What stadium upgrades means for Greenville baseball fans

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The Greenville Drive organization is ready to unveil enhancements to the fan and player experience for the upcoming season.

The 2024 season, presented by TD Bank, begins in early April.

The Greenville Drive, last year’s South Atlantic League Champions, will unveil several new ballpark features and enhancements designed to provide a family friendly and affordable experience, according to a news release.

New LED lighting

Fluor Field has been upgraded to include a new ballpark LED lighting and controls system — a system that exceeds field lighting requirements of Minor League Baseball and is consistent with the standards of Major League ballparks across the country, according to the Drive. The new system will significantly enhance both the player and fan experience during Drive games and events, with Fluor Field being the first professional ballpark in South Carolina to use this lighting system — considered to be the most advanced in its class.

The new LED lights are also environmentally friendly, utilizing significantly less energy, and reducing Fluor Field’s overall carbon footprint, the release stated.

The new lighting and controls system will benefit player visibility by reducing glare, creating uniform light distribution, and reducing shadows across the entire infield and outfield. In addition, the new lighting will be a key contributor to an experience that includes programmed colored light shows, home run lighting enhancements, and Fluor Field’s favorite music playlists now choreographed to specific lighting displays.

“The new LED lighting system will not only benefit our player’s performance on the field but also provide our fans with yet another unique way to experience Drive baseball,” Greenville Drive owner and Chairman Craig Brown said in the release. “We’re always looking for ways to elevate the experience at the ballpark — whether that’s for our players or the broader community and we couldn’t be more excited to debut this signature new enhancement at Fluor Field for our 2024 season.”

 500 Club Upgrades

A new 500 Club has been designed for Fluor Field. With a 30% larger footprint, new furniture selections, and an enhanced AV system, the 500 Club has undergone a complete transformation. The 500 Club also will feature a variety of tailgate games including cornhole and ping pong as well as soft seating overlooking District 356. 

Beyond the physical enhancements, the 500 Club menu has been revamped to include ballpark favorites in addition to several unique, elevated food choices including the Philly Cheesesteak Basket, Clutch Sandwich Basket and the Big Papi Burger Basket. The new additions have been created by Greenville Drive Executive Chef Sammy Dominguez.

“We’re fortunate to have Chef Sammy and his expertise guiding our kitchens,” Drive General Manager Eric Jarinko said in the release. “We’re excited about the upgraded menu in the 500 Club as well as the new food items debuting throughout the ballpark. There’s something for everyone and we can’t wait for our fans to experience the new items themselves.”

Beyond the 500 Club, additional new food items will debut across a variety of different ballpark food service and concessions locations. Examples include new specialty hot dog options and homemade chips in Que’s concessions stand; funnel cake fries and gourmet french fries in Fowl Pole; plus several new hospitality food selections including a pretzel tower, lobster rolls, burgers, and several new a la carte desserts.

 Cashless ballpark

An additional upgrade to the Greenville Drive experience in 2024 is a new, fully integrated point-of-sale system at all concessions and merchandise locations throughout the ballpark. This new ballpark technology will provide fans with a variety of options to utilize at checkout including Tap to Pay, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

The new payment technology will deliver a more efficient checkout processes, decreasing wait times, and increasing ballpark safety, the release stated. As part of this upgrade, and consistent with best practices in major sports venues and arenas throughout the country, Fluor Field will become a “cashless” ballpark in 2024. Fans still wishing to utilize cash will be able to visit the Greenville Drive Team Store to convert their cash to a Greenville Drive gift card that can be utilized inside the ballpark. 

“We’re excited to debut our new point-of-sale system at Fluor Field in 2024 and help create a more streamlined and efficient experience for fans,” Greenville Drive President, Jeff Brown said in the release. “Our full slate of college and high school baseball games in March and April provided a perfect testing environment for the new system. We’re already seeing quicker transaction times, shorter lines, and an overall more pleasant experience for fans. We’re excited to officially roll out and debut the new system with the Drive season in a few short weeks.”

Opening night of the 2024 Greenville Drive season, presented by TD Bank, is set for Tuesday, April 9. Tickets are available online. Prices start at $9.

“Continuous improvement is part of our DNA, and our organization is obsessed with providing the best, most impactful, and most affordable entertainment experience at Fluor Field every year,” Jeff Brown said in the release. “We can’t wait to welcome all our fans and friends back to Fluor Field – the ‘Front Porch of the Community’ — for our 19^th and best year yet.”

The Greenville Drive, the High-A South Atlantic League affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, are entering their 19th year at Fluor Field in downtown Greenville as the reigning SAL Champions – their second title in team history.