This is the third of a four-part monthly series celebrating the Greenville Drive’s 20th anniversary season.
Each year, approximately 500,000 people flow through the gates of Fluor Field in downtown Greenville. Whether there for a Drive game or other event, the ballpark is known as the “front porch” of Greenville, a place where the community gathers as friends.
“The Drive’s ‘front porch’ is for everyone,” said team owner and Chairman Craig Brown.
For 20 years, the Drive has stepped up to the plate to celebrate the accomplishments of the community and support its most urgent challenges.
Events are held throughout the year at Fluor Field honoring workers in health care, education, math, science, engineering, military, first responders and more. Other events help guide kids and adults toward similar rewarding careers.
The impact the Drive has on livelihoods is both tangible and intangible. It contributes to initiatives like Greenville Together, which combats homelessness, and is helping to fund the new Mayberry Park ballfield. The organization also hosts blood drives, canned food drives, fundraisers and more.
Related: Greenville Drive is in the business of partnerships
From an economic perspective, a recent study found that since Fluor Field was built in 2006, there have been 433 new business permits and $277 million in estimated new business construction in downtown’s West End. What once was a neglected neighborhood has turned into a source of pride for residents and tax revenues that fund critical city services.
“We are proud of the role Fluor Field has played as a catalyst for growth for the past 20 years,” Brown said. “For us, the real victory happens when our community wins.”
