A $140 million multi-use stadium project in urban Knoxville, once known as "the bottoms", faces challenges but promises substantial benefits upon completion in 2025. Home to the Chicago Cubs AA team Tennessee Smokies, the stadium will host various events, serve as a catalyst for redevelopment in East Knoxville, and feature modern amenities funded through a joint Sports Authority effort.
Denark Construction photo
The stadium is envisioned as a catalyst for redevelopment in East Knoxville, Tenn., connecting it with the Old City and downtown.
A $140 million project in urban Knoxville once known as "the bottoms" comes with a fair share of challenges, but when complete, the anticipated benefits will be nearly innumerable.
Work on the Knoxville multi-use stadium project began in 2021 with the demolition of a former slaughterhouse. Two years later, construction on the stadium, to be home stadium to the Chicago Cubs AA team Tennessee Smokies, was under way with about 60-percent of the job now complete. It is expected to be finished in 2025 and the first official pitch thrown at the April opening game of the AA league baseball season.
Denark Construction photo
In addition to minor league baseball, the stadium will host concerts, soccer games and community events. It is one of the largest projects in the city's history, according to Mohamed Abbas, senior project manager of contractor Denark Construction Inc.
"The site has not been short of challenges," said Abbas. "The biggest thing has been all the different coordination aspects to the project. So, building the stadium, upgrading all the surrounding infrastructure. You're also working adjacent to three brand new buildings. We're also installing all the streetscapes and landscaping and plaza, so there's a lot of coordination with a lot of people, so that is a little challenging. The site also is a brownfield site. It has limitations on what you can do in soil testing. It also has archaeological significance because of ‘the bottoms.' When we were doing excavation, we did all kinds of archaeological analysis and preservation. In addition to that, there's a creek that runs through the site. So, another challenge is working around the creek and making sure that all the construction does not affect it whatsoever. All of the structure that surrounds the creek is self- supported off of rock and doesn't actually touch it so that's a little tricky."
The stadium is envisioned as a catalyst for redevelopment in East Knoxville, connecting it with the Old City and downtown. Set on 12.1 acres, it will accommodate approximately 7,000 seats in traditional grandstand seating, as well as luxury boxes and more contemporary picnic pavilions, an outdoor restaurant and bar and Party Pavilions that will accommodate more than 10,000 people for concerts and special events. The stadium features a cross-laminated timber wood roof, batting cages on the upper floor with windows and a "huge" scoreboard in the shape of the state of Tennessee.
The seating bowl provides views of Knoxville's skyline to the southwest. The exterior of the park is designed to be of stone, brick and steel to reflect its location in the heart of Knoxville's historic warehouse district.
Funding for the project comes through a Sports Authority jointly formed by Knoxville and Knox County, with support from Knoxville, Knox County, the state of Tennessee and Randy Boyd, owner of the team, who also provided the land for the project.
"The stadium will be publicly owned and will be leased to the baseball team for $1 million a year on typical industry terms," said Abbas.
GEM Community Development Group, the private development partner to Boyd Sports, will undertake a major private development to complement the stadium. It is also partnering with the Knoxville Urban Area League to ensure minority participation.
Barton Malow photo
"As part of the over 14-acre development, a massive infrastructure upgrade was necessary to accommodate the area's developments," Abbas said.
Upgrades included more than 700 linear ft. of 48-in. sewer pipe; 3,600 linear ft. of underground electric duct banks; 1,800 linear ft. of underground gas line work; 1,600 linear ft. of underground storm work; and more than a combined 3,300 linear ft; of water and sewer replacement.
"The project had many above-ground challenges … such as coordinating the relocation of a 69 kVA power distribution system; several overhead 3 phase power systems; and communication lines all required to complete in strict conformance to the project schedule and coordinated with the surrounding ongoing construction/development of the Beauford Delaney Building, Yardley Flats Buildings and stadium projects," according to Denark Construction's site.
The multi-million-dollar private development surrounding the stadium includes a condo building with more than 40 units; two rental buildings with more than 100 apartments; and a swimming pool/deck, as well as balconies that look into the stadium.
"Looking back in five years, this is going to be a very different area," Abbas said. "Even two years from now, a very different area." CEG
Lori Tobias
Lori Tobias is a journalist of more years than she cares to count, most recently as a staff writer for The Oregonian and previously as a columnist and features writer for the Rocky Mountain News. She is the author of the memoir, Storm Beat - A Journalist Reports from the Oregon Coast, and the novel Wander, winner of the Nancy Pearl Literary Award in 2017. She has freelanced for numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Denver Post, Alaska Airlines in-flight, Natural Home, Spotlight Germany, Vegetarian Times and the Miami Herald. She is an avid reader, enjoys kayaking, traveling and exploring the Oregon Coast where she lives with her husband Chan and rescue pups, Gus and Lily.
Read more from Lori Tobias here.
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