Eugene voters have rejected a $15 million bond, which would have helped fund a new minor-league baseball stadium at the Lane County Fairgrounds.
Advocates had argued this measure might've been the last chance to stop the Eugene Emeralds from leaving. But opponents said it would have been a risky move in the middle of a city budget crisis, and could have hurt other events at the fairgrounds.
Ems General Manager Allan Benavides followed the results on election night while watching his team play at PK Park. As initial returns showed that over two thirds of voters opposed the measure, he said the voters had spoken.
"It feels like heartbreak," said Benavides.
Without a new stadium, Benavides has said Major League Baseball will likely move the Ems to another city. On election night, he said he was unsure what the team's next steps would be.
“We’ll have to get really creative if we want to stay here, or find a new home," said Benavides.
