Texas-based Garfield Public/Private worked with Medford officials on the proposed Creekside Quarter hotel and conference center before voters approved a hotel tax in November 2025. But the name of the company had been under wraps until now.
Garfield later submitted the sole response to the city’s request for proposals The proposal obtained by JPR offers new details about Garfield’s role, its development team, a potential site and a timeline for the project.
Garfield’s involvement began after a 2024 feasibility study found Medford could support a downtown hotel and conference center. The company specializes in public-private projects and has helped develop hotels and conference centers in Irving, Texas, and Overland Park, Kansas.
In November 2025, Medford voters authorized an increase of the city's hotel tax from 11% to 13%.
In February 2026, city officials said progress on the conference center appeared to have slowed and that other developers had expressed interest.
The city sought proposals in May. Garfield submitted the sole response in 2026. The city has not selected the company.
JPR obtained Garfield’s proposal through a public records request. In it, Garfield described its coordination with local organizations.
"Our Oregon based legal and consulting partner, Dan O'Connor, has connected our team with local Medford stakeholders, and we are actively coordinating with community partners, including Travel Medford and the Medford Chamber of Commerce, to align the conference center program with regional visitor demand, event recruitment, and business engagement," the company wrote.
The proposal identifies the company’s prospective designers, development partners and financial team. It also names a potential site: a roughly 3-acre parking lot on Riverside Avenue owned by Bryan DeBoer, president of Lithia Motors.
Garfield has an agreement allowing it to use the property for preliminary site planning. The agreement does not commit DeBoer to selling the land if the project moves forward.
Garfield estimates the project could take 39 to 46 months to complete.
The hotel and conference center is moving forward alongside a proposed minor league baseball stadium for the Eugene Emeralds, another potential part of the broader Creekside Quarter concept. An engineering study is underway to estimate the stadium’s cost.
The city has not decided whether to select Garfield or seek another round of proposals.
