Ron Tonkin Field

Ron Tonkin Field

Stadium in June 2013
Former names Hillsboro Ballpark (2013)
Location 4450 NW 229th Avenue[1]
Hillsboro, Oregon
Coordinates 45°33′13″N 122°54′30″W / 45.5536°N 122.9082°W / 45.5536; -122.9082Coordinates: 45°33′13″N 122°54′30″W / 45.5536°N 122.9082°W / 45.5536; -122.9082
Owner City of Hillsboro
Operator Hillsboro Parks & Recreation[2]
Capacity 4,500 (3,534 seats)
Surface Matrix Turf[3]
Construction
Broke ground September 21, 2012 (2012-09-21)[4]
Built 2013
Opened June 13, 2013
June 17, 2013 (first game)
Construction cost $15.55 million
($15.7 million in 2016 dollars[5])
Architect SRG Partnership, Inc.
Structural engineer KPFF Consulting Engineers[6]
General contractor Hoffman Construction
Tenants
Hillsboro Hops (Northwest League)
Website
Ron Tonkin Field

Ron Tonkin Field, originally Hillsboro Ballpark, is a baseball park in Hillsboro in the U.S. state of Oregon. The stadium has a capacity of 4,500 spectators (3,534 seats) and is the home for the Hillsboro Hops, a team in the short season Northwest League. Groundbreaking for the $15.55 million venue was held on September 21, 2012, with the first game played on June 17, 2013.

The ballpark is located next to Hillsboro Stadium, a multi-sport stadium owned by the city of Hillsboro, with both stadiums located inside the city's Gordon Faber Recreation Complex. Ron Tonkin Field hosts the only professional baseball team in the Portland metropolitan area. When not in use by the Hops, the stadium is available for other baseball games, as well as soccer and lacrosse.

History

Following the Portland Beavers exit from Portland after the 2010 season when a new ballpark was not built, minor league baseball’s Northwest League approached the city of Hillsboro about relocating a team to the city.[7] Once the Beavers left, the Portland market was the most populous in the country without a professional baseball team.[8] The league and city then started discussions around September 2011 about Hillsboro building a stadium in the city’s Gordon Faber Recreation Complex near Sunset Highway.[7][9] The city announced in March 2012 that it was in discussions with the Northwest League to bring a Single A team to the city.[10] Milwaukie on the eastern side of the Portland metropolitan area also had plans to build a stadium for a minor league team.[7]

Hillsboro proposed to build a four to six thousand seat ballpark adjacent to Hillsboro Stadium at the Faber Complex, with plans to open for the 2013 season.[10] Total construction budget for the new stadium was originally expected to be $15.2 million.[11] To pay for the construction, the city would sell bonds and repay the money using revenue from the facility, including leasing the field to the minor league team.[10] Early projections hoped to have attendance between 100,000 to 180,000 total for the 38 home games.[10]

While the league had two teams in-mind for relocation,[12] the Yakima Bears became the leading candidate, as the team previously failed to land a new stadium at Clark College in the Vancouver, Washington, area.[7] The other team interested in relocation was the Boise Hawks.[13] By April 2012, the Hillsboro City Council approved issuing a request for proposals to design and build a stadium, and hired a sports attorney to assist in the process.[8] The new 4,500-seat stadium, to be built on field four at the complex, is planned to have covered seating, a new orientation to face east, a beer garden, an entry plaza with artwork, and more concession stands.[9]

Signage after sponsorship deal

On April 16, the City Council considered authorizing up to $30 million in full faith and credit bonds to pay for several projects, including a baseball stadium.[14] Repayment of the bonds would come from revenue generated by the stadium, and if necessary, discretionary funds from the general budget.[9] City officials expected a $7.1 million economic impact annually from the stadium, and said the overall cost of the project would be half of what would normally be expected due to the existing infrastructure at the complex.[9]

The council announced they might vote at their May 15 meeting to authorize the $15 million project, start negotiating a lease agreement with the team, and hire SRG Partnership to design the stadium with Hoffman Construction building the $13.4 million stadium.[15][16] However, the city council did not consider the matter at that meeting as planned,[17] as negotiations were still continuing with the Yakima Bears and the league.[18][19]

Two weeks later, the Council announced they would again look at approving a term sheet with the owners of the Yakima franchise, and that the league had two teams interested in possibly relocating to Hillsboro.[20] The deal with the Bears called for a 20-year lease on a $13.4 million stadium, with the team paying rent of $150,000 per year.[21] The rent would increase 3% each year, with the team retaining concession revenues and the city keeping parking revenues, among other provisions.[21] The city was also to consider contracting with Hoffman Construction to build the stadium, and hire SRG Partnership for the design.[21] The city expects to sell naming rights to the stadium, with the city keeping 70% of the proceeds.[22]

