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A CPL team at Guy Smith is all Greenville needs...it has the Pirates until May and football in Sept.
A beer garden could be added and maybe some additional stands and you could have a nice set-up....without spending any money...the team itself could pay for that and take in the additional revenue.
If K-town cant get a Class A team, they could also get a CPL team...that would make things interesting...rivalries.
I tend to agree with NCP...I would rather those funds go toward other community needs than subsidizing a team that will just threaten to leave if you don't give them what they want. Wilmington only has a CPL team, playing at an existing facility and the public is fine with it. I think in the long run...20 years, you will see both communities with minor league teams, but there are just too many needs to justify it now....and entertainment does exist in Greenville.
I don't think it should be fully funded by the city, but a public private partnership I could get on board with a piece of a greater revitalization project for the uptown area. Yes there are pitfalls and dangers, but there are with most things. Greenville is a very sport inclined city and especially towards baseball, I think a team would have a better chance of success here than perhaps another city. Do you know if these studies are specific to the team/organization and its impact (tax revenues and job creation), do they take into consideration the revitalization that could happen around the park, the business that open around the park. Take Durham for example, and yes they are a popular brand bc of their history, but they built a new park and Durham exploded around it.
Greenville needs more entertainment options, especially those outside of ECU's sport schedule (ie the summer). That doesn't necessarily have to be a baseball team though. Minor league ticket prices aren't expensive either, MudCats are as cheap as 10 and the Bulls are as cheap as 7. I know I am biased bc I'm a fan of the sport but I still think it is something the "fits" Greenville. Even a CPL team, if someone had the money to invest in a nice stadium and served beer it would be a great addition to the budding Uptown area.
FrancisDrake,
I absolutely agree, we need more quality of life amenities within Greenville. And certainly, quality of life is becoming an increasingly important component to economic development/revitalization.
It has been a few years since I really had to dive into these studies, but from what I remember, they looked at the economic impact of the stadiums from a very broad lenses.... not only tax revenue of the team/stadium, and direct baseball stadium and team job creation, but through new spending in the area as a result to the team, creation of new jobs as a result, and their success as a revitalization tool.
I am a proponent of public funds and private/public partnerships to advance a community and to provide a higher quality of life but I just don't think a baseball stadium at the expense of its citizens is in the best interest of the community, as a whole, in Greenville. I don't necessarily think it is for Kinston either, but Kinston is a 'whole other ball game'. Greenville is in the early(ish) midst of its boom, I suspect. While Kinston is currently struggling and scrambling to restore their city and identity. Kinston has a ton of potential, and perhaps a minor league team will help clean the perception that some have of Kinston and help attract visitors to the town to realize that- "wow, this little science museum and park is pretty nice... and this downtown is kind of cool". And with regard to Wilmington, they have so much money and existing social amenities.. that... why not build a stadium. I just do not think Greenville is unfortunate enough to need one like Kinston, as a public relations piece, or fortunate enough, like Wilmington, to be in the position to add one without much consequence.
Mark my words, though, Greenville will become one of the most unique cities in North Carolina within 10-20 years. We are diverse, unique, densely developed and have a real and down to earth quality that you do not find in the Triangle or Charlotte- almost like old scratched up hardwood floors. It's unfortunate that some cannot see it though.
Last edited by Samsclubcoffee; 04-27-2016 at 12:41 PM..
What quality of life amenities did you have in mind that would be higher on the list than a minor league team for Greenville? I'd say a minor league team/civic stadium would be top 5 for sure with the population of Greenville/Pitt County.
That is why I say that if a true downtown stadium would be built, it needs to have more than just baseball being played there. If the public is going to pay for it, it should be able to be used throughout the year.
What quality of life amenities did you have in mind that would be higher on the list than a minor league team for Greenville? I'd say a minor league team/civic stadium would be top 5 for sure with the population of Greenville/Pitt County.
That is why I say that if a true downtown stadium would be built, it needs to have more than just baseball being played there. If the public is going to pay for it, it should be able to be used throughout the year.
