A new Spartanburg ballpark development is moving forward, as the South Carolina city entered into an agreement with Johnson Development Associates on the $425-million multi-use project.
The size of the Spartanburg ballpark development has grown from $250 million to the present $425 million price tag, while the scope of the project has been expanded as well. The relocating Down East Wood Ducks (Single-A; Carolina League), now owned by Diamond Baseball Holdings, would lease the 3,500-seat ballpark. The rest of the downtown project would feature 200,000 square feet of office space, entertainment, a 150-room hotel and 375 apartments. The city will build the ballpark with public money and lease it to the Wood Ducks, who could be playing there as soon as 2025, when new MiLB facility standards are set to launch.
It’s pitched as the largest development in Spartanburg history, attracting over $300 million in private investment. From GoUpstate:
It’s the biggest project in the city’s history, both in scale and in the amount of capital behind it, according to City Manager Chris Story.
“What we’re talking about today is a $425 million undertaking, $305 million of private investment in about a four-block area. We believe it will transition Spartanburg to a whole new (level) of economic activity and opportunity,” Story said during the meeting. “It is really a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
As noted, the $58.6 million ballpark and associated infrastructure costs will be funded by the city, using the proceeds of a local hotel tax and the city’s Downtown Development District fund. The ballpark will feature 12 suites, an outfield berm and open to a public plaza.
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