On June 5, the city council approved the offer sheet with Short Season, LLC in a unanimous vote, and agreed to hire Hoffman and SRG to design and build the facility.[23][24][2] The deal was contingent upon Short Season signing-off on the deal, plus approval of the league, as well as both Minor and Major League Baseball.[23] The city also acknowledged that revenues may not be enough to cover the debt payment, and that the city may need to use funds paid by Intel Corporation to the city as part of that company’s tax breaks or other city funds to cover any shortfall.[23] Both the Bears and the Northwest League approved the offer sheet on June 8,[25] and the city signed an agreement with the team on June 26.[26][27] Final approval of the move was needed by September 4, 2012, from the league, Minor League Baseball, and Major League Baseball (MLB), with construction scheduled to start in October 2012.[26] Milwaukie still hoped to land a team from the league as well, and their plan had the support of Portland Mayor Sam Adams.[28][29]

MLB gave the final approval in August 2012 for the relocation, clearing the way for construction to begin.[30] A ground-breaking ceremony with local leaders and team ownership was held on September 21, 2012.[1][4] In February 2013, the main piece of public art was revealed to be a sculpture entitled Barometer to be created by Devin Laurence Field.[31] Construction ended in mid-June 2013 with a public opening on June 13.[32] The final construction costs totaled $15.55 million.[33] The Hops' first home game was on June 17, 2013, with a sellout crowd of 4,710 in attendance.[34] The stadium was named project of the year for 2013 by the American Public Works Association for public projects in Oregon between $5 and $25 million.[35]

On May 13, 2014, the Ron Tonkin Family of Dealerships signed a ten-year naming rights deal with the city at $150,000 per year, giving the ballpark its new name of Ron Tonkin Field.[36][37]

Features

Ron Tonkin Field's scoreboard
The bullpen in the outfield of Ron Tonkin Field

Ron Tonkin Field has a capacity of approximately 4,500 spectators.[38] Of that total, there are 3,534 permanent seats, with the remaining capacity in the form of a standing-room-only area and a berm in the outfield sponsored by Frontier Communications.[39][40] The berm seating is located along the entire outfield as well as at the end of the baselines. Most of the grandstand is covered, with the seating 14 rows deep.[32] Additionally, there is a standing room only area and a beer garden.[18][32] The beer garden, the Bridgeport Brew Pen, is located at the end of the first baseline, while the standing-room area is at the end of the third-base line.[41]

The dimensions of the field are 325 feet (99 m) down both the left and right field lines, and 400 feet (120 m) to straight away centerfield.[3] Ron Tonkin Field's field faces south, and the home dugout is located on the first base side.[3] The home bullpen is in center field and the visitor's is in left field.[41] The baseball field is all-weather artificial turf,[18][32] while the only dirt is on the mound and the batters box.[3]

Team offices and the team store are both located on the lower level of the stadium.[3] The upper levels contain an enclosed lounge and two open-air party decks.[3] The Daktronics video scoreboard measures 25 feet (7.6 m) by 14 feet (4.3 m).[3] The interactive Barometer sculpture is located outside the entrance in the plaza area.[3] When not in use by the Hops, the stadium is available for other baseball games as well as for other sports, such as soccer and lacrosse.[22] Ron Tonkin Field shares its main entrance with the adjacent Hillsboro Stadium, and the two share common architectural elements such as cement blocks, corrugated steel, and the look of the roofs.[3] The complex has 2,000 parking spaces.[3]

Access

When traveling by automobile, the two most convenient Highway 26 exits for access to the ballpark are the Cornelius Pass Road exit and the Helvetia/Brookwood exit. There are over 2,000 parking spaces on-site; a parking fee is charged during Hillsboro Hops games.[42]

