
For the Record, the Hillsboro Hop’s new stadium is not a done deal.ย The public record is still wide open, and anyone can testify.ย That means any of you who wish to weigh in still have time.ย The new 120 Million dollar stadium applicant is the City of Hillsboro, not the Hillsboro Hops.ย The City is applying to itself and deciding for itself if it can go outside the lines, make a number of exemptions for noise, height limitations, and traffic, and give itself approval.ย Once approved, the City of Hillsboro will rip out three of the 6 fields at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex and give the land to the Hillsboro Hops on a lease to own and operate a new baseball stadium and rock concert facility.ย Oh, and we will not make the team pay for any of the costs the taxpayers will have to pay to replace the lost fields/ย Lastly, don’t forget about the 18 MIllion plus of hotel tax we are giving the Hops; I almost forgot that.

The next hearing is August 16th before the Hillsboro Planning and Zoning Hearings Board. That will be at 6:30 PN at City Hall, and all the information is right here:ย https://www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/114511/20
To testify show up at the hearing or send in a letter or testimony via email to:ย Ruth Klein- City of Hillsboro Planning Staff.ย Ruth.Klein@hillsboro-oregon.gov
Reference:ย Request for Conditional Use Approval for a Major Assembly Facility
Case File No. CU-003-23 Hillsboro Hops Ballpark
NEW LOSS OF USE REPORT IS OUT
Ok, I just read the 138-page report just issued by the City of Hillsboro regarding the studies and conclusions about how the City can build the new Hops Stadium, rip out 3 of our most used softball and baseball fields, and minimize the loss of use.ย The loss of these fields has sent shock waves throughout the Parks and Rec community, the softball and baseball ranks, and beyond.ย Tearing out fields that the people of Hillsboro and Washington County rely upon for their recreation for a new stadium that is not needed has made the stink factor on this whole deal higher than the Elephant Garlic Festival in North Plains (which is this weekend by the way).ย ย
This report looks at how and where the 3 lost fields can be replaced.ย It slugs out the issues and shows lots of charts.ย In the end these three fields were going to be put at with Brown Junior High School or on the existing Gordon Faber Complex by tearing our come wetlands and marginal areas and squeezing two or three more fields in.ย The conclusion has been made and here it is:
There are a lot of what-ifs.ย But after months of asking about this, the Hillsboro Parks and Recreation Commission and others know what the target is.ย The entire report is available right here with all the maps, photos, and exhibits:
Guess who is paying for these new fields at Gordon Faber?ย We are – the people of Hillsboro.ย People laughed when I said replacing the 3 fields would be $30 Million.ย Guess what, the big guy was right on the money.ย Here is the report (red link above), and the two fields, assuming they are grass and not turf, are coming in at over at $20,000,000.
Look at the language at the end of the screenshot above from pages 12-13 of the report.ย The City analysts are warning us and the City Council that the Hops programming (games/concerts) may create a situation where we can not use the Gordon Faber Complex on many days.ย The City, at the last hearing, asked for permission to allow the Hops 32 days of the year where they can exceed the 7,000 participant limit required by city codes.ย No one else will likely be allowed to use any space at the GFRC on those days.
Overarching all that information is the section in the report’s preface in which the staff who wrote the report admits that we may not have the money to make this loss of use work and that it will take one to three years to do the job.ย There are also environmental issues and constraints.ย Great report with significant details that were needed before this process began.ย A dire warning that we may end up with no loss of use solutions at all unless conditions are put into place that mandate them as a part of any approval.
Before I end this report, followed by what comes next in a new story, I want to take you back to one of our first stories on this debacle.ย Look below.ย The City went out of the gate early this year and used these numbers to get the City Council to approve, without the consultation of the Hillsboro Parks and Recreation Commission, the fact that we can not remodel the current Hops stadium because it is just way too much more money.ย Unilaterally in a rare move that clearly favored the Hillsboro Hops, who want to host rock concerts 30-plus times a year, the council went into executive session and approved building a new stadium and ripping out the existing fields; a move that has fractured relationships in our City and pushed the baseball and softball community away.ย However, the chart below shows that the New Stadium was estimated to be $120,000,000, but that number did not include the Loss of Use.ย So here we are – today – just a few days before a final approval, being told that the loss of use is now thought to be between $20-30 Million Dollars.ย We know now that the true cost of the new stadium is $140,000,000 to $160,000,000 more or less- probably more because the public may lose the use of these fields for 2 to 3 years, and as of right now, there is no way to pay for them.
