PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Seattle Sounders beat the Timbers 2-1 Wednesday night at PGE Park in the U.S. Open Cup Tournament. More than 16,000 tickets were sold for the game in a preview of what's expected to be a great regional rivalry when Portland joins Seattle in Major League Soccer in 2011.

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Members of the "Timbers Army" fan club spent the week rigging up an anti-Seattle spectacle in the stands of PGE Park, which has been approved for a $30-plus million facelift in time for the inaugural pro season.

"They're talking about having Timber Jim chain-sawing down the Space Needle," explained team owner Merritt Paulson.

He's letting the Timbers Army do what it needs to prepare.

"It'll be sold out and this place will be rocking, no question about it. We've got 500 fans from Seattle who made the trip to Portland here," Paulson said.

KGW recently visited Seattle to cover a Sounders game at Qwest Field, which was designed with professional soccer in mind.

In Seattle, more than 30,000 fans packed the venue wearing fans paint, jerseys, beating drums and chanting the whole game.

"It's really significant," said Paulson, explaining the impact the Sounders move to Major League Soccer has had on that city's economy. "You're talking about more season ticket holders than the Seattle Mariners."

Ticket sales have been brisk at PGE Park this week with fans responding to the Seattle rivalry buzz.

"It's an MLS team so I thought that might be exciting," said grade-schooler Ben Viehoff who narrowly missed his chance at seats for the game. "It's going to be a pretty rough game."

Viehoff had to settle for standing room only tickets.

The Timbers Army says the crowd will justify the city's participation in redeveloping PGE Park with Paulson as a soccer-only facility.

Baseball and the Portland Beavers must find a new home.

"Anybody that has questions on whether we can share the stadium (with the Beavers), they'll find out tonight," said Timbers Army member Camden Murray. "The concourse will be packed -- you won't be able to move."

"I frankly think a lot of our fans would rather win this game than the league championship this year," said Paulson, whose team was unbeaten in the previous 13 games.

The Timbers went in to the games as underdogs to Seattle but they hope to also prove their worth in the economic arena.

The Beavers baseball team is leaning on Portland City Hall to help find a new home.

City Commissioner Randy Leonard Wednesday said there has been no progress to report.

He has 30 more days to look before Paulson must find a new Beavers venue outside the city.

KGW Reporter Randy Neves contributed to this report