Wilson breaks ground on new Mudcats baseball stadium
Dozens of people showed up on Douglas Street in Wilson on Thursday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Carolina Mudcats' new Wilson stadium.
Posted — UpdatedBut the project is about so much more than a baseball stadium.
The stadium is one piece of a sports entertainment complex that's planned. A hotel, family housing and business opportunities could be part of this.
The developer said inflation is what's causing the higher-than-normal cost. They’ve led other minor league baseball projects in the state and it’s about $10 million more than those.
The entire project is expected to cost $280 million private and public dollars.
It's a more than $60 million investment for the City of Wilson, who is working with the Mudcats parent club, the Milwaukee Brewers.
The hope is it will transform Wilson into a destination.
"We see Wilson as an emerging downtown and we think Wilson's going to surprise people and really be a focus for eastern North Carolina," said Michael Lemanski with NSV Development.
"A very small portion of this economic burden of this stadium will fall onto the taxpayers, and eventually, it could be none of those costs," Wilson City Manager Grant Goings said.
"I see this project as an opportunity to not only provide growth for Wilson now but more importantly growth for Wilson for the future," said Wilson Mayor Carlton L. Stevens. "This project is going to enhance the lives of not only us who are here now, but our children and our children's children."
"I’ll be here," Worrell said when asked about attending games in Wilson.
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