Fifth Third Park | $425 million MiLB Stadium + Mixed-Use Development

[westsider28]

There was a timeline update at Outlook Spartanburg, but I forgot to screenshot the IG story that showed it.  I think it said foundation work would happen over the next few months, then steel structure in the summer/fall, then field installation in December.  Anyway, I walked by yesterday, and it looks like foundation work is underway.

 

The team should have an office presence soon at 131 West Main (former DK Boutique that just closed).  By the end of January, they hope to have a waitlist for season tickets available for folks to sign up for.  The team's name should be revealed in Spring.  Also, Fifth Third Park's IG account just posted a time-lapse from a camera atop the AC Hotel.  I don't know if it's publicly accessible; I haven't found it after a quick Google.

[westsider28]

DBH Kinston, LLC--the owner of the Kinston Wood Ducks (future Spartanburg team)--has registered in South Carolina (at the 131 West Main address) as of January 24, 2024.

More interestingly, I found that DBH Kinston, LLC has acquired the "Spartanburgers" trademark.  This doesn't necessarily mean that the new team will be called that (could just be covering their bases--pun intended), but it's a possibility.

[westsider28]

Lots of rebar and some forms for the field level of the stadium structure (where the locker rooms will be, etc).  No concrete poured quite yet.

Edited February 2 by westsider28
Added a photo

[westsider28]

At the February 19 County Council meeting, there will be a public hearing for "an Ordinance to provide for and authorize the execution and delivery of an Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Spartanburg, South Carolina regarding the sharing of costs associated with construction, equipping, financing and maintenance of a Minor League Baseball Stadium in the City, and other matters related thereto." 

[westsider28]

A good bit of concrete has been poured for the stadium foundation, primarily the right-field side.  Home plate area and left-field side have rebar in place.

[westsider28]

The March 5 DRB agenda includes a request for Full and Final Approval for the Spartanburg Ballpark Development located at 300 W. Henry Street.

[westsider28]

Construction aerial from Ken Toney on Facebook

[hub-city]

On 2/19/2024 at 10:07 PM, westsider28 said:

The March 5 DRB agenda includes a request for Full and Final Approval for the Spartanburg Ballpark Development located at 300 W. Henry Street.

The Agenda packet is now attached if anyone wants to peruse.

[westsider28]

Looks like a more detailed landscape plan.  Also, the upper level of the stadium exterior is now brick with phantom windows, rather than metal.  IMO, the overhang is a bit awkward, but brick is nice.  The City consultant recommends that the phantom windows match the shape of the real windows on the left-field side.  Also, improved streetscaping on DMA is missing (it's only shown on Henry), so the consultant recommends requiring DMA streetscape improvements (even if that side will be developed eventually).  Consultant also suggests possible temporary landscaping on that side to mitigate the stadium's blank wall until the DMA site is developed.

Old homeplate rendering:

Versus new homeplate rendering:

Here's a cool angled view:

[Spartan]

The corer at Henry seems like a missed opportunity for something iconic. Put a clock tower or obelisk or something notable there... anything better than some bushes.

[gman430]

1 hour ago, Spartan said:

The corer at Henry seems like a missed opportunity for something iconic. Put a clock tower or obelisk or something notable there... anything better than some bushes.

Put the clock tower from Morgan Square there.  

[westsider28]

The ballpark was given final approval (with conditions) at yesterday's meeting.  The conditions include understanding that there will be streetscape improvements to DMA, and that planning staff will review the final brick color for the exterior.  Apparently the bullpens moved from left field to right field since preliminary approval (a very minor change).  Interesting note in the article: "The stadium's occupant load will be 5,040 people."  That confirmed my suspicion that the 3,500 number was purely seats.  Good to see that it can handle more people.

[westsider28]

A few pics from today:

There are some material samples along the AC parking lot retaining wall, but they're a long way back from the fence along DMA, so they're hard to see well.

[westsider28]

I took my DSLR downtown this weekend and got some decent pics of the the material samples.  Pretty nice looking brickwork.

And stadium construction from along the RR tracks at West Main.

[westsider28]

I was looking again at the March 5 DRB submittal for this project and noticed a site plan that outlines a future potential office building and future potential parking deck.  Using the AC Hotel lot for scale, it looks like it would be a relatively narrow parking deck, and it seems to be in an good location at the "back" of the site.  That would leave 2 more parking decks currently unaccounted for.

