Medford and Eugene Emeralds End Stadium Plan
After a city-commissioned study revealed high costs and community concerns, Medford and the Eugene Emeralds have abandoned plans for a new Minor League Baseball stadium.
The City of Medford and the Eugene Emeralds have ended their exploration of building a Minor League Baseball stadium, according to a report by Jefferson Public Radio. The decision followed a study session where city officials learned the cost to build the stadium on the site of Hawthorne Park was more than $75 million, with city staff estimating the true cost could be closer to $90 million (source ID: 1). [1]
Eugene Emeralds owner DG Elmore stated that the team would only be satisfied with the stadium located at Hawthorne Park, but he also expressed willingness to invest $10 million into the project if a quick timeline and agreement could be reached (source ID: 1). The city had been approached by the Emeralds about relocating to Medford in the spring of last year, and the proposed stadium would have been owned by the city with the team leasing the facility (source ID: 1). [1]
Medford Mayor Michael Zarosinski expressed concerns over the high cost and the potential drain on city resources, while Councilor Nick Card suggested seeking state and community partnerships to help fund the project (source ID: 1). Councilor John Quinn raised doubts about the feasibility of the stadium's parking plan, stating that the spaces were already reserved and used by others (source ID: 1). [1]
Public opposition to the stadium at Hawthorne Park was also voiced by members of the Citizens for Hawthorne Park, who collected signatures to protect the park from development (source ID: 1). With the stadium proposal now shelved, the park appears to be safe for the time being (source ID: 1). [1]
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The City of Medford and the Eugene Emeralds have ended their exploration of building a Minor League Baseball stadium, according to a report by Jefferson Public Radio. Eugene Emeralds owner DG Elmore stated that the team would only be satisfied with the stadium located at Hawthorne Park, but he also expressed willingness to invest $10 million into the project if a quick timeline and agreement could be reached (source ID: 1). [1]
The decision comes after councilors heard more details of the project at a study session Thursday night. A city-commissioned study revealed the cost for Medford to build the stadium on the site of Hawthorne Park was more than $75 million. Councilors shared concerns over the large cost and tight timeline to bring the Eugene Emeralds to the Rogue Valley. City staff said the $75 million cost was likely an underestimate, with the true cost closer to $90 million (source ID: 1). [1]
Medford Mayor Michael Zarosinski expressed concerns over the high cost and the potential drain on city resources. Councilor Nick Card suggested seeking state and community partnerships to help fund the project. Councilor John Quinn said the stadium would divert resources from a potential conference center (source ID: 1). [1]
The meeting attracted around 40 members of the public, including organizers collecting signatures to protect the downtown park from being developed into a stadium. Now that the stadium proposal has been shelved, Hawthorne Park would appear to be safe, at least for now (source ID: 1). [1]
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The City of Medford and the Eugene Emeralds have ended their exploration of building a Minor League Baseball stadium, according to a report by Jefferson Public Radio. The decision came after a study session on Thursday night, where city officials and the team's owner, DG Elmore, discussed the project's feasibility (source ID: 1). [1]
A city-commissioned study revealed that constructing the stadium on the site of Hawthorne Park would cost over $75 million, with city staff suggesting the true cost could be closer to $90 million. This estimate, combined with the tight timeline for completion by April 2029, led to concerns among Medford's city council members (source ID: 1). [1]
Medford Mayor Michael Zarosinski expressed concerns over the high cost and the potential drain on city resources. He stated that the city would be taking on a significant financial burden, which could divert resources from other important city projects (source ID: 1). [1]
Councilor Nick Card suggested seeking partnerships with the state and the community to help fund the project, emphasizing the need for broader support to make the stadium viable. The meeting attracted around 40 members of the public, including organizers collecting signatures to protect the downtown park from being developed into a stadium (source ID: 1). [1]
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The City of Medford and the Eugene Emeralds have ended their exploration of building a Minor League Baseball stadium, according to a report by Jefferson Public Radio. The decision comes after councilors heard more details of the project at a study session Thursday night. A city-commissioned study revealed that constructing the stadium on the site of Hawthorne Park would cost over $75 million, with city staff suggesting the true cost could be closer to $90 million (source ID: 1). [1]
Medford Mayor Michael Zarosinski expressed concerns over the high cost and the potential drain on city resources. He stated that the city would take on a significant portion of the project's financial burden, which could divert resources from other city needs (source ID: 1). [1]
Councilor Nick Card suggested seeking partnerships with the state and the community to help fund the project, emphasizing the need for broader support to make the stadium viable. He also raised concerns about the short timeline for the project and the need for further discussions with the state (source ID: 1). [1]
The meeting attracted around 40 members of the public, including organizers collecting signatures to protect the downtown park from being developed into a stadium. Miriam Grayer with Citizens for Hawthorne Park stated that the group was present to ensure the park would not be developed into a stadium (source ID: 1). [1]
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