Hillsboro Hops Announce New Ballpark Project 

Hillsboro, OR (March 8, 2023) - The Hillsboro Hops and City of Hillsboro today announced plans to build a new Hillsboro Hops ballpark on the northwest side of the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex. The ballpark will be designed as a year-round outdoor entertainment venue that could host more than 300 events per year, including Hops home baseball games, concerts, festivals, community events and amateur baseball games.

The design-build team of Mortenson, SRG and Populous will begin the construction process in late summer 2023, with project completion prior to the 2025 Hops baseball season. The project is anticipated to cost up to $120 million and will be designed to accommodate 6,000 people for baseball and up to 7,000 for concerts and other events.

With the Hillsboro Hops promotion to the High-A level, the Hops must now meet updated Major League Baseball (MLB) facility standards. The City of Hillsboro is partnering with the Hops to support the team in its efforts to meet the new baseball requirements. The ballpark design will address player health and wellness, improve security, elevate the fan experience and enhance home and visiting facilities.

The original intent of the project was to renovate Ron Tonkin Field to meet the new MLB standards. After the completion of preliminary design and analysis, it was determined that it will be more cost effective to design and build a new ballpark.

“The City appreciates the Hops as a partner and recognizes the unique value the organization brings to the community. Creating a more robust regional entertainment destination will provide long term benefits to the City as well as the Hops”, said Hillsboro City Manager Robby Hammond.

Funding for the project will be paid for predominantly through private financing secured by the Hops, with a smaller portion of the funding coming from the City through the Transient Lodging Tax. The Hops will have full operational control over the new ballpark under a licensing agreement with the City and will be responsible for all ballpark expenses, including utilities and maintenance. The City of Hillsboro will retain exclusive ownership and operation of Ron Tonkin Field.

Fan experience and affordable fun will continue to be at the forefront of the new ballpark. “The requirement to meet new MLB facility standards has turned into an opportunity for us to reimagine what kind of venue our region needs and deserves,” said Hops President and General Manager K.L. Wombacher. “This new ballpark is going to be a generational project that serves as a community gathering place for decades to come. This is a gamechanger for our region and perfectly aligns with the City’s vision, as well as ours, to provide the best community to live, work, and PLAY.”

Further renderings will be released as they become available. The Hillsboro Hops will be celebrating their 10th Anniversary season throughout the 2023 campaign, with the home opener on April 11th at Ron Tonkin Field against the Seattle Mariners’ High-A affiliate, Everett AquaSox. More information on promotions and tickets can be found at hillsborohops.com or by calling 503-640-0887.

About the Hillsboro Hops:

The 2014, 2015 & 2019 Northwest League Champion Hillsboro Hops are the High-A baseball affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. The team’s season runs from April to early September. The franchise relocated to Hillsboro in 2012 and began play in 2013 at Ron Tonkin Field. Follow the Hops on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HillsboroHops and on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok @HillsboroHops.