09.03.2024

Today’s Forecast

73º | 20% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:04 a.m. | Sunset 7:53 p.m.

McCormick Field breaks ground on major upgrades (here’s everything to know)

rotating photos of the groundbreaking at McCormick Field in Asheville

McCormick Field is the third-oldest stadium in Minor League Baseball and notably hosted semipro Negro League teams in the 1940s-50s, when professional leagues were all white. | Photos by AVLtoday

It’s official — McCormick Field broke ground last Wednesday, Aug. 28 for a major $38.5 renovation project that will transform the site into an upgraded baseball stadium + year-round, multipurpose facility.

Here’s everything you need to know about the exciting new project:

👀 The details

The project includes needed improvements as well as new features aimed to expand facility use and elevate attendee experience (think: a modernized stadium that goes beyond baseball — and that fresh paint smell we all love).

Upgrades are fueled by visitors and spearheaded by Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA), the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and the Tourists Baseball Club. With interest, the project is expected to cost $55.6 million, and BCTDA is investing nearly $23 million. Since 2001, the authority has invested $96 million across 51 community projects.

a group of people wearing hard hats and holding shovels pose before breaking ground on a baseball stadium renovation — Psst: Look forward to seeing our reel of the groundbreaking on Instagram tomorrow.
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Photo provided by Explore Asheville

🏟️ The upgrades

Construction begins this month and will be completed by Asheville Tourists’ opening day on April 2026. Project upgrades include:

Bringing the stadium up to current Minor League Baseball facility standards.
Making infrastructure improvements that open the doors to hosting multiple, non-baseball events year-round.
Creating a new front entrance and merchandise store, along with clubs and amenities.
Adding an outfield video board/scoreboard + a history wall showcasing the legacy of baseball in Asheville and its three Negro League teams.
Expanding the existing ticketing building and adding an accessibility ramp.
Improving the home team clubhouse, including new female locker rooms + upgraded weight spaces, restrooms, and more.
Additionally, the City will make traffic and parking improvements to accommodate increased use of the stadium.

📈 The impact

McCormick Field has a long, interesting 100 year history since opening 1924 — including a “Thirsty Thursday” claim to fame, a visit by Babe Ruth, NASCAR racing, and continuously providing affordable, family-friendly outings for Ashevilians.

The stadium currently attracts 180,000 attendees annually, and by 2029, that number is expected to double to 376,200 due to the renovations and expanded venue use.

In short: The project will further enliven the community, support local businesses, and give Ashevillians just one more reason to love where they live.

See the timeline + get updates

Asked

What additional events would you like to see at McCormick Field?

A. Live concerts
B. Festivals and fairs
C. Holiday-centric events
D. I’m all about the baseball
E. Other

Tell us

Events

Tuesday, Sept. 3

Back to School: Learn How to Braid | Tuesday, Sept. 3 | 6-7 p.m. | Rustic Ritual Beauty | $45 | Perfect your basic braiding techniques with an expert-led workshop on French + bubble braids, detangling, and products.
Comedy for Community | Tuesday, Sept. 3 | 7-9 p.m. | Ginger’s Revenge | $15-$20 | Laugh, learn, and support the work of Hops for Hunger + MANNA Food Bank.

Wednesday, Sept. 4

Beyond Brushes | Wednesday, Sept. 4 | 5:30-8 p.m. | Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center | $10 | Unleash your inner artist with unconventional creative tools, like pasta, produce, and recycled materials.
Healthcare, Medical, and Wellness Workers Networking | Wednesday, Sept. 4 | 6-8 p.m. | plēb urban winery | Free | Make professional connections, and learn from expert presenters.

Thursday, Sept. 5

“Wild, Tamed, Lost & Revived” Book Talk | Thursday, Sept. 5 | 6-7:30 p.m. | The North Carolina Arboretum | Free with parking fee | Listen to author Diane Flynt as she takes readers on a culinary journey in the South, through the lens of the apple.
Adult Community Basketball | Thursday, Sept. 5 | 6-9 p.m. | Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center | Free | Gather a team for a pick-up game, or make new friends while you shoot some hoops.

