Hillsboro officials approved $12.5 million in bonds backed by the city’s general fund to build a new ballpark for the Hillsboro Hops (short season A; Northwest League). You don’t often see cities issuing ballpark bonds backed by nothing but “full faith and credit,” as the term goes, rather than dedicated revenue streams like sales taxes; […]
Tag Archives | oregon
New for 2013: Hillsboro Hops
The name of the newest team in the short-season A Northwest League has been unveiled: the Hillsboro Hops. The name of the former Yakima Bears was announced today. “The name ‘Hops’ recognizes Hillsboro’s proud agricultural heritage and the fact that Oregon is the second largest hop producing state in the United States,” said K.L. Wombacher, […]
No team name in Hillsboro yet
Construction of a new Hillsboro (Ore.) ballpark will begin tomorrow after a groundbreaking ceremony, but there will no name announced for the relocating Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League). The issue: MiLB still needs to sign off on a roster of finalists. The Bears are moving to a new $15.2-million, 4,500-seat ballpark at the Gordon Faber […]
Hillsboro looking at riskier financing for new ballpark
Hillsboro (Ore.) officials are looking at using general city funds, instead of a standard municipal bond, to fund a new ballpark for the relocating Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League). Engaged in a race with Milwaukie to bring Minor League Baseball back to the greater Portland area, Hillsboro officials made an offer to the Bears ownership […]
Hillsboro ballpark groundbreaking set for Sept. 21
The groundbreaking for a new Hillsboro (Ore.) ballpark for the relocating Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League) is set for Sept. 21, as well as an announcement of the new team name. The 4,500-seat ballpark at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex is set to open for the 2013 season. Team owners and other city officials […]
Milwaukie: No thanks to summer-collegiate ball
No surprise: Milwaukie (Ore.) officials decided to walk away from a ballpark deal for a West Coast League team after city officials couldn’t determine the economic impact of such an investment. We predicted this would happen. The reasons are pretty obvious. When a Minor League Baseball team walks into a community, it has a host of […]
Milwaukie has week to decide ballpark fate
Milwaukie (Ore.) has a week to decide if a new ballpark for a summer-collegiate West Coast League team is in the city’s future — or whether a team is unable to justify the revenue necessary for a large-scale project. Spurned by the short-season Northwest League, the city has turned to the WCL as a possible […]
Hillsboro approves naming-rights deal with Bears
No surprise: the Hillsboro (Ore.) City Council unanimously approved a naming-rights deal with the relocating Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League), where the team has 60 days to launch marketing. The proposal, negotiated separately from the lease that is bringing the Bears to the Portland suburb next season, calls for the team ownership to sell naming […]
West Coast League to Milwaukie? Highly unlikely
In one of the most improbable pitches ever, the summer-collegiate West Coast League says it would be happy to pursue public funding for a new Milwaukie (Ore.) ballpark after the Northwest League failed to meet a deadline. The Portland suburb has been talking with the short-season circuit about a new $25-million ballpark for the 2014 […]
Rotting fence comes down at Civic Stadium
The rotting outfield fence at Civic Stadium, former home of the Eugene Emeralds (short season A; Northwest League), was taken down by a volunteer group after it was deemed to be a fire hazard. The fear was that the 12-foot fence could catch fire, as transients occasionally hide in the ballpark and start warming fires. […]
Hillsboro: We never thought to ask for upfront money from Yakima Bears
A comparison of proposed leases between Hillsboro and the Yakima Bears (short season A; Northwest League) reveals something interesting: despite a team offer to pay up front toward a proposed Clark County ballpark, no such demand was issued by Hillsboro. Not that it would have made a difference anyway: with Northwest League president Bob Richmond […]
Milwaukie: We expect ballpark deal by end of July
Milwaukie (Ore.) officials say they’re progressing on a deal for a new ballpark opening in 2014 and expect to have a plan in place by the end of July. City officials were in the hunt for a short-season A Northwest League team along with Hillsboro in recent months, but Hillsboro managed to pull the trigger […]
Medford takes initial steps toward WCL team
A summer-collegiate West Coast League team could set up shop in uncompleted Harry & David Field if Medford (Ore.) city officials agree to a lease. Reps from the league, the potential ownership group (Consolidated Sports Holdings International, led by Gary Gelinas, an experienced minor-league-hockey operator) and the Medford Youth Baseball Society announced the plan yesterday. Harry & David Field […]