SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Opening day for Spartanburg’s baseball stadium is more than a year away. But when it comes to all the planning and construction involved, the deadline is fast approaching. Tuesday night an milestone was reached.

Before that first pitch gets thrown there is a lot that goes into making Spartanburg’s baseball stadium a reality.

“It’s a phased construction; the entire development will be phased in over time,” Christopher George, City of Spartanburg communications manager said. “It’s impossible to overstate how big this is for the community. The baseball stadium itself is the centerpiece but you’re talking about 100’s of millions of dollars being invested in downtown. It’s the largest project in our history.”

One critical component is deciding on a design that will stand the test of time.

“What our design review board typically looks at is seeing that a new design, a new building fits in with the overall downtown landscape,” George added.

One that is aesthetically pleasing for the community and visitors. “Looks awesome, it seems very modern and fitting for Spartanburg,” Jacob Martin, an Upstate resident said.

Tuesday night the city’s design board got a look at the stadium’s design.

“What was shown to the board was approved and it allows them to get moving on the stadium itself which is the most critical piece of the entire development,” George explained. “This was a huge first step to get us ready for opening day.”

Because now, construction is full steam ahead.

“It’s an important milestone for the project. It’s not just a vote to approve but also a tremendous vote of confidence from our design review board and from the community,” George said. “They are going to be moving very quickly. There is going to be a lot of change down there that your going to see very fast.”

Change that is especially welcomed by those that like to play ball.

“I am a sports guy so yeah it’s definitely an opportunity for me to maybe come down more often and see some teams play and I love baseball,” Martin said.

The city says that opening day is expected to be in the spring of 2025.