HILLSBORO, Ore. — Construction of a new baseball stadium for the Hillsboro Hops will begin with a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 8, the minor-league baseball club announced Wednesday.
On Tuesday night, Hillsboro City Council unanimously voted 5-0 to approve a new 40-year lease between the Hops and the city, the final hurdle for the Hops to begin construction on the new stadium. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 8 on the site of the new stadium at the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex, which is located directly adjacent to the team's current stadium.
Representatives from Major League Baseball and the Arizona Diamondbacks will be in attendance at the ceremony. It will be open to the public. After the ceremony, there will be a Fan Fest celebration and Corbin Carroll (star outfielder for the Diamondbacks) bobblehead giveaway at Hillsboro Ballpark (formerly Ron Tonkin Field) prior to a game between the Hops and Everett AquaSox.
The Hops, a minor league affiliate of the Diamondbacks, have been in Hillsboro for 11 years and are a staple of the community. The Hops were promoted to High-A level in 2021.
"We're so excited to secure the Hops as a regional treasure in Hillsboro for the next 40 years," said Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway. "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."
The Hops and the city of Hillsboro announced plans for a new $125 million ballpark in March 2023. The team raised more than $82 million in private funding, received $18 million from the city of Hillsboro, $15 million from the state legislature, $8 million from Washington County and $2 million from Explore Tualatin Valley.
"It has taken a tremendous amount of perseverance by many people to get to this exciting day," said Hillsboro Hops President and General Manager K.L. Wombacher. "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."