information@savecivicstadium.org

Civic Stadium Restoration:
Glorious Past, Lasting Legacy, Promising Potential

Civic Stadium: A Rich History

Since 1938, Civic Stadium has been a centerpiece of recreation activity in the Eugene/Springfield area. Thousands of citizens have annually attended Civic events in the heart of Eugene for those seven decades.

The stadium was realized through the cooperative efforts of the federal government (Civic was a Works Progress Administration project), local businesses (through fundraising by the Eugene Chamber of Commerce), the school district, the citizens of Eugene (who passed a bond measure by a two to one majority to purchase the property), and local lumber mills who donated most of the wood used in the stadium.

During those 70 years, Civic Stadium has been used for an enterprising variety of events, including high school football, baseball and soccer games, golf, rodeos, concerts, graduations, and funerals of prominent citizens. It was the site of football and baseball games between area lumber mills. The Eugene Larks minor league baseball team was in residence in the early years, followed by the Eugene Emeralds baseball team, which has provided summertime excitement for many generations of residents since 1969.

Recent Developments

Now, this rich history of community value is threatened. The Stadium’s usefulness to Eugene School District 4J, the facility’s sole owner since 1938, has decreased in recent years now that each high school has its own football stadium, to the point where it is only used by 4J for South Eugene baseball and girls soccer teams. District 4J currently inventories Civic Stadium as “surplus” property.

Furthermore, District 4J is a reluctant landlord to the Eugene Emerald’s minor league baseball team. 4J went before the courts within the last two years and successfully had a clause removed from the original property deed requiring that Civic Stadium be used in perpetuity for recreational purposes only.

Also within the last two years, the University of Oregon decided to restart its baseball program. Representatives of the University, Eugene Emeralds, and the Chamber of Commerce cursorily met to discuss the possibility of the UO team playing at Civic Stadium, before the Eugene Emeralds’ season. The UO quickly decided to build its own facility on university property.

Close on the heels of the UO’s decision, the Eugene Emeralds announced that they intended to play at the UO’s new stadium. For several years, the Eugene Emeralds have candidly stated that upgrades and improvements, such as new locker rooms and improved accessibility to meet ADA requirements, should be made to Civic to bring it up to minor league standards. However, District 4J has not wanted to invest any money into Civic due to its surplus property status. The Emeralds undoubtedly concluded that moving to the new UO stadium was the smartest thing to do.

A Grass Roots Response

Given these alarming and rapid developments, a grass roots group of citizens began gathering support to ensure that Civic Stadium would continue to benefit the community rather than be torn down and the property sold off. Over the past two years, the issue was publicized, research was conducted, and over 3,200 signatures were gathered in support of Civic Stadium.

The Save Civic Stadium organization was officially formed in 2008 to:

• intensify efforts to retain Civic Stadium as a historic and recreational facility for the public;
• transfer ownership from District 4J to the City of Eugene or a non-profit entity;
• develop a plan for increased community use; and
• ensure that needed restoration and improvements are made.

The group has galvanized the energy and concern of over 20 active volunteers, applied for its 501(c)3 non profit status, drew 80 people to its first public meeting, held additional public meetings, maintains a website (www.savecivicstadium.org), hosted information tables at Eugene Emeralds games in 2006, 2007 and 2008; and for the last two years participated in the Eugene Celebration Parade and had a table at the Celebration’s Community Causeway. Save Civic Stadium held a 70th birthday celebration for Civic Stadium on October 22, 2008.

The individuals behind this effort are not well-known community leaders that one might expect to be working on a cause with such an illustrious history in our city. Instead, they are drawn together from disparate backgrounds, not just for their love of baseball, but also because they value this historic facility and want to maintain it for enjoyment and use by families, youth, and adults for years to come.

Save Civic’s Credo

Save Civic Stadium believes that Civic Stadium is a nationally-unique venue for spectators to watch baseball and other sporting events. It is now the eighth oldest minor league baseball park in the U.S. As such, it is much beloved by local residents and has become a destination for hundreds of tourists each year who wish to see baseball played in a wholesome, historic atmosphere.

The organization also believes there is some possibility to retain the Eugene Emeralds at Civic Stadium, provided they can see clear progress in the transfer of ownership to an appropriate entity and the attainment of funding for needed improvements.

Recent Progress

Over this past summer, Save Civic Stadium board members held high level discussions with District 4J and City of Eugene officials to explore possibilities that would preserve and enhance Civic Stadium as a multi-purpose community resource for decades to come.

District 4J officials have indicated they are not in a hurry to sell the property and would be happy to see it continue as a recreational facility. They are also open to transferring the property to another owner under certain conditions, most importantly that the property must remain a recreational facility.

The Eugene City Manager has stated that the City supports retaining Civic Stadium as a community recreational facility. It would become the owner/operator as long as funding for restoration and a viable management plan are in place to ensure it is not a drain on City resources.

Save Civic Stadium has made significant progress. There is a willing seller. There is a potential owner. Now, funding is needed to take the next key steps in order to retain Civic Stadium as a one-of-a kind and invaluable part of community’s fabric.

The Future: Promising Potential

Members of Save Civic Stadium believe that the stadium is currently underutilized. With improvements and committed management, it can meet a much broader range of community needs. The following list is eclectic and wide-ranging, and is offered to show the many possibilities that exist for use of the facility and property.

