Medford Council to Review Detailed Minor League Stadium Plan at Hawthorne Park

MEDFORD, Ore. (Nov. 6, 2026) — City leaders will review a due diligence report Thursday estimating the cost of a new minor league baseball stadium at Hawthorne Park at roughly $75 million as they consider relocating the Eugene Emeralds to southern Oregon.

The Medford City Council study session is set for 6 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Medford Police Station Prescott Room. The agenda centers on the MiLB Stadium Due Diligence Report and Cost Analysis prepared by KNO Construction and the DLR Group.

The report examined building a Professional Development League-standard stadium at Hawthorne Park or renovating and expanding the existing Harry & David Field. Representatives of Elmore Sports Group, owners of the Emeralds, have indicated they will not participate financially in upgrades at Harry & David Field and would not relocate the team there. Staff therefore focused further analysis on the Hawthorne Park site.

According to the report, the complete project cost at Hawthorne Park is estimated at $75,219,067, including $72,142,401 in construction costs. The design calls for 2,036 fixed seats, 764 club and suite premium seats, and 204 berm seats for a maximum capacity of 3,004, plus a player development building and facilities maintenance building. Concept plans show the design retains a section of Hawthorne Park, including southern park areas, along with existing parking.

City staff raised concerns that the estimate may understate some municipal costs. They proposed adding roughly $12.5 million for an owner’s representative and project management ($2 million), a 10% owner contingency (about $5.7 million), playground replacement ($1 million), additional furniture/fixtures/equipment ($750,000), and traffic and pedestrian mitigation ($3 million). That would bring a more conservative total near $90.5 million. After assuming $10 million in outside contributions, the estimated city or Medford Urban Renewal Agency share would be about $80.5 million.

An aggressive construction schedule could deliver the stadium by April 6, 2029, in time for the start of a minor-league season, though the timeline has limited flexibility and depends on prompt council direction and contracting, staff said. Due diligence found no fatal land-use, geotechnical, traffic, or environmental barriers at Hawthorne Park.

Council previously directed staff in early 2026 to pursue preliminary design and cost work contingent on 50% funding participation by the team owner. The Medford Urban Renewal Agency allocated up to $500,000 for that work, and the city later contracted with KNO Construction for the study. Staff are seeking clear direction on whether to proceed with Hawthorne Park, how much the city is willing to contribute, whether to require a specific financial commitment from Elmore Sports Group or others, and whether to dedicate a substantial share of potential future urban-renewal revenues to the project.

According to the staff report, the project aligns with a council goal of advancing regionally significant efforts, including recruitment of the Emeralds.

Study sessions are informal discussions; the council does not take formal votes or hear public comment at them. A related council meeting is expected the following week.