Greenville’s Ballpark Helps With Downtown Revitalization

Downtown Huntsville has a lot to offer, but city leaders want to make it even better.  Last week, they took a trip to Greenville, South Carolina to get some ideas about how to renovate the Rocket City.

WHNT News 19 went on the trip exclusively.  In this report, we show you how Greenville managed to take a swing at a new baseball stadium downtown — and turn it into a home run.

Greenville resuscitated its downtown over the past several decades, injecting life into once dormant streets.

But on the road to progress, disagreements always work their way into the mix.  Greenville’s Fluor Field proves it.

“We had a lot of controversy about that.  We had a stadium out in the suburbs, which a lot of people were satisfied with, but we created a stadium downtown to help continue to make downtown a place that people wanted to be,” said Greenville Mayor Knox White.  “The stadium is just part of that mixture, if you will.”

Now the field helps people feel proud to call this part of town their home.

“This extended downtown, probably an extra 10 blocks,” said David Glenn, the ballpark developer.  “This was a very blighted area, and it has changed the complexion of what is called the west end of downtown.”

The ballpark itself is an Americana paradise.  For starters, it’s a dimensional replica of Boston’s famed Fenway Park.   Even the bricks exude history, having been rescued from the ruins of demolished textile mills.

Most importantly, the park incorporates both baseball and business.  Right underneath, there’s some very prime dining real estate.

The dining helps keep people pouring into the park and this section of downtown.
   
So could Huntsville consider using a ballpark the same way?

“I think we’ve still got a long way to go,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.  “We talked about it.  We kind of floated a trial balloon.  We’ve still got to work with the Stars organization to see what their interest is in it, how much they’re willing to put forward and invest in it.”

Greenville’s ballpark breathes life into the west end.  Since its construction, office buildings, condos, and apartments have all popped up.

And when nearby office residents look out their window, they like what they see.
 
“My office overlooks the field, and I’ve got the best view in Greenville,” said Glenn.

Our exclusive reports on the Greenville trip continue Wednesday on WHNT News 19 at 6:00 and 10:00 p.m.