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The stadium is going to be an ENTERTAINMENT complex that just happens to serve as a minor-league baseball stadium. Everything from concerts to dog shows can take place there. Columbia Common is going to be a neighborhood. It is going to succeed. It's a no-brainer.
USC's baseball stadium is for USC baseball and nothing else. The colors are garnet and no other team could play there without the Gamecock garnet and many other USC mementos and signage overshadowing the minor-league team's identity.
There is no reason a neighborhood of apartments, shops, a stadium, a hotel, parks, a lake and beautiful old trees will be a boondoggle in Columbia. Columbia is no different from other cities that routinely see success with such developments, Columbia naysayers notwithstanding.
The stadium is going to be an ENTERTAINMENT complex that just happens to serve as a minor-league baseball stadium. Everything from concerts to dog shows can take place there. Columbia Common is going to be a neighborhood. It is going to succeed. It's a no-brainer.
USC's baseball stadium is for USC baseball and nothing else. The colors are garnet and no other team could play there without the Gamecock garnet and many other USC mementos and signage overshadowing the minor-league team's identity.
There is no reason a neighborhood of apartments, shops, a stadium, a hotel, parks, a lake and beautiful old trees will be a boondoggle in Columbia. Columbia is no different from other cities that routinely see success with such developments, Columbia naysayers notwithstanding.
lol so we need to pay $41 million for another baseball stadium a mile away because the other one has a college logo and colors on it as thought that factor would keep people away from games. The team could just have garnet colors too. I kind of see the SC baseball team as the minor league team in town already...not sure why we need another one. The SC baseball team will probably be better than the minor league one most years. lol
I don't think it is a no-brainer that this thing will succeed, and locating it away from The Vista make is a higher probablity that it won't succeed. I personally think most retailers will see that location as a risky investment. You will likely see it end up as a empty baseball stadium like the one in Huntsville that did not locate near the restaurants downtown, and 1 hotel.
If it is successful then you will see it cannibalize the other 3 areas. Go ahead and kiss Main Street growth goodbye because this area will have better parking and better visiblity to suburban residents, and visitors.
I'm no expert on minor league scheduling but how in the world would you deal with the cluster___ that would ensue with trying to schedule minor league games AND college baseball games? What about if SC hosts a regional (which is EVERY year)... Or a super regional, which extends the season another several weeks? I say expand Columbia's footprint to an idle, expansive area that is Bull Street and build a stadium there.
If you read the article, retailers are jumping at the Bull Street investment. I'm still astounded by the lack of enthusiasm and skepticism that this development is harboring from some folks. Although, they'll probably be the same ones that will be enjoying it a year or two from now without missing a beat.
Plus, bigg(er) cities have options. Lump Columbia into moving forward as a city with numerous options- College baseball or Minor league baseball. Take your pick.
I'm no expert on minor league scheduling but how in the world would you deal with the cluster___ that would ensue with trying to schedule minor league games AND college baseball games? What about if SC hosts a regional (which is EVERY year)... Or a super regional, which extends the season another several weeks? I say expand Columbia's footprint to an idle, expansive area that is Bull Street and build a stadium there.
If you read the article, retailers are jumping at the Bull Street investment. I'm still astounded by the lack of enthusiasm and skepticism that this development is harboring from some folks. Although, they'll probably be the same ones that will be enjoying it a year or two from now without missing a beat.
You don't consider the costs of anything. This stadium is supposedly going to cost 41 million. It will likely cost more than that. You want to create a demand for shopping in an area where there is now nothing and at great expense based on the idea that a minor league baseball stadium will be the catalyst. That is obviously a plan with a great deal of risk, as I don't think a minor league baseball team is in high demand in a city with one of the best college programs in the country. Minor league teams fold or move away all the time, we've seen it with hockey and the former minor league team.
I rarely shop so I am never going to benefit from this thing. I don't like baseball either.
They should build an aquarium or some other kind of tourist attraction rather than the minor league baseball idea.
Those investors have not yet invested anything in this site so they haven't jumped on anything. Expressing interest does not mean anything.
The project is an interesting idea but it isn't likely to be what you want it to be.
I think throwing public money at this thing is corporate welfare and not serving the interests of the public at large. Let private developers at least put some stores there first and then let's talk about a baseball stadium.