[westsider28]

Speak of the devil: the April 2 DRB meeting agenda (5:30pm at TK Gregg) shows a request for preliminary approval of a Grain District Parking Garage.  Full packets have only been posted like 1 day in advance lately (it used to be a week in advance), so we'll have to wait and see what it's planned to look like and where it's sited.

[westsider28]

The team will start taking deposits for suites and club seats on March 27.  They're available on multi-year terms (often these are bought by corporations).  By the end of May, the team will start taking deposits for other seating options like concourse-level loge boxes and field-level table tops.  The team will start getting merchandise in May. The brand launch will come afterward, likely sometime this summer. Single-game tickets will be available closer to the start of the season.  Once the brand is launched, the team will sell gear and tickets out of its new office at 131 W. Main St. on Morgan Square.  The team is still working with its concessionaire to decide on which vendors will be in the ballpark.

Edited March 26 by westsider28
added rendering of suites

[westsider28]

Pouring the concourse level yesterday.

Lots of signage up on the team office at 131 West Main.  Here's a photo through the window.  Looks like a model of the stadium's seating.  It appears to be mesh, which is a stadium seating type that's increasing in popularity, particularly in hot climates like ours (it helps with air flow and reduces sweating).

[gman430]

Agenda packet now up for parking garage: 

https://spartanburgsc.portal.civicclerk.com

92 feet and six inches tall. I like how there will at least be some retail space on the ground floor. 

Edited March 29 by gman430

[westsider28]

Here's a direct link - https://spartanburgsc.portal.civicclerk.com/event/53/files/agenda/290

Honestly, pretty good as far as parking decks go.  Very nice neo art deco design (gives me hope for the City / County building), decent placement at the "back" of the site, and retail.  A few more images:

 

[westsider28]

Some new (to me at least) renderings of the suites and club seating via https://spartanburgprofessionalbaseball.com/season-ticket-shop/

[westsider28]

Big City Council meeting tomorrow for many of the technical/financial mechanisms of the stadium.  They're voting on an ordinance to put certain properties in a Joint County Industrial Park, an ordinance for an intergovernmental agreement on funding, an ordinance on a sub-lease agreement with DBH Kinston LLC, and an ordinance authorizing the issuance of Spartanburg Stadium Facilities Corporation Installment
Purchase Revenue Bonds (City Of Spartanburg Project), Taxable Series 2024, in the aggregate principal amount of not exceeding $67,500,000.

Sublease highlights: 20-year initial term, with two optional 5-year extensions; $500k annual rent (increasing with inflation every 5 years); $1 per ticket facility fee (1% increase each year) going into the Capital Maintenance Fund; Team Owner may limit access to the Public Spaces up to three (3) hours before and after any Stadium Event; Team Owner shall license the use of the Leased Premises to the City for no fewer than ten (10) City-sponsored civic-oriented, community not-for-profit or educational events (the “City Events”) per Lease Year; Team Owner is entitled to 100% of concession revenue; Team Owner pays for routine maintenance, utilities, and public safety; the City will provide 30 free parking spaces for team employees; they'll develop a multi-modal transportation plan and wayfinding; the Capital Maintenance Fund will maintain a minimum balance of $500k; Team Owner is entitled to 100% of sponsorship revenue; the team shall provide free digital signage to the City for up to three (3) community-oriented messages during events.

Ground lease to Johnson Development is $1 per year until 2059.

(I didn't read everything. These are dense documents, ~400 pages total.)

[hub-city]

Did the garage receive preliminary approval?  Timeline indicates they want to start pretty soon….

[westsider28]

Team name will be unveiled at a block party on DMA near the stadium site on May 11.  Entrance will be free to the event with live music and food trucks. After the name is revealed, fans can buy merchandise and enjoy fireworks.

https://www.postandcourier.com/spartanburg/news/spartanburg-baseball-stadium-tickets-prices-name/article_5bac6208-f769-11ee-b91d-9785326d8d11.html

[westsider28]

On 4/8/2024 at 5:37 PM, hub-city said:

Did the garage receive preliminary approval?  Timeline indicates they want to start pretty soon….

I guess the deck got prelim approval, because they're asking for final approval at the May 7 DRB meeting.