The Greenville County Council finance committee on Feb. 14 voted down entering negotiations with the city of Mauldin and the Greenville Triumph over a proposed new stadium at BridgeWay Station.
With no discussion either before — or after — an agenda item authorizing the county administrator to enter negotiations, committee members Willis Meadows, Ennis Fant and Stan Tzouvelekas voted against the matter while members Dan Tripp and Liz Seman voted in favor.
Triumph owner Joe Erwin presented plans for the 8,100-seat, $39 million stadium at the finance committee’s Jan. 20 meeting, when the committee took no action in favor of gathering more information.
The public-private partnership behind both the stadium and the overall $150 million, 38-acre mixed-use urban village development at BridgeWay Station is expected to generate substantial economic activity and jobs. The Triumph is contributing the six acres of property on which the stadium will sit as well as $1.75 million in stadium seating. The completed stadium would be owned by the county and leased by the Triumph for $350,000 a year.
However, the public portion of the project’s financing — a 30 year bond — must be negotiated and agreed upon by the Triumph, the city of Mauldin and Greenville County.
Erwin said the vote is disappointing but that he remains committed to the project.
“I won’t say this was totally unexpected, but we were cautiously optimistic going into [tonight’s meeting],” he said, adding that he and his team need to “huddle and regroup” to determine the best path forward.
Though committee member Fant offered no comment on his “no” vote, both Meadows and Tzouvelekas told the Greenville Journal their concerns are with the county’s share of the stadium’s price tag in light of existing financial pressures, namely road maintenance and other, higher-profile needs.
Tzouvelekas said he might be willing to consider a proposal that sought a lower funding commitment from the county. “I think the soccer stadium is a big plus for the county, and I hope they find a way to get it done,” he said.
“It’s a good project but I just do not think it’s a good project for the taxpayers of Greenville county,” Meadows said, adding that even if planners find a way to reduce the county’s portion of the stadium cost, it will likely remain low in his list of priorities.
