A proposal to bring a Minor League Baseball team to Medford remains uncertain as city leaders weigh how to pay for a new stadium and confront delays tied to a related conference center project.
The Eugene Emeralds, a High-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, have explored relocating to Medford after failing to secure funding for a new stadium in Eugene. New Minor League Baseball facility standards and scheduling conflicts with the University of Oregon have left the team seeking a dedicated venue.
City officials estimate a Medford ballpark could cost between $60 million and $130 million. Early projections placed the price around $90 million, though Emeralds owner D.G. Elmore said more detailed design work could reduce costs to roughly $60 million.
“My experience is that the more specific you get in your design, the more you can do some cost engineering to take costs out of the construction,” Elmore said.
Elmore visited Medford this week with representatives from the baseball industry to encourage councilors to continue moving forward with the project. Council members have expressed enthusiasm about attracting a minor league team but remain wary of the potential costs.
“We know that this is a reach for our city,” said Council Member Mike Kerlinger. “I love baseball, but I'm not going to be irresponsible with our money just because I enjoy a sport.”
The proposed stadium would take up the northern half of Hawthorne Park.
Funding questions remain
City finance staff outlined a potential funding strategy built largely on a yet-to-be-created urban renewal district known as MURA 2.0, which would capture property tax growth within its boundaries. The stadium could consume roughly 30% to 50% of the district’s revenue.
Additional funding could come from a car rental tax, lease payments from the team and stadium naming rights. However, a significant share of the project’s cost remains unidentified, potentially requiring contributions from the team, the state or other partners. In Eugene, the state pitched in $7.5 million for the stadium, and the team helped raise a little. Councilors indicated a preference for private sources to cover at least one-quarter of the expense.
Councilor Jessica Ayres, who serves on the MURA 2.0 advisory board, said relying heavily on urban renewal funds makes her nervous.
“We had specific discussions about maybe not doing these huge projects," she said, "but rather leveraging a lot of smaller projects to reach a greater benefit.”
Uncertainty around the stadium’s price tag also complicates planning. City staff said geotechnical studies have not been completed and noted engineering challenges tied to the site’s proximity to Bear Creek and a major regional sewer line.
The council agreed to proceed with an engineering study expected to cost up to $1 million. Elmore said the Emeralds would contribute toward that expense, though no amount has been finalized.
Conference center delays add uncertainty
Questions surrounding a nearby conference center project have further clouded the stadium’s future. Voters approved a hotel tax increase last year to help fund a downtown conference center and hotel development known as Creekside Quarter, which officials initially envisioned as the anchor for the stadium.
City staff now say progress on the conference center appears to have slowed. Interim City Manager John Vial said the city may need to consider alternative sites or developers.
“There might be a lot happening there. We’re not seeing it,” Vial said. “The question we’re trying to solve is whether it’s time to look elsewhere. Other developers have approached us, saying they would build a conference center.”
Vial said the problem is that other developers might not want to build the project at Creekside Quarter. Tying together the conference center and the stadium was seen as the best way to stimulate economic growth downtown.
“This ballpark is only going to work if it’s built in a development like this,” Emeralds consultant Alan Benavidez said during an October panel discussion about Creekside Quarter, citing the importance of nearby hotels, a conference center and downtown activity.
City officials said hotel tax revenue approved by voters could support any conference center project, not just Creekside Quarter. The council has directed staff to issue a request for proposals from developers interested in building a conference center in Medford.