Another option for traveling to Ron Tonkin Field is a free shuttle running every 15 minutes between the MAX Blue Line and the ballpark. It runs for two hours before game time and for two hours after games, carrying passengers to and from Orenco / Northwest 231st Avenue.[42]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Hillsboro Baseball Stadium". City of Hillsboro. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Hillsboro approves offer sheet with Yakima Bears". Ballpark Digest. June 6, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mock, Joe. "Hillsboro Ballpark". Baseball Parks. Grand Slam Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Giegerich, Andy (September 21, 2012). "Hillsboro breaks stadium ground, name comes next". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Hillsboro Baseball Stadium". RF Stearns. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Harbarger, Molly (March 28, 2012). "Northwest League unclear whether both Milwaukie and Hillsboro could host minor league baseball". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  8. 1 2 Fehrenbacher, Lee (April 4, 2012). "Hillsboro considering construction of $11M baseball stadium". Daily Journal of Commerce (Portland). Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Bloom, Deborah (May 7, 2012). "Hillsboro leaders take a swing at bringing baseball to city's rec complex". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Parks, Casey (March 21, 2012). "Hillsboro considering building a baseball stadium, leasing to minor league team". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved March 21, 2012.
  11. ↑ Underwood, Roger (June 21, 2012). "Bears’ opening act a winner". Yakima Herald-Republic. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  12. ↑ Parks, Casey (May 30, 2012). "Northwest League of Professional Baseball says two franchises interested in hillsboro if lease Resolved". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  13. ↑ Ho, Sally (June 21, 2012). "Boise Hawks baseball team also eyed Hillsboro". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  14. ↑ Parks, Casey (April 16, 2012). "Hillsboro City Council will consider ordinance to authorize issuing $30 million in full faith and credit bonds". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  15. ↑ Parks, Casey (May 14, 2012). "Hillsboro will vote on design and construction contracts for baseball stadium". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  16. ↑ Parks, Casey (May 14, 2012). "Hillsboro, Milwaukie both will consider future of minor league baseball in Metro area". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  17. ↑ Parks, Casey (May 15, 2012). "Hillsboro will not consider baseball proposals tonight". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  18. 1 2 3 Parks, Casey (May 16, 2012). "Hillsboro delays vote on baseball proposal, needs more negotiation time with Northwest Baseball League". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  19. ↑ Jackson, Reed (May 17, 2012). "Hillsboro delays decision on baseball stadium". Daily Journal of Commerce (Portland). Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  20. ↑ Parks, Casey (May 31, 2012). "Hillsboro will consider baseball proposal again". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  21. 1 2 3 Theen, Andrew (June 1, 2012). "Hillsboro council to vote Tuesday on 20-year deal with Yakima baseball club". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  22. 1 2 "Hillsboro Baseball Stadium Frequently Asked Questions". City of Hillsboro. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  23. 1 2 3 Theen, Andrew (June 5, 2012). "Hillsboro sprints closer to baseball deal as city approves offer sheet". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved June 5, 2012.
  24. ↑ Stevens, Suzanne (June 6, 2012). "Hillsboro OKs baseball deal with Yakima Bears". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  25. ↑ Ho, Sally (June 19, 2012). "Yakima Bears agree to Hillsboro's terms for baseball deal". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  26. 1 2 Ho, Sally (June 27, 2012). "Hillsboro's baseball deal is approved". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
  27. ↑ Manning, Rob (June 27, 2012). "Hillsboro Approves Deal To Bring Baseball To City". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  28. ↑ Theen, Andrew (June 7, 2012). "Hillsboro versus Milwaukie: Are two pro baseball teams better than one for Portland area?". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  29. ↑ "Debate continues: can Portland support two short-season teams?". Ballpark Digest. June 8, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  30. ↑ Theen, Andrew (August 21, 2012). "Hillsboro and Yakima Bears clear final hurdle for baseball relocation". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  31. ↑ Redden, Jim (February 28, 2013). "New Hillsboro baseball stadium adds artistic 'Barometer'". Hillsboro Tribune. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  32. 1 2 3 4 Smith, Jeff (June 12, 2013). "Hillsboro Hops: New ballpark has traditional feel, modern amenities". The Oregonian. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
  33. ↑ Smith, Jeff (June 14, 2013). "Hillsboro Hops: Even in defeat, history made as Portland area's new team opens season". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  34. ↑ Smith, Jeff (June 18, 2013). "Hillsboro Hops: After home-opening party, Hops ready for 'Tony Gwynn Opening Day'". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  35. ↑ Redden, Jim (November 1, 2013). "Hillsboro Ballpark wins 'project of year' award for 2013". Hillsboro Tribune. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  36. ↑ "Hillsboro Ballpark Named Ron Tonkin Field". Hillsboro Hops. May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  37. ↑ Hammill, Luke (May 13, 2014). "Hillsboro Ballpark renamed Ron Tonkin Field in honor of deceased car dealer". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  38. ↑ Jackson, Reed (July 3, 2012). "Stadiums would bring more than baseball to Hillsboro, Milwaukie". Daily Journal of Commerce (Portland). Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  39. ↑ Theen, Andrew (March 18, 2013). "Hillsboro's $15.2 million ballpark will cost more, have fewer permanent seats than originally planned". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  40. ↑ Theen, Andrew (April 23, 2013). "Hillsboro Hops' grassy berm gets a sponsor: other baseball news". The Oregonian (Portland). Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  41. 1 2 "Seating Chart". Hillsboro Hops. April 18, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  42. 1 2 "Hops Announce Transportation Options". Hillsboro Hops. June 13, 2013. Retrieved August 14, 2013. For fans driving to the ballpark, there will be over 2,000 parking spaces on site. Parking on site at the ballpark is only $5. For fans taking MAX Light Rail Service to Orenco Station, there will be a free light rail shuttle to the ballpark for fans that show their MAX ticket.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ron Tonkin Field.
Preceded by
Yakima County Stadium
As the Yakima Bears		 Home of the
Hillsboro Hops
2013 – present 		Succeeded by
Current
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