Eugene Emeralds Pitch Move to Medford for New Stadium, Promising Economic Boost

MEDFORD, Ore. — Founded 70 years ago in 1955, the Eugene Emeralds Baseball Club has pitched their relocation to a new stadium to Medford’s Mayor and City Council on Wednesday, April 9.

The minor-league Eugene Emeralds presented its proposal to relocate to Medford after efforts to establish a stadium in Eugene that meets Major League Baseball’s standards for minor-league teams stalled. In their quest to find a new home, the team is exploring a public-private partnership that would allow them to continue as a minor-league franchise.

Because of Medford’s growth, enthusiasm for recreation and sports facilities, and status as a regional hub for the area, Eugene Emeralds’ owner, Elmore Sports Group, sees the city as a “promising location for a new home.”

Setting out the potential economic and fiscal impacts of constructing and operating the proposed stadium, Beacon Economics illustrated the scale and potential impact of the proposed stadium with a scenario of $90.4 million that could potentially be spent on construction and $25 million in annual direct spending, including team and game-related spending. These amounts were not directly linked to Medford.

After discussing the opportunities and challenges involved with councilors and staff, the council expressed interest in the potential benefits of the relocation and gave staff direction to continue conversations with the Emeralds to better understand what the public and private investments would entail.