Salem Hits Home Run in Recruiting Minor League Team

A minor league baseball franchise from Eugene has decided to move it's operation to downtown Salem. The Emeralds have been a mainstay in Eugene for 32 years, but the attraction of a downtown stadium  location was too much for the team to turn down. The City of Salem put together a proposal back in November, offering the team the property on the southwest corner of State and Commercial streets. In 2006, a good portion of that block was burned down in a fire at McMahan's Furniture. The city was able to purchase the rest of the block with federal block grants. Part of this deal includes a developer who will build a stadium on this property and allow for commercial retail space and underground parking. The owner of the Emeralds, Brian Hubbard, was impressed by Salem staff and said that this community is ideal for selling tickets. "Many of the state workers in Salem get off early and will be able to walk to the stadium without missing a pitch" Hubbard said in a phone interview from his Portland office. "Salem has an energy that will match my club."

Salem's Mayor, Lloyd Chapman, was instrumental in the deal to get the team and build the stadium. He said, "We look forward to revitalizing that corner of downtown." Parking was an issue that the city studied carefully. Chapman says a team owned shuttle system and the current bus routes will be how many folks get to the stadium on game days. "This will be a good chance for Salemites to try out our mass transit system."

Some neighborhood businesses worry that the traffic and noise generated by night games will discourage people from going downtown. Sean Mulrooney, DJ at SalemFM.com believes that the sound of cheering fans will be heard at his sound studio nearby, making it problematic to record audio. Mulrooney will have to buy expensive sound deadening wall covering to soften outside sounds. "This is an expense that will make it very difficult to do business in Salem."

Permitting for the stadium is expected to be streamlined and it was revealed that local architects have been working on the design for several years now. The grant money for the project was part of the federal stimulus and was offered because the city was shovel ready. Construction on the $68 million dollar stadium will begin in mid April. The Emeralds will throw out the first pitch in May 2014.