You don't consider the costs of anything. This stadium is supposedly going to cost 41 million. It will likely cost more than that. You want to create a demand for shopping in an area where there is now nothing and at great expense based on the idea that a minor league baseball stadium will be the catalyst. That is obviously a plan with a great deal of risk, as I don't think a minor league baseball team is in high demand in a city with one of the best college programs in the country. Minor league teams fold or move away all the time, we've seen it with hockey and the former minor league team.
I rarely shop so I am never going to benefit from this thing. I don't like baseball either.
They should build an aquarium or some other kind of tourist attraction rather than the minor league baseball idea.
Those investors have not yet invested anything in this site so they haven't jumped on anything. Expressing interest does not mean anything.
The project is an interesting idea but it isn't likely to be what you want it to be.
I think throwing public money at this thing is corporate welfare and not serving the interests of the public at large. Let private developers at least put some stores there first and then let's talk about a baseball stadium.
I respect your opinion. Everything costs something nowadays. And you can't get anywhere without investing in anything. Columbia is growing and isn't a dilapidated hole of despair... They're slapping a planned entertaining area by a proven and senior developer in Bob Hughes in an area that's been rotting for years. There's a demographic for it, this isn't a tourist town or a retirement town. This is a family town and a baseball city. Again, not everyone is a South Carolina Gamecock fan- and you do have baseball fans in general out there that for some reason ( I can't understand it entirely), sit at every game with a scorecard and genuinely enjoy it. I don't care for baseball too much, but you can bet I'll be there for general entertainment and being out and about in the city every now and then. And I can bet you other people within a 60 mile radius will feel the same way.
An aquarium would be great, but it'd be a little out of the blue, considering we've never had an aquarium and there are no real plans in the future for one. Plus, we've got a zoo. That's covered for the most part.
Columbia use to have a minor league team and due to the hard headedness of the city and not wanting to build another new stadium, they packed up and left (don't blame them). Since then there has consistently been talks and grumblings here and there about a minor league team and harkening back to the Bombers (I can hear my Dad now).
As for investors and potential retail, there are no clear cut results yet. But there is going to be dirt moved this summer according to that article and there has been interest out there. I'll take that over a pessimistic view of this development any day. As I said, I respect your opinion and you're certainly entitled to it, but you can have the pessimism. The wheels are in motion, no turning back now.
Ok, if this site is so awesome, they wouldn't need a stadium. Private investors would develop it without subsidies from taxpayers. If the site can't exist without a baseball team, it is a bad investment.
It is easy to be bold and rosed color glasses optimistic when you are taking risk with other people's money that could be going to fund infrastucture, cancer research, help poor people, etc. 41 million for a frickin minor league b aseball stadium is a silly waste of money, and most people in Columbia don't care about baseball. The stadium will probably average like 3000 people at best.
Greenville's team only done ok b/c it was located near Main Street which was already a thing.
Ok, if this site is so awesome, they wouldn't need a stadium. Private investors would develop it without subsidies from taxpayers. If the site can't exist without a baseball team, it is a bad investment.
It is easy to be bold and rosed color glasses optimistic when you are taking risk with other people's money that could be going to fund infrastucture, cancer research, help poor people, etc. 41 million for a frickin minor league b aseball stadium is a silly waste of money, and most people in Columbia don't care about baseball. The stadium will probably average like 3000 people at best.
Greenville's team only done ok b/c it was located near Main Street which was already a thing.
USC and a minor league team couldn't easily share a stadium. If you haven't been on the old State Hospital Grounds to look around, it is an immensely beautiful setting within walking distance of existing established neighborhoods and Min Street. I happen to think this will be an extremely successful mixed-use development. It may not be an overnight success, but within a few years, I think it will be spectacular. I live in the City of Columbia and I have no problem with the city's commitment of resources for the stadium or the infrastructure. It takes money to make money and Columbia Common is property moving from non-taxable, state owned land to taxable property. It will be a boon for the city.
Guys there seems to be rabid cheerleaders and gloom puffers but the truth is most Cola peeps are in the middleground . Obvi we'd like the development to succeed but we are also healthily skeptical and fearful of cost over runs fraud and corruption that tend to accompany pie in the sky developments that promise a panacea.
Guys there seems to be rabid cheerleaders and gloom puffers but the truth is most Cola peeps are in the middleground . Obvi we'd like the development to succeed but we are also healthily skeptical and fearful of cost over runs fraud and corruption that tend to accompany pie in the sky developments that promise a panacea.
I don't know anyone who says this will be a panacea, but this property has been off limits to development for nearly 200 years, so it's an exciting proposition for the middle of the city.
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