Downtown Baseball Stadium?

[spartanburgh]

1 hour ago, Spartan said:

I doubt that proximity to Charlotte has much to do with it. I feel like MILB at any level is an extremely local event, and I'm not convinced that Greenville's team will have much of an impact. Greenville is a long way to go to watch a baseball game

When the Knights were in Ft Mill most people in Charlotte rarely went to games, then when they built the stadium uptown they had record crowds because it was more central to a larger number of people. The Kannapolis team wasn't affected by that move at all. You'd think that their attendence would decrease if there was a relationship, but the reality is that it stayed roughly the same (if not slightly higher on average). What it comes down to is that Kannapolis and Charlotte are two different markets. I think the same relationship applies to Greenville and Spartanburg. Right now, I'm sure there are people who occasionally go to Greenville to watch a Drive game on a weekend. Maybe it happens more often for people who live on the west side too. But for the most part, they don't go. If a team were in Spartanburg, you'd have more opportunities and less hassle to go to games. Plus we would be the natural draw for Cherokee, Union, and Polk Counties. I don't know the specific of funding sports like this, but I do know that their models are based off of season ticket sales, not selling out every game. So, if we can show that there is enough support from the business community and residents to buy season tickets then I think we have a strong case.

 

You also have the BB & T, BMW, Piedmont Natural Gas, Duke energy etc. etc. corporate sponsorships that get you the dollars necessary

to build and sustain these parks.  I think its BB & T park in Charlotte. How much did they pay for the park to be named that? You also have

the Piedmont gas section in the outfield etc.. The ownership has to be clever in marketing and drawing groups to the park as well. Also, remember

you were trying to draw people to Duncan Park in the 80's and 90's. The difference in a downtown location would be huge. 

[Spartan]

Right, the corporate situation in Charlotte is different. I didn't meant to compare Spartanburg to that. It's also a much larger stadium than Spartanburg (or even Greenville) would need. 

My point is more about attendance relative to geography and potential for revenue. Spartanburg has plenty of businesses of it's own, and as you said, marketing Duncan Park would be completely different than marketing a park downtown - especially downtown today and its upward trajectory. The City and County could/should also put up some money towards a stadium too.

From my perspective, what it comes down to is driving from Spartanburg to Greenville for anything is a hassle. Minor league sports aren't worth driving for 45 mins to an hour for me, and I'd rather drive the extra half hour to go to a Carolina baseball game on a weekend (but I realize that's not for everyone). If I lived in Spartanburg I'm not going to Greenville much anyway, except for the occasional dinner or concert/show. I might consider a minor league ball game on a Saturday or Sunday for something different. If there were a stadium in Spartanburg, I'd go there much more often and bring friends. I'll admit that I probably wouldn't have season tickets, but if the venue is pleasant and the beer is reasonably priced it won't take much to get me to buy a 10-game pack or something. Plus being able to walk back into downtown for a meal or post-game beverages is part of the advantage of locating a stadium downtown that Duncan Park can't compete with.

[Sparkleman]

SHS's new football stadium that will hold 7500 people is projected to cost $8.5 million but will almost certainly go over that number. Fluor Field's capacity is 5700 and it cost 15 mil in 2005 so 20-30 mil sounds about right. The location of Fluor Field is very similar to where a proposed stadium might go in the Grain District as both areas were awaiting expansions to the same parts of town (west area). Putting in behind the hotel would be a stroke of luck/genius.

[westsider28]

Some context: Columbia's Spirit Comm Park was $37 million for 8,500 seat stadium, with $30 million from City.  Kannapolis is discussing a possible downtown stadium right now.  Estimates are $38 million for 5,800 capacity (which seems pricey).  North Augusta is looking to build a new stadium for the GreenJackets.  Fayetteville, NC is looking at a ~4,500-seat, $33 million stadium for a Carolina League team.  I'd think that we're likely a similar market to (or better than) Fayetteville.  Biloxi, MS (much smaller market than here) recently built a $36 million, 6000-seat stadium for a AA team.

I think a ~$30 million stadium is quite possible here.  I'd use a combo of City & County dollars from hospitality taxes, a ticket surcharge (common), a TIF district, and possibly a parking fee.  Private dollars from a team ownership group would contribute.  Naming rights are generally $100-200K per year.  There were rumors that Spartanburg Regional bid on naming rights for the now-Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, so I'd assume they'd be a prime candidate.  In addition to minor league games, the stadium could also host college games (Clemson-USC, SoCon tourney, etc), other exhibitions/tournaments, concerts, expos, business meetings, etc.

Also, weren't the City, County, and others recently studying the feasibility of an arena / convention center?  How were we going to pay for that (likely more $$ than a ballpark)?

As for teams, if no teams are looking here, why don't we reach out and get them interested?  Sell them on Spartanburg.  We've got to take the initiative.  And getting a team on board would make stadium financing easier.  There are several potential targets in the SAL: Hickory has mediocre attendance, an aging suburban stadium, and a shrinking population.  Hagerstown has awful attendance and doesn't really fit the geographic footprint of the SAL.  The Carolina League is expanding; we could join that.  Maybe even the AA Southern League.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

[roads-scholar]

I feel the "political will" isn't there.  Our local politicians (except for David Britt) are scared out of their britches to even mention that three letter word.  Case in point: a new courthouse.  i wonder what it will take short of country employees dying of mold before anything happens on that. 

Agree that taking the initiative instead of waiting for a team is the way forward on this. 

[mainonmain]

"Also, weren't the City, County, and others recently studying the feasibility of an arena / convention center?  How were we going to pay for that (likely more $$ than a ballpark)?"

There was no way forward on paying for that. That's why that never moved past feasibility study phase.

[Spartan]

I think that's for the best. Spartanburg isn't a convention sort of town. At least, not yet.

[spartanburgh]

One big spoiler for the convention center was the new Richardson Indoor Coliseum at Wofford. There would be

no competitive venues for a new baseball stadium.

[mainonmain]

6 hours ago, spartanburgh said:

One big spoiler for the convention center was the new Richardson Indoor Coliseum at Wofford. There would be

no competitive venues for a new baseball stadium.

Ehhhh, not really. There wasn't a realistic funding plan for a potential convention center even WITHOUT the new Wofford arena. 

[Spartan]

Maybe I'm missing something, but how does the RIC affect potential funding for a convention center or a baseball stadium?

[mainonmain]

2 hours ago, Spartan said:

Maybe I'm missing something, but how does the RIC affect potential funding for a convention center or a baseball stadium?

It doesn't. Some erroneously think it scuttled the downtown convention center because it removed Wofford as a potential funder and user of that facility. 

[Spartan]

Ah ok. I don't think it would remove Wofford from the discussion. I doubt they'd fund it anyway, but the Richardson's gave all that money to the college to build the arts center and the stadium. It worst it would remove them as a potential funding source.