GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – Baseball returns in Greenville Tuesday night for the Greenville Drive’s 17th season.

Fans will pack Fluor Field after a long offseason of exciting renovations and upgrades to the fan experience.

There will be plenty of entertainment for the kids when the gates open at 6pm including face painters, balloon artists and a local caricature artist.

Before the first pitch is thrown, team officials will unveil “Milliken Plaza,” formerly “Heritage Plaza,” inside the District 356 entrance.”

Team officials said the “Milliken Plaza” is the “most significant, interactive fan experience to come to Fluor Field in years.”

It includes a variety of baseball-themed Milliken products and notable Milliken associates and Drives alumni.

Fans can also take a shot at the first pitch with the new pitching simulator.

The new upgrades don’t stop there, additional hospitality areas have been updated and transformed including the Champions Club and Double Suite along the suite concourse which is now the AFL Champions Club.

An exciting addition to the season is the new, official beer of the Greenville Drive- Rallyville Lager brewed in partnership with New Realm Brewery.

Opening Day is always an exciting time, said team President Jeff Brown, but their goal from the first game to the last is making memories.

“That’s what we’re doing, a memory-making platform,” said Brown.

“Whether that’s families going to games playing on playgrounds, businesses entertaining or a big showcase event for a corporate partner, those are all memory-making moments and we’re just providing the platform for that.”

Gates open at 6 p.m. on Tuesday and the first pitch is set for 7:05 as the Greenville Drive hosts the Asheville Tourists.

Opening Day is just the beginning of a packed weekend of baseball and fun as Greenville Drive has a full list of plans for the week.

April 12 is Health Careers Night followed by TeachGCS Night/Dollar Drink Night/ BBQ + Brews Night on April 13.

The weekend starts off Friday night for Video Game Night with Jackie Robinson Day on Saturday night which will feature a Jackie Robinson and Black Spinners theme

The week is wrapped up on Sunday for Bark in the Park.