Ground broken on Hillsboro Hops ballpark

Article posted by Coliseum, August 12^th, 2024

Image: Hillsboro Hops and Populous

Minor League Baseball’s (MiLB) Hillsboro Hops have broken ground at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex (GFRC), the site of the new Hillsboro Hops Ballpark.

MiLB.com said the August 8th ceremony included representatives from Major League Baseball, Arizona Diamondbacks, City of Hillsboro, Washington County, State of Oregon, Hillsboro Hops and Mortenson Construction.

The Hillsboro Hops are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team in the Northwest United States, located in Hillsboro, Oregon, a City in the Portland metropolitan area.

The Hops are members of the Northwest League as an affiliate of the MLB team Arizona Diamondbacks. They play their home games at the Ron Tonkin Field in Hillsboro, Oregon, which opened in 2013.

Image: Hillsboro Hops and Populous

The new Hillsboro Hops ballpark will be located on the Northwest side of the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex in Hillsboro.

It has been designed as a year-round outdoor entertainment venue potentially hosting up to 300 events per year, including Hops home baseball games, concerts, festivals, community events, and amateur baseball games.

The new ballpark will be designed to accommodate 6,000 people for baseball and up to 7,000 for concerts and other events.

Hillsboro City Council recently voted 5-0 to approve a 40-year lease between the Hillsboro Hops and City of Hillsboro for the new Ballpark.

Image: Hillsboro Hops and Populous

The City Council approval of the lease marked the final ratification of the project and gave the green light for the construction process to begin.

Mayor Steve Callaway said, “We’re so excited to secure the Hops as a regional treasure in Hillsboro for the next 40 years.

“Thank you to all the community partners, supporters, legislators, and staff who made this possible. We look forward to the wonderful memories that will be made at the new ballpark for many years to come.”

When faced with meeting MiLB’s new facility specs, the Hops owners decided that building a new ballpark would be at least 15 percent more cost-effective than renovating Ron Tonkin Field.

Image: Hillsboro Hops and Populous

Facilities needed to bring Ron Tonkin Field up to the new MiLB standards included a women’s locker room, visiting clubhouse, weight room, and other requirements.

Hillsboro Hops President and General Manager K.L. Wombacher said, “It has taken a tremendous amount of perseverance by many people to get to this exciting day.

“In true spirit of a public-private partnership, we have shown that teamwork wins the day. Our community will benefit from this shared vision of building one of the best entertainment venues in the entire country.

“We have so many people to thank for their support but specifically want to thank Major League Baseball, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the City of Hillsboro, Washington County, State of Oregon, and Explore Tualatin Valley for their partnership.

“We especially want to thank our fans for their unwavering support throughout all the ups and downs over the last few years.”

Image: Hillsboro Hops and Populous

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