Friday, Sept. 6

Boomtown Arts & Heritage FestAVL | Friday, Sept. 6-Saturday, Sept. 7 | Times vary | Various locations | Free with RSVP | Celebrate the community’s cultural heritage with music, storytelling, vendors, speakers, and workshops.

Beat the post-holiday-weekend blues

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Civic

As the Memorial Stadium and Mountainside Park track gets its finishing touches, one of the project’s last major steps, the City of Asheville released a PSA advising eager park-goers to keep out of the construction zone. The track’s top layer will take up to six weeks to cure, and it’s still unsafe to enter the space.

Biz

Money talks. Hatch Innovation Hub, Venture Asheville, and Mountain Biz Works are hosting their first-ever Capital Marketplace, an event that upturns the typical pitch party. On Monday, Sept. 9, local investors will take the stage to pitch their services to entrepreneurs and share how they can support growth + innovation.

Cause

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity is laying the groundwork for the 20th year and 20th house of the Women Build program. This Thursday, Sept. 5 at 3 p.m., the community will come together in Habitat’s Glenn Bridge neighborhood to celebrate the program’s work in building stable, affordable homes for local families.

Try This

The Asheville Butterfly Trail has officially spread its wings. Bee City USA Asheville and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony last week, with two of the eventual 15+ butterfly stations taking flight. ICYMI, we hit the trail to meet the eastern tiger swallowtail.

Number

$9.60. That’s as cheap as Chipotle’s Chicken Al Pastor gets in Asheville. Compare that to Chipotle prices across the country. Psst — the same dish could cost you $12.10 in New York City.

Pro Tip

If your dream wedding includes stunning your guests with a modern-rustic ambiance, this is the venue for you. The team at Downtown Asheville’s The Venue are pro planners and pride themselves in ensuring you don’t need to stress about the details. Bonus: Packages include various rentals + decorations.*

Finance

Did you know some credit cards can actually help you get out of debt faster? (It sounds wild, but it’s true.) The secret: Find a credit card with a “0% intro APR” period for balance transfers. These are hands down some of the best.*

Wellness

One scoop of NativePath Hydrate = increased energy, muscle strength, and bladder function. Enjoy 44% and free shipping, plus a free gift with purchase.*

Environment

An expansion for Mount Mitchell State Park

Mount Mitchell State Park sees a 230-acre expansion

Pine trees in the foggy forest of Mount Mitchell State Park

The new acres are a spruce-fir forest, one of the most endangered US ecosystems. | Photo by AVLtoday

Mount Mitchell State Park is putting down roots — well, putting down more roots than the ~4,800 acres worth that it already has. The NC Division of Parks and Recreation, The Conservation Fund, and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney’s LLC, 130 of Chatham, announced a $3.58 million acquisition of 238.14 acres of high-elevation land to expand the park.

This conservation-focused acquisition has been 50 years in the making, as the land was long ago identified as crucial for the park’s land protection plan. The spruce-fir forest that covers it is a haven for species like the Carolina northern flying squirrel and spruce-fir moss spider, which are federally designated as rare, threatened, or endangered.

The new acreage is situated southwest of the main public area and along Yancey County’s southern border, offering further connections to the Asheville Watershed, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Pisgah National Forest.

The Buy

The Buy 9.03.24 (Affiliate)

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More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Molly

From the editor

I’m assuming you only scrolled this far in the newsletter to find more facts about squirrels and spiders — so allow me to oblige. The spruce-fir moss spider and the Carolina northern flying squirrel are only found in the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest region (which is only high-elevation areas of NC, southwestern VA, and TN). The pencil-eraser-sized spider lives on fewer than 25 mountain tops in this area — and nowhere else in the world. The northern flying squirrel, which is larger than the local, more common southern flying squirrel, is also just in our region and lives mostly on conserved land due to industrial habitat degradation.

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