Council Discusses Next Steps for Creekside Quarter Concept

Published on November 14, 2025

At its Nov. 12 study session, the Medford City Council discussed the next steps of the proposed Creekside Quarter development in downtown Medford.

The concept includes a regional conference and event center, hotel, and other private commercial uses on the west side of Hawthorne Park, along with a proposed professional baseball stadium on the north portion of the site. 

The west side component would be privately developed and remains under negotiation. In the Nov. 4 Special Election, voters approved increasing the City’s transient lodging tax (TLT) from 11% to 13% to help fund the regional conference and event center portion.

The City is also in ongoing negotiations with the Eugene Emeralds regarding stadium specifications and the team’s financial contribution. If the Council chooses to move forward with the stadium, funding would come primarily from MURA 2.0 tax increment financing, supplemented by the team’s contribution. 

Both the project budget and stadium specifications remain under negotiation. City staff are targeting an estimated $60 million, including contributions from both the City and the team.

If the stadium advances, Council may have further discussions about the possibility of selling the south half of Hawthorne Park for redevelopment to help offset construction costs, though several Council members expressed a desire to retain that space as a City park.

Council directed staff to prepare a preliminary roadmap outlining the project’s scope, costs, timelines, and next steps, including potential funding sources to support the preparatory work. Council members also noted that a public outreach component would likely be included if the project continues to advance and details become more defined.

During the last fiscal year, the City entered into several consulting agreements totaling $268,080, including legal, design, advisory, and market analysis services to evaluate project feasibility, prepare conceptual designs, and support early negotiations.