Sports and Athletic Recreation Uses
Continue to be landlord to the Eugene Emeralds or another minor league team, with stadium and field upgrades to meet minor league standards. If the Emeralds elect to leave Civic, other options will be pursued such as hosting a team from the Golden Baseball League.
Host highly-visible soccer matches and traveling exhibition baseball teams. In the past few years, local soccer boosters have promoted matches with local all-stars against European pro league players that attracted a sold out audience at the UO’s Papé field. Civic Stadium could accommodate a much larger crowd. Occasionally, baseball teams from other countries such as Japan need venues for their exhibition teams.
Landlord to a semi-pro soccer team. With the growing popularity of soccer in the U.S., Eugene could host a soccer team much the same way it has been home to minor league baseball.
Be a site for City of Eugene Recreational Sports Leagues, meeting the citizens’ voracious demand for fields for practices and games. With a new flexible configuration of fields, it would be possible to hold simultaneous soccer and baseball or softball practices and games.
Integration with the Eugene YMCA and Emerald Kidsports. The Y needs facilities located near area schools and good transportation. It is looking for ways to expand and update their facilities and has shown some interest in the Civic Stadium property. Likewise, KidSports could serve youth more effectively if they had access to Civic. They are chronically short of practice and game fields for soccer, baseball, softball, and football.
Act as tournament site. Regional, state, and perhaps national baseball, softball, and soccer tournaments for high school, little league, Babe Ruth, and other teams could be held at Civic Stadium.

Arts, Culture, and Humanities Uses
Forge a natural partnership with the Lane County Historical Museum. The museum is currently in a low profile location at the Lane County Fairgrounds. They have long desired a new home with more space and visibility. Land adjacent to Civic could be an ideal location, easily accessible to schools and the general public, and could tie in with the historic status of the stadium.
Be an outdoor venue for arts & crafts fair farmers markets, antique tractors shows, etc.
Be a venue for music concerts. Contract with events promoters who bring in music groups for concerts. This has already been taking place on a minimal basis.
Explore partnerships with major local arts organizations. With proper acoustical equipment, it is possible that Civic could be a venue for concerts produced by the Oregon Bach Festival, the Eugene Symphony, and Oregon Festival of American Music.

General Uses
Develop partnerships with non-profit organizations to share facilities with Civic Stadium management. The existing outbuildings at Civic Stadium may not be retained, but there is space to build offices or multi-use buildings. Some of the abovementioned organizations might wish to relocate on this site, or there may be other organizations that would be a good fit.
Work with for profit developers. There is potential to build projects on the site such as offices, retail stores, snack bars, and restaurants that would complement the recreational uses of the facility.

Funding Needed for the Project

Both Eugene School District 4J and the City of Eugene are interested in having Civic Stadium preserved and restored, but do not have the funding to accomplish this feat on their own. An opportunity exists for the private sector to partner with our public entities, to ensure that Civic Stadium becomes an historic jewel, benefitting the public well into the future.

Funding is currently needed to:
1) Hire an experienced full-time project manager who would manage organizational and fund raising support in order to get the restoration project off the ground The City might be able to provide some of this support. (Estimated $50,000 to $100,000).

2) Hire an engineering firm to expedite a formal estimate for restoration. The City might provide assistance with this. (Estimated $25,000 to $50,000).

3) Purchase and transfer of the property from Eugene School District 4J to the City or a non-profit entity. (Estimated $10,000 to $1,000,000).

4) Restore and renovate Civic Stadium ($5,000,000 to $10,000,000 pending formal estimate). As in 1938, local businesses would be approached to match these funds in part with in-kind contributions of labor and materials.

5) Establish an operating reserve and endowment to cover a substantial portion of future operations and maintenance expenses (Estimated $5,000,000 to $10,000,000). There is no operational business plan in place for a restored Civic Stadium, because there are as yet too many unknowns. However, a revenue plan will likely consist of City support, rental income, possible income from private development, and contributions to a non-profit linked to the site.

Local history tells us that the operating budgets for large facilities such as the Hult Center for the Performing Arts and the Lane County Fairgrounds are vulnerable to economic conditions and other pressing demands on the general fund of the city or county. A Civic Stadium revenue plan that includes, from the very inception of the project, an operating reserve and permanent endowment would help answer the public’s concern about sustainability. They would be part of a matching donation campaign with the public, corporations, and foundations.

Total estimated costs: $10,085,000 to $21,250,000.

Celebrate, Preserve, and Ensure

Both large and small scale capital construction campaigns have been successfully conducted in the Eugene area, for such things as the construction of RiverBend Medical Center, many University of Oregon building projects, the restoration and purchase of The Shedd Institute for the Performing Arts, a new Pearl Buck Center, and the like. In an area with a population base of 250,000, one could logically assume that the private sector is tapped out. However the members of Save Civic Stadium feel that this project will appeal to contributors—from major supporters to grass roots donors—who are motivated to celebrate, preserve and ensure such things as our community’s history, the preservation of a unique WPA building, sports and recreation, economic development, and youth and families.

There is a willing seller. There is a potential owner. A significant commitment of seed funding is needed to continue the impassioned momentum of a committed group of citizens in order to Save Civic Stadium.