burn marks from the devices the driver was able to ignite, Police Commander Crooker said.

Those un-denonated devices proved challenging for Portland’s bomb squad, which was joined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Police say 1 dead, multiple explosive devices found after attack on Portland’s Multnomah Athletic Club

Portland police officer Jim DeFrain, supervisor of the explosive disposal unit, said Saturday that crews used robots to move potential explosives, and that they continued to find new improvised explosives and incendiaries as they worked. He described the scene as the most complex he’s encountered in 13 years with the city.

But despite the scale of the threat, Police Chief Bob Day said Saturday that the attack was not connected to terrorism.

The MAC building houses multiple restaurants, swimming pools, ballrooms, and meeting rooms, and regularly hosts sporting events and community gatherings. Those are all on hold until the clubhouse reopens — and it will reopen, according to staff.

“We’ve faced challenging moments before, and each time, this community has come together and found a way forward,” staff wrote online. “That same strength will carry us through this as well.”

This is a developing story. Watch for updates.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/03/portland-multnomah-athletic-club-closed/