Today at the City of Hillsboro website, an announcement was made about the tentative agreement between the City of Hillsboro and Washington County to create 4 new baseball and softball fields on the fairgrounds. The land is owned by Washington County. Hillsboro has the need and the requirement to build replacement fields for the three that were torn out when the new Hillsboro Hops Stadium was approved. After reviewing unworkable options at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex, where Fields 4, 5, and 6 were removed, City staff began a search for a better option. With sites hard to find, the city staff, led by Assistant City Manager Rahim Harji, focused on this site.
Located at the corner of NE 25th and NE Veterans Drive, this land has been underused for decades. It is a great location, and the design is perfect for tournaments and multiple teams to compete. With plentiful parking proposed and a MAX Station nearby, few could argue that this is not a perfect fit. At this juncture, the deal is not done, but it is far enough along that a long-term lease is in the final stages between the parties. The Herald has been aware of this story for months, but we chose to let the parties work on this and not push anything undone into the ethos. The City released the news today, and we are sharing it with our readers. Hopefully, this comes to a conclusion soon, and the people of Hillsboro get what was promised and then some.
KEY POINT: As things stand today, our community lost 3 gorgeous fields, got one back as the Hops return the stadium we had previously provided them, and we will be getting 4 fields here. That is a win-win, so let’s all hope this goes down as planned! Read the full information package from the City below.
From the City: https://www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/our-city/departments/parks-recreation/facilities-rentals/sports-complexes/fairgrounds-sports-complex
Fairgrounds Sports Complex Redevelopment Plan Will Enhance Recreation in Hillsboro
Sports and recreation opportunities in the City of Hillsboro will expand thanks to a new agreement being developed between the City of Hillsboro and Washington County.
Plans to redevelop the Washington County Fairgrounds Sports Complex are moving forward as part of a package of improvements initiated by the construction of the new Hillsboro Hops Ballpark, which broke ground in the summer of 2024.
“This Fairgrounds project is a game changer for Hillsboro community members — and for visitors who travel here to participate in games and tournaments,” said Hillsboro Mayor Beach Pace. “Play and recreation are incredibly important to community health, well-being, and livability.”
Early efforts to replace the loss of use from the repurposed community fields focused on expanding the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex. Those efforts were adjusted in 2025 after site limitations prevented meeting all project goals.
The Fairgrounds Sports Complex redevelopment project will exceed the original Loss of Use Plan recommendations. The project will add more hours and types of play and additional amenities that will ensure Hillsboro remains a top sporting destination in the region and state.
Redeveloping the Fairgrounds Sports Complex will address several initiatives in the City of Hillsboro’s Strategic Plan, including:
Creating one or more regional destination parks
Ensuring parks and park facilities are welcoming and easy to navigate for all users regardless of age, ability or language spoken
Installing futsal and/or soccer fields in existing parks and schools, where feasible, and install lights and artificial turf when appropriate
Preserve and improve multi-use sports fields for the Hillsboro community
Expand capacity for year-round recreation and tournament play
Exceed the City’s commitment to replacing hours of use for softball fields at Gordon Faber Recreation Complex that were repurposed to build the new Hillsboro Hops Ballpark
Further establish Hillsboro and the Washington County Fairgrounds Sports Complex as a regional tourist destination for sports, events, and activities
Expand parking to better accommodate facility users
January 2026:
The Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Commission will consider approving a modification to the City’s Loss of Use Plan.
February 2026:
The Hillsboro City Council is expected to consider the potential recommendation from the Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Commission to accept modifications to the Loss of Use Plan, along with considering a development plan and design & pre-construction contracts.
March 2026:
The Washington County Board of Commissioners is expected to consider approving a lease agreement and final plans. The board previously discussed the proposal at its October 21, 2025 work session where members all indicated consensus on supporting this plan.
Although this does nothing to improve my overall disgust and lack of trust for the City of Hillsboro all I’m going to say about this is “It is about damn time!”
An old expression I was taught a long time ago was “Don’t fall in love with your Landlord”. The same applies to the City of Hillsboro & Washington County!
At the Cascade’s announcement event, it was mentioned that the Little League Softball World Series was held at the Alpenrose site until those fields were lost to Alpenrose’s sale and the site’s redevelopment. It was mentioned that Oregon was looking for a way to get the event back, and Olympic softball player/ESPN commentator/former Mets exec/current Bend resident Jessica Mendoza suggested Hillsboro… leaving the question of the lost fields hanging in the air.
Glad it’s been answered, and know this has been in the works for a while. With better parking and public transit options that the Gordon Faber site, there’s unique opportunity for events at what we’re still calling the Fairgrounds. Would love to see the city, town, and teams come together to make it happen.
I completly agree! I can not imagine a better environment for this to happen. That is a huge draw and an economic giant for the local small businesses! Here is to hoping!
Dirk
It good to see the City is finally getting close to a solution for their missteps in not having a plan to mitigate the field loss when they agreed to the new Hops stadium. Yes, the preferred choice would’ve been to keep the new fields at GFRC, but the real estate there was just too difficult to overcome. I love the plan at 28th and Veterans Dr. Four all-season field and two grass fields will be a nice addition to the inventory. Now the community needs to get behind this and help the City make smart decisions about the design. They need to investigate existing pinwheel facilities and pull in the best elements from each. At the same time, they need to reach out to the tournaments that moved on and lure them back. WRT the Softball Little League World Series…it is a nice goal but I’d guess the current facility either has that locked yup for years to come, or will soon. Overall, Good Job, City of Hillsboro. New fields and a professional softball team. I may be a believer again.
Deal isn’t done yet- but looks like a go! I agree–
But we’re still negative in fields right. We still need 2 more fields on top of this proposal.