Michaelbond,
Obviously my opinion, but I would say that there are many quality of life amenities that I would hold above a minor league baseball team. Adequate public/multi-modal transportation and pedestrian infrastructure, quality schools & education, access to parks and nature, more activity on town commons & on the amphitheater, festivals..etc.
The median household income is barely above $35,000, within Greenville's jurisdiction. I am not one to say that everything should be free but how often can a family afford to purchase tickets for their family- not to mention the parking costs, cost of food, etc. And of course, we will have people coming in from surrounding locations to attend the game, however their taxes are not those used to construct the stadium. (Which is fine, but something to consider.)
As a quality of life component, I rate a baseball game fairly low on my list. But when I do get to that item on my list, every now and then, lucky I have ECU baseball within town. And most of the times I have attended, there has been plenty of room for others. Baseball just isn't 'america's favorite pastime' anymore. No matter how much you or I may wish it to be.
I am all for a baseball stadium, I am just not a fan of using public funds to construct their stadium which has, for the most part, become the status-quo. How professional sports owners have influenced cities and towns around the country to build stadium for their private teams (and private gain) without the ROI and clawback requirements of a grant, given to industries- puzzles me. But time and time again, you have cities dangling carrots to steal another city's team.. so I don't blame them for their limited private investments.
Most of those towns are dying....or have limited entertainment options.
I look at Fayetteville...if they don't build an Arena and now a ballpark....there is literally nothing to do from a community standpoint. It has a transient population. I get why they would build that stuff.
Greenville is different in that it has ECU and its facilities. It has an arena, it has a baseball stadium, football...what it needs is a legit outdoor amphitheater, a legit town park...a place to hold community festivals. That's why I think CPL in the existing stadium is the way to go....Greenville needs to build its Greenway system, redevelop Dickinson Ave, that sort of stuff...so much to do besides deal with the greedy minor league owners.
It appears the acquisition phase of the GTAC is complete....all 4 structures affected have been boarded up and asbestos siding has been removed at one property. Looks like demolition will be the next step.
And on the Pugh site, deconstruction of some of the buildings is underway and a "we are moving" sign is up.
Clearing for these two projects should further the momentum in the Uptown area....will be interesting to see if more clearing will occur on ECU's Millenial Campus site.
...what it needs is a legit outdoor amphitheater, a legit town park...a place to hold community festivals. That's why I think CPL in the existing stadium is the way to go....Greenville needs to build its Greenway system, redevelop Dickinson Ave, that sort of stuff...so much to do besides deal with the greedy minor league owners.
I agree 100%. Greenville really needs a legit concert venue that will attract known bands, be it an amphitheater or an indoor venue like The Norva.
Most of those towns are dying....or have limited entertainment options.
I look at Fayetteville...if they don't build an Arena and now a ballpark....there is literally nothing to do from a community standpoint. It has a transient population. I get why they would build that stuff.
Greenville is different in that it has ECU and its facilities. It has an arena, it has a baseball stadium, football...what it needs is a legit outdoor amphitheater, a legit town park...a place to hold community festivals. That's why I think CPL in the existing stadium is the way to go....Greenville needs to build its Greenway system, redevelop Dickinson Ave, that sort of stuff...so much to do besides deal with the greedy minor league owners.
I think the greenway and park options are separate, its not either or. At what point do we actually start working on the parks and stop talking about them? I absolutely believe in the value of parks and greenways so I would not advocate for a stadium/team instead of these things, but I believe both have merit. Again, I'm not arguing the city foot the bill for an entire stadium, but I would certainly be ok with a public private partnership. IIRC, when Holland built ECU's stadium he proposed a joint facility in the Uptown area that could've been used for a CPL or Minor league team in tandem with ECU baseball, but that idea never got traction and just like the Convention Center, opportunity missed for UpTown.
Also, not everyone is from ECU or ECU fans and that will only increase as the city grows. It wouldn't hurt to have a product for Greenville that isn't ECU. You also can't enjoy a beer at an ECU game, something general public I think prefer.
I still wish there was a way to utilize the waterfront in west Greenville.... That area has a nice grid system much like downtown Wilmington. If the water front could be developed for business that area would boom. With its proximity to the hospital, ECU and Uptown....
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