Lithia & Driveway Fields Propel Economy with Record-Breaking Sports Tournaments

Medford, Oregon- Lithia & Driveway Fields, under the management of the City of Medford, emerged as an economic powerhouse, injecting over $11.7 million into the city’s economy last year. Marking the fourth-best year in the sports park’s 15-year history, this financial boost has been attributed to the increased success of youth baseball and fastpitch tournaments.

Since its inauguration on May 6, 2008, the state-of-the-art softball/baseball complex has welcomed over three million park attendees. The cumulative economic impact has now surpassed a remarkable $160 million. This figure stands at five times the initial facility construction cost of $32.5 million.

Organizers say youth baseball tournaments stand as the park’s hallmark events, drawing an all-time-record 361 teams during the 10 annual tournaments. The overwhelming demand led to dozens of teams being turned away due to capacity constraints and a shortage of umpires.

Youth fastpitch softball tournament team counts surged past the 200-team mark for the second consecutive year, reaching 241 teams. A strategic partnership with northern California’s tournament powerhouse, Legacy Sports, played a pivotal role, resulting in 142 teams participating in four annual tournaments, including the highly successful February “Bring It On” event.

While adult slowpitch softball tournaments boasted strong participation across men’s, women’s, and co-ed divisions, the senior division experienced a decline. A total of 394 teams contributed to the vibrant tournament scene.

The annual Rogue Memorial Challenge youth soccer tournament, coordinated by the Rogue Valley Timbers over Memorial Day weekend, emerged as the largest event. Paired with the City’s annual baseball tournament, this dynamic duo generated $1.5 million in economic impact over the weekend—equivalent to 10 percent of the year’s total. Impressively, the tournament featured 1,716 teams, with 54 percent hailing from Medford or the Rogue Valley.

Officials remark that Lithia & Driveway Fields continue to be a beacon of economic prosperity for Medford, showcasing the enduring appeal and positive impact of community sports on the local economy.