Bottom line?ย There should be NO NEW STADIUM- it is a boondoggle, and even many season ticket holders believe this is to much.ย We can all LOVE the Hops and not fall into this pit.ย Period.
What do you think?ย Weigh in below in the comments section!
Great reporting! Hillsboro has now realized its ambition to be an another great city ripped off by sports teams. For a summary of the road Hillsboro is now trodding, read the book review
โField of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money into Private Profitโ
available at https://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1260&context=sportslaw
Welcome to “no public money.” The taxpayer is ALWAYS on the hook for far more of these project costs than even the “final” figures acknowledge.
But this is what happens when your town wants to be the next Phoenix: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonnotte/2018/08/27/arizona-taxpayers-owe-nothing-to-diamondbacks-coyotes-or-suns/?sh=27e63b8b126c
Once again the City council is planning on destroying a payed for public money item. How much did it cost to build the existing Hillsboro stadium? That was public money. I don’t care where the city found the money the Hillsboro stadium was built with public moneys. At the very least the city should put it to a VOTE OF THE PEOPLE before spending public money. Tons of money was spent on the Max light rail but do you see any facilities built close to MAX to keep people out of there cars?? That existing Hillsboro stadium should have been located at the fair grounds area in the beginning. Now what a perfect place to build that new stadium. At the old fair complex close to the MAX station. When the old Hillsboro stadium is torn down, ( payed for by the Hops ) you can add more baseball/soccer fields at at already owned city property.
What is the city saving the old fair complex for! Put it to use. Hops stadium is perfect there.
If this goes threw against tax payers objections we must vote the ENTIRE CITY COUNCEL OUT OF OFFICE ASAP!!
The proposal to use RTF as mitigation for one of the three lost fields is an interesting proposition. BUT, will it be included in the suite of fields offered to tournaments, or as a separate field that would need to be reserved separately? Also, if the City builds the two new satellite fields, they need to be synthetic surface and to the same standard fields 1, 2 and 3.
Great information, Dirk. Thanks for posting.
Very eye-opening.
Its amazing how one sided many of the articles are on this site. Just like this ond it only tells the negative opinions and thoughts,doesn’t express any positives opinions or thpughts.
Oh, do tell us “Seth Thrustershaft,” what’s the upside of the city spending millions to bail out the panhandling Hops, build them their second stadium in a decade that they won’t even half-fill (as they do with this one), tear up fields that travel ball teams actually pay to use (and that result in hotel stays and visitor revenue), rebuild fields elsewhere for another $30 million and hope REO Speedwagon will play at the suuuuuuuuu-eet minor-league ballpark concert venue we built for them? Please tell us.
Oh, and while you’re at it, please fill us in about how forthcoming the Diamondbacks organization has been about ballpark plans for when the Chase Field lease ends in 2027 and how it never goes begging for public funding for frivolous purchases: https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/could_diamondbacks_be_next_to_move_from_relatively_new_stadium/s1_13132_38690325
I’m guessing you can’t, because like most Hops “supporters” who hide behind anonymous handles, you have some vested interest in this project. You’re a coward and a shill, and nobody owes you a “positive” thing.
There are always two sides to a story. We’ve heard the cost side (above). What’s the revenue side?
You mean the revenue lost by tearing up three functional fields or the revenue lost by shifting games that average 2,200 fans a night from a 4,500-seat venue to a 6,500-seat venue? Which red item would you like to focus on first, Lamar?
I am a coach of a team that plays out there and have played for the last 15 years. We weren’t happy when they took one of our fields to build the current stadium. The city asked for our opinions, but what we said didn’t matter at all. Taking 3 more fields that would limit adult and child use doesn’t seem like the solution. There will not be enough fields left to accommodate the teams it takes to have a successful league. This move will only upset players and coaches alike. And the taxpayers will foot the bill. Seems like a ridiculous idea when the current stadium is not in disrepair. Leave our softball fields alone and come up with a new idea.
There is the voice I have been waiting for. So many players have been approaching this issue and yet itnisnlate in the game. Need you folks to weigh in and be vocal!!
looking forward to seeing everyone at city hall, tonight at 6:30 for the planning and zoning hearing board meeting. @dirkknudsen you’re gonna be there right?
I hope to be- all of my comments are in the Casefile at this point including some submitted last night – they will all be in the record I believe.
Cool. My partner and I will be showing up and I was gonna paraphrase your article. It’s probably better if comes from the author!