The Skyrocketing Sports Scene of Rock Hill: A Promising New Sports Complex in Pipeline

The Skyrocketing Sports Scene of Rock Hill: A Promising New Sports Complex in Pipeline

The city of Rock Hill has embarked on an ambitious venture to ramp up its sports scene by proposing a sports complex primed in the heart of its vibrant neighborhood. This aspiration is poised to take a crucial step forward during the meeting of the Rock Hill Planning Commission, where the School Board will be evaluating the prospect of a comprehensive site plan for the Lee Street Sports Complex.

Lee Street Sports Complex: An Outline of the Upcoming Venture

The main thrust for this municipal approval is focused on the development of a 40,500-square-foot sports and recreation facility nested between North Lee and West White streets. A massive budget of $15 million has been pledged as a public investment towards the facility, aiming to match strides with the adjacent Rock Hill Sports & Event Center. The city has hoisted the banner of optimism to complete the new facility by the end of 2025.

Proposed Facility Additions

The new addition to the sports complex map of the city would flaunt a total of four new basketball courts. The City Manager, David Vehaun, voiced his insights regarding the project at a Rock Hill City Council meeting earlier this year. The Lee Street complex comes as a response to the need for accommodating basketball and volleyball events in the city, which currently rely on facilities at local schools and Winthrop University according to Vehaun.

Boosting Capacity and Economic Impact

The Lee Street complex targets to add capacity and allow traveling teams to have easy access to facilities. The Rock Hill Sports & Event Center can house 10 basketball courts and 17 volleyball courts. With the new complex in place, the city is envisioning an economic boost, with estimated earnings oscillating between $27 million and $36 million, offering promising implications for the local economy. The City Council approved a rezoning and amended the development agreement for the project in a February meeting.

Key Aims of the Project

The principle aim of the project is to accommodate more teams during weekend events. With an additional 30 to 60 teams expected to utilize the facility, depending on the event, the expansion aims to offer substantial economic and infrastructural contribution to the dynamic city.

A Mixed-use District with an Eye on Future Development

The sports complex is part of the larger mixed-use district planned by the city. The remaining site near the University Center development is prima facie allocated for the construction of 87 townhomes and a mixed-use commercial building. These facilities, to be developed privately, are projected to undergo another Planning Commission’s approval. Retail/restaurant establishments are also penciled in for the new mixed-use building which is expected to range from 6,000 to 12,000 square feet.

Continued Investments in Rock Hill’s Sport Infrastructure

The 170,000-square-foot Rock Hill Sports & Event Center will retain its place as the central sports arena in the city. The city-owned sports complex, encompassing Manchester Meadows sports complex, the BMX Supercross Track, and Rock Hill Velodrome, situated next to the proposed Lee Street complex, is anticipated to heighten the city’s sport profile by attracting major sporting events, including the 2024 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in May.