A developer has been granted an extension on a purchase agreement for the site of Capital City Stadium, the former home to baseball in Columbia, SC.
Capital City Stadium was home to various teams during its time hosting baseball, including the Capital City Bombers (Low A; Sally League), who played there before relocating to Greenville, SC after the 2004 season. Baseball would return to Capital City Stadium in 2006 in the form of the Columbia Blowfish (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League).
While the ballpark stills stands, redevelopment of the site has been discussed for years. The Georgia-based Bright-Meyers has sought to carry out development, only to see some plans of its plan stall, including one to construct a Walmart on the site.
In a vote on November 22, the Columbia City Council extended a purchase agreement with Bright-Meyers through March 31, 2018. City officials indicated that Bright-Meyers continues to work on a plan, but they are not ruling out the pursuit of other opportunities if nothing comes to fruition. More from the Free-Times:
When pressed further, [City Councilman Howard] Duvall said he couldn’t divulge details of the potential project, but did classify it as a “commercial recreational” enterprise.
The councilman says Council is “pretty firm” that, if something doesn’t come of this 10th extension of the agreement with Bright-Meyers, the city will likely look for another option for the property.
District 4 Councilman Daniel Rickenmann agreed with that line of thought.
“This is kind of the last amendment on our side, unless [Bright-Meyers] has a solid deal,” Rickenmann says. “Like anything in that development world, the process to go through different checks with different tenants takes forever, which causes delays here and there. … I do know Council has said, ‘Look, we’ve done everything we can. If you can’t get it this time we’re going to open it up to other folks.’
Now known as the Lexington County Blowfish, the Blowfish played their final game at Capital City Stadium in 2014 before opening a new ballpark in Lexington County, SC the following year. Affiliated baseball did return to Columbia in 2016, thanks to the arrival of the Columbia Fireflies (Low A; Sally League), who play their games at Spirit Communications Park.
RELATED STORIES: Another final season for Capital City Stadium; Final days for Cap City Stadium; Shanahan: Blowfish negotiating move to Lexington County; Columbia sells Capital City Stadium site; Looking back at Cap City Stadium; Class A ball returning to Columbia?; Columbia sells Capital City Stadium; Wal-Mart on the way; Future of Columbia baseball in play