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The Hillsboro Hops minor league baseball club, still seeking full funding for a new ballpark, last week received an $8 million commitment from Washington County.

The county鈥檚 Board of Commissioners on Feb. 6 approved an ordinance to use future transient lodging tax (TLT) revenues to assist the city of Hillsboro with development of a minor league ballpark. The county will work on an intergovernmental agreement with the city.

The city of Hillsboro will own the new ballpark, which is proposed on fields four, five and six 鈥� a total of slightly less than five acres 鈥� within the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex. The Hops will be responsible for all ballpark expenses, such as utilities and maintenance.

Design-builder Mortenson will construct the ballpark. Design partners include architect of record SRG Partnership and architect Populous. Other project team members include civil engineers ACMS Northwest and HHPR, structural engineer KPFF, landscape architect Mayer/Reed, electrical engineer OEG, mechanical engineer Alliant Systems in partnership with Henderson Engineers of Lenexa, Kansas, and food service designer Ricca Design Studios.

Currently, the project is 65 percent designed, Mortenson market director Trent Rehfeldt said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really focusing in on the interior portion of the project,鈥� he said.

The facility is being designed as a multiuse and year-round outdoor entertainment venue for not only baseball games but also other events such as concerts. Its estimated capacity will be around 6,000 for baseball games and around 7,000 people for other events.

Three levels are planned: a field level with 4,000 fixed lower bowl seats, player/coach/game-day amenities, and service facilities such as trash and maintenance; a concourse level with suites, a team shop, and food and beverage space; and a premium level with over 500 club seats, a 2,250-square-foot party deck, an interior premium space with food space and a bar capable of hosting community events for up to 300 people, an exterior bar and sun deck, and administrative offices. The outfield will offer berm seating and a kid鈥檚 zone, as well as picnic and community space.

The project team has secured land use permits and will seek grading and building permits later this month.

A guaranteed maximum price for the project is in the works; it鈥檚 expected to be set in the coming weeks, a city spokesperson, Krista Snell, stated in an email. That will determine the total project cost. Previously, the cost estimate was $120 million.

The city has contributed $18 million in TLT funds. The ball club has secured $82 million in private funding and is leading efforts to fill the financial gap, Snell stated.

The city and the Hops have until March 15 to secure $15 million in state funding for the project. Such a commitment would need legislative approval, and the Oregon Legislature鈥檚 2024 session is scheduled to finish days before the deadline. If the ball club is unable to confirm full funding by that date, it will need to explore other options such as potential relocation or termination of its Professional Development League license agreement, according to the Hops鈥� website.

Mortenson expects to break ground on construction between April and June, depending on funding and permitting. Construction is estimated to require 16-17 months, so it would likely wrap up in 2025.