Bottom of the 9th for Eugene's historic ballpark

EUGENE, Ore. - The grass is overgrown, the dugout is flooded and the only sound from the grandstand... is silence.

Soon this crumbling ballpark could become a bustling department store.

Eugene Superintendent George Russell chose Fred Meyer over two other proposals: the Y and 'Save Civic Stadium' plans.

The school board - which makes the final decision - is still undecided about who should take over the historic site.

Eugene 4J administrators say Fred Meyer stepped up to the plate with the best offer for the historic site.

Steve Masters, a developer with Masters Development LLC, says the Fred Meyer had big selling points to the superintendent.

"I think the idea that we are flexible in our design, that we can benefit the community through public space," said Masters. "We can have an amphitheatre and be able to have places for people to gather as well as incorporating some of the heritage of save civic into the project itself."

Masters says the proposal could reuse wood from the old stadium or even move the stadium across Amazon Parkway.

4J says converting Civic into a Fred Meyer would bring in $7.1 million over 20 years--a big boost for a struggling school system.

"It has the greatest financial benefit for the district," said Craig Russell, Board Chair for the Eugene 4J School District.

The district recommended the Fred Meyer proposal over a plan to preserve the ballpark and turn it into a sports complex.

But proponents behind other proposals say that's an error, whether it shows up on an old rackety scoreboard or not.

"The fact that the district got this property for $1 about seventy years ago to be used for the public means that it should stay for use by the public," described "Save Civic Stadium" President Ron Crasilneck. "We were quite disappointed with the superintendent's decision."

It also beat out a proposal to build a bigger and better YMCA, complete with a 550 bed four-story student housing complex.

"We knew we didn't offer as much money as Fred Meyer had done for their proposal," said YMCA Executive Director Dave Perez. "But we knew we really scored very well in what we were doing with kids."

"Going in I think I was so optimistic and positive about the potential of the project we were working on...when I found out that it wasn't going our way I was shocked and disappointed," said Perez.

But the board chair says it's not a done deal.

While the Fred Meyer proposal means the most money, "the real question and I think the issue for the rest of the board, including me, is whether other things off set that," said Smith.

For now, the superintendent's recommendation is just that, a recommendation. The 4J Board still has to vote on the proposals. The final decision on the fate of Civic is set for June 1.