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."
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."
