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Residents urge council to protect parkland, question proposed Emeralds ballpark at Creekside Quarter
Summary
Public commenters at the Sept. 17 Medford council meeting expressed concerns about a proposed Emeralds ballpark and venue at Creekside Quarter, raising questions about noise, winter use and historic parkland status.
During public comment at the Sept. 17 Medford City Council meeting, two residents urged elected officials to reconsider plans to site an Emeralds ballpark or large event venue at the Creekside Quarter site.
Chris Turner, a registered voter, said the project’s financials "do not add up" for local taxpayers and raised concerns about noise from an estimated 186 annual events and whether a winter schedule would leave the venue underused. Turner asked whether the city’s ultimate goal is to rely on out-of-area visitors and hotels rather than focusing on services and amenities for local residents.
Bill Dames, who identified his address as 2337 Kona Circle, urged the council to preserve the land as a park, citing past civic donations, bond measures and historical deeds that he said supported keeping the site as public parkland. He encouraged staff and council members to review historic records and to consider alternative locations for a ballpark.
City staff took public comment but no council action on the ballpark was recorded during the meeting; the remarks were entered during the public comment portion of the agenda.
