FLORENCE, S.C. – The Florence Sports Complex in Florence, S.C. has added several new “fields of dreams”’ for local youth athletes.
The complex, which is already home to Carolina Bank Field, has now added five LED-lighted Little League diamonds and an LED-lighted high-school regulation diamond. On top of this, the complex now features a lighted track-and-field facility.
As reported by scnow.com, Tim Wilson, athletic director for the City of Florence athletics and sports tourism department, says there is a mixture of “satisfaction and relief” now that the complex’s new amenities are open.
“It’s fun when you’re building it and all that. And now, we’ve got to run it and make sure it’s staffed and doing everything properly,” Wilson says.
He estimated the city currently sees around $9 million annually in sports tourism economic impact, and he believes that could jump to $15 million to $16 million thanks to the new fields.
Jade Perkins, tourism development manager with the Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau, says that spins off into great news for the city’s hospitality industry and the community at large.
“The addition of new venues and complexes over the last few years has really helped put Florence on the map as a premier host for amateur sporting events in the Southeast,” Perkins says.
The article states the total cost of the complex was around $19.54 million. It was a result of a 2017 city council resolution to focus on improvements to Florence’s park system. Construction kicked off in 2021, and while the project faced some challenges due to supply chain issues, it was completed in time for this year’s Little League season.
In terms of the track, Wilson told scnow.com it was something the city has “needed for a while.”
“Our track program (Florence Track Club) has a lot of kids in it. And it’s exciting to finally give them a space,” he adds.
Winston Stewart, president of the Florence Track Club (FTC), says sometimes the group’s practices would be cancelled due to a lack of available facilities in the area, and they would need to hold meets at a school in neighboring town Darlington—about a 20-minute drive away.
He says the new facility will allow them to conduct “safe and effective”’ practices and also provides a space to host quality events—particularly those with larger crowds—for the local track community in general.
