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1. A good local water park
2. A good gym/rec center system
3. A decent level minor league pro sports team. Maybe get a AA or AAA baseball time in or a USL Championship soccer team.
4. Additional Costco's and Trader Joes (currently 1 each in whole region)
Any thoughts on these or possible additions to the list?
1. A good local water park
2. A good gym/rec center system
3. A decent level minor league pro sports team. Maybe get a AA or AAA baseball time in or a USL Championship soccer team.
4. Additional Costco's and Trader Joes (currently 1 each in whole region)
Any thoughts on these or possible additions to the list?
I mean, yeah for the most part. Richland County really has the rec system covered. Or are you thinking something like sports connection in Charlotte? And as for the baseball team, they’d have to level up the fireflies, because I don’t see two minor leagues teams making it in a city Columbia’s size. They’d also have to get rid of or down grade the current AA or AAA Mets team(s). It was my understanding a second Costco was originally slated for Killian Commons. It may still be eventually I’m sure. The Northeast is practically it’s own town. And I could see TJs coming to Northwest Columbia/Irmo or Lexington. It’d work great in Ballentine actually. And I’d love, LOVE a water park. Somewhere central to the whole metro. Like downtown, Killian, or Irmo somewhere.
I mean, yeah for the most part. Richland County really has the rec system covered. Or are you thinking something like sports connection in Charlotte? And as for the baseball team, they’d have to level up the fireflies, because I don’t see two minor leagues teams making it in a city Columbia’s size. They’d also have to get rid of or down grade the current AA or AAA Mets team(s). It was my understanding a second Costco was originally slated for Killian Commons. It may still be eventually I’m sure. The Northeast is practically it’s own town. And I could see TJs coming to Northwest Columbia/Irmo or Lexington. It’d work great in Ballentine actually. And I’d love, LOVE a water park. Somewhere central to the whole metro. Like downtown, Killian, or Irmo somewhere.
We were told by reliable sources that TJ has a site on 378 in Lexington, but not necessarily building anytime soon. We were skeptical but with Publix opening a Greenwise Market very soon, I guess anything is possible. They beat out Whole Foods for the specialty organic market. With Starbucks constructing another store on US1 in a growing area of Lexington, these companies must know what they’re doing.
3. A decent level minor league pro sports team. Maybe get a AA or AAA baseball time in or a USL Championship soccer team.
I think the Fireflies are just fine playing in the Sally League. You have 3 others teams in the South Carolina that play in the same league and another 4 that play in North Carolina, in addition the 3 SC teams all had better attendance as compared to Columbia in 2019.
2019 Attendance Averages
Greenville Drive 4,849, play in a 14-year-old ballpark
Charleston RiverDogs 4,367, play in a 23-year-old ballpark
Augusta GreenJackets 3,920, play in a 2-year-old ballpark in North Augusta, SC
Columbia Fireflies 3,720, play in a 4-year-old ballpark
Minor league baseball (or all minor leagues for that matter) is an interesting "animal" in that for the most part people go to be entertained and not who is on the team (unless it's Tebow!), since there is so much turnover and players promoted or demoted. The trick with MiLB is getting people/families/millennials/retirees/college kids to come out to games on a regular basis and I know this may sound crazy, but the game itself becomes secondary, and I say that as a baseball fan and minor league baseball nerd.
Maybe Columbia can take another shot at a minor league hockey team? One of the difficulties might be arena availability though, with both USC basketball teams playing there, in addition to concerts and other events.
The ECHL is considered "AA" hockey, just below the AHL, which Charlotte has, and both Greenville and North Charleston have ECHL teams, and also Duluth, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. You have built in rivalries right there, but will it sell?
We need the Carolina Panthers to play in Columbia for a couple games every year. Or at least have pre games here. If we could get USC to give up William Brice Stadium for a couple games a year that would be great and would help draw in dollars to the city when those games do come.
We need the Carolina Panthers to play in Columbia for a couple games every year. Or at least have pre games here. If we could get USC to give up William Brice Stadium for a couple games a year that would be great and would help draw in dollars to the city when those games do come.
I think that ship has long since sailed unfortunately. The Panthers monetize in-game well, so there's little benefit to hosting games in a stadium they don't own. There might have been an opportunity to build the practice facility in Columbia, but again that didn't happen.
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