Lane County Commissioners continue exploring options for Eugene Emeralds baseball stadium

Lane County Commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday to continue their contract with the consulting firm studying the Emeralds Stadium and Lane Events Center multi-use facility.

Commissioners modified a contract with the Klosh Group, based in Portland, providing "project management support for the Lane Events Center multi-use facility."

The original contract signed in November had a spending cap of no more than $147,954. Now that Klosh Group has reached that limit, commissioners modified the contract to allow for an additional $73,852, letting the group continue to explore the project, in particular how to bridge a $43 million stadium funding gap.

The majority of commissioners expressed support for the stadium. They acknowledged, however, they likely would have to say no to the project later because of the difficulty in closing that gap. The county will revisit the stadium and the state of its funding gap in 6 months.

"Lane County has given the impression that we're going to figure this out," Commissioner Laurie Trieger said. "(6 months) is a finite amount of time in which others will understand we have reached the limits of our ability to bring this to fruition. Now we will create that space for something else to happen, but not forever."

"We need to pass this contract amendment so Klosh Group can continue to do the work we've already set them on a path to do," Trieger said. "This does give the community some finality, in that they know that we will have more certainty, in an amount of time.

In his dissent, Commissioner Pat Farr pointed to additional problems beyond cost.

"We all love the Ems but that's not what this is about," Farr said. "We're dedicating a stream of revenue for 20 years, we're dedicating a piece of property in perpetuity, and we're tearing down a very functional livestock barn and replacing it.

"There are a lot of things we've conceded to get to this point in time," he said. "Right now we're saying maybe … I think people would rather hear yes or no and if I were to precipitate a decision at this point in time, I'm afraid that decision has got to be no."

Opponents of the project pointed to an April memo shared with the public before an Aug. 22 meeting where another consultant, Keffer/Overton Associates, recommended against a stadium at the Lane Events Center campus.

County spokesperson Devon Ashbridge told The Register-Guard the plan was a draft that was put on hold because staff are waiting for a decision on the stadium.

"Last week’s meeting was the first time it was presented to the Board of County Commissioners because the discussion regarding the Lane Events Center master plan has been on hold pending a possible decision regarding the multi-use facility," Ashbridge said.

Keffer/Overton said the stadium would cost more to maintain than the revenue it would raise for the county, and that its size and impact would interfere with other parts of the fairgrounds "and residential character of the area surrounding the LEC campus."

"The Stadium would (be) the largest consumer of land of all Program Elements and would require significant infrastructure changes to the existing LEC site," the memo said. "This facility would not add much, if any revenue, to the LEC. The Stadium would … overlap with the heaviest programming period at the LEC and would require complete coordination to ensure events would not overlap."

County officials said while the memo recommended against the stadium, this recommendation, which ranked the stadium seventh of the eight proposed ideas for the Lane Events Center, was focused on the impact to Lane County's finances.

"That is looking at which (projects) are giving us the best opportunity to put dollars into our pocket so that we can be self-sustaining," Corey Buller, manager of the Lane Events Center told commissioners. They could still pursue the stadium (or another project recommended by Keffer/Overton) if they felt the "community benefit" was worth the cost: a net loss of $200,000 per year according to a preliminary estimate.

At the Aug. 22 commission meeting, Emeralds General Manager Allan Benavides attempted to convince commissioners of that public benefit.

"You can see the transformative nature of a facility like this that happens to cities. It's a catalyst for growth. It'll improve the aging fairgrounds that needs help," Benavides said.

In addition to Emeralds games and concerts that have gotten the most attention, he said the stadium could host high school baseball tournaments, graduations and banquet events and could be used in an emergency. At Tuesday's meeting, proponents also said the stadium would maintain community they said the Emeralds provide and the availability of affordable entertainment.

Stadium opponents believe other potential uses of the event center space would be a greater benefit.

"The open-air stadium or multi-use facility really only accommodates two uses: baseball and concerts during the warmer months, with these events subject to increasing heat and smoke," said Allen McWayne, a representative of Concerned Fairground Neighbors, a group formed to oppose the stadium.

McWayne said the plan's suggested indoor proposals: a new layout to the existing convention center, a concrete floor for the indoor arena, a multi-purpose building to replace and replicate the expo hall and agricultural pavilion, or a hotel, would be a better use for public money. Other residents have raised concerns about noise, traffic and the principle of supporting a private company with public funds.

New stadium opponents and supporters claim public opinion is on their side.

Two countywide surveys conducted by Lane County in 2021 supported the stadium. A closed survey with a random sample said 50% of residents supported the stadium and 43% opposed it. A survey the Emeralds shared with fans on social media said 91% supported it and 8% were opposed. The Emeralds also have support from leaders of the Jefferson Westside Neighborhood Association.

"We have a letter of support from the neighborhood association, and we look forward to being an advocate for Jefferson Westside," Benavides said.

Opponents point to two local surveys that say most people in Jefferson Westside oppose the stadium. One survey from 2022, conducted in-person by the stadium's opponents and limited to people who live two blocks from the fairgrounds said 8% were in favor and 68% were opposed. Another, conducted via email by the Jefferson Westside Neighborhood Association in June, said 28% were in favor and 65% were opposed.

"My neighbors, they don't want it there," said resident Sandi Mann.

"This is a perfect example of what our email inbox looks like. 50-50ish," Commissioner Ryan Ceniga said. "Yesterday, I was in a meeting … get pulled over to one side (and told) 'We can't build the Ems, that's not what the TRT (transient lodging tax) is for.

"Seven minutes later, get pulled to the other side, 'We have to build the Ems. The Ems belong here in Eugene,'"Ceniga said. "So just know we're taking these decisions very, very seriously."

Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be reached over email at atorres@registerguard.com or twitter @alanfryetorres.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene Emeralds Stadium discussions continue with Lane County