The Hillsboro Hops have changed course. Originally planning to renovate Ron Tonkin Field to comply with Major League Baseball's new facility standards, the Class A Hops will instead construct a new stadium that the franchise intends will host 300 events annually. The new stadium will be built at Hillsboro's Gordon Faber Recreation Complex, where Tonkin Field currently sits.
The design-build team of Mortenson, SRG and Populous will begin construction in late summer 2023. The stadium is expected to open in time for the Hops' 2025 season.
In 2020, Major League Baseball imposed requirements for all minor league facilities that include minimum standards for field lighting, player areas, and security. Upon evaluating the costs to renovate Tonkin Field, the Hops' home since 2013, the team and the City of Hillsboro determined that construction of a new ballpark would be more cost-effective. “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 in a press release.
Construction of the new stadium is expected to cost approximately $120 million -- well more than Tonkin Field's $15.5 million cost when it opened a decade ago. Initial plans call for capacities of 6,000 for baseball games and 7,000 for concerts and other events.
The Hops are privately financing most of the cost of the new stadium. The team will have full operational control of the new stadium. The City of Hillsboro will retain ownership and operation of Tonkin Field.
Rendering of New Stadium, Courtesy of the Hillsboro Hops