Introducing the Ballpark of the Future
March 22, 2017 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Gastonia Grizzlies News Release
The first actual pitch may still be up to three years away, but city leaders tossed out their plan to create a spark in the center city to business leaders Tuesday morning by building a sports stadium without mentioning the word baseball.
Yes, the Gastonia Grizzlies will use the stadium for its home games in a collegiate summer league, but those pitching the creation of a Franklin Urban Sports and Entertainment District, or FUSE, say this won't be just another ballpark like cities in Charlotte and Atlanta have built in recent years.
"When we talk about what we're trying to create, we want the ballpark of the future," said Jesse Cole, owner of the Gastonia Grizzlies and Savannah (Georgia) Bananas, both of which play in the Coastal Plain League. "I know we have some designers in here, some people who will potentially be working on this project and we need to think crazy. We need to think different. Playing it safe is building a downtown ballpark."
More than 100 community and business leaders attended Good Morning Gaston, the first of several monthly breakfast meetings planned by Gaston Regional Chamber with help from Coldwell Banker Commercial MECA at the Gastonia Conference Center. This meeting was dedicated to city's plans to revitalize a part of the city that has been on a downward slide, centered around the old Sears building now undergoing demolition.
The old Sears building had sat vacant for years before the city stepped up in October and agreed to spend almost $4 million to purchase 16 acres of property in that area to create the Fuse District. Other properties include the Trenton Mill, and old Coca-Cola bottling plant and the Budget Inn.
City leaders hope their plan for a sports and entertainment district will help link the success from the transformation at the Loray Mill to loft apartments to a recent upswing occurring downtown, while also strengthening the Highland community to the north and York Chester neighborhood to the south, said City Manager Ed Munn.
The city has committed $10 million more to build a stadium, but will also need private donations to finish the project.
"We will be going forward making sure this is a public-private partnership and we do need support from our business community," said Kristy Crisp, the city's business services manager.
Thoughts of building a downtown sports stadium in Gastonia may seem impossible, but Cole and city leaders say they have an even bigger vision for the area. Baseball alone - at least from a summer collegiate league - would not be enough to warrant such an investment, city leaders say.
But the stadium's field could be a centerpiece surrounding by retail space and restaurants, kids activities and adult recreation leagues, music concerts, food truck festivals and more, city boosters of the plan say.
• Discuss this story on the Coastal Plain League message board...
Coastal Plain League Stories from March 22, 2017
- Our Players Need Good Homes - Lexington County Blowfish
- Introducing the Ballpark of the Future - Gastonia Grizzlies
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
