New Knights Stadium

The New Knights Stadium is the tentative name of a new baseball stadium that may be built in Charlotte, North Carolina's uptown area. Charlotte currently doesn't have a baseball venue near center city (unless you count tiny Independence Park stadium [1], which seats 300 people on a granite terrace).

The stadium would more than likely host the Charlotte Knights of the International League (AAA) who currently play at Knights Stadium (Knights Castle to locals) in Fort Mill, South Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte.

An uptown stadium for the Knights has been a long-running saga in Charlotte, that has occasionally been a hot button issue. The Knights are currently last in the IL in terms of attendance, something which irks team owners.

In August 2006 the stadium became the source of more debate, as Mecklenburg County commission chairman Parks Helms (D-Charlotte) said he would stall an arts project until the Charlotte City Council looked at a proposal he backs to bring baseball to uptown.

Construction on the stadium has yet to begin, and is still in the political stages. The Knights, in a rare move for an American sports franchise, have stated they are willing to pay for the stadium if needed.

Furthermore, it could expand the Atlantic Coast Conference's plans to return the ACC Baseball Tournament to Charlotte. The ACC tournament had been held at Fort Mill until the NCAA's ban on South Carolina having predetermined championships took effect because of NAACP pressure in relation to the boycott of the state by the organisation.

Problems

The project has been repeatedly blocked by Jerry Reese a Charlotte lawyer who claims the land swap is illegal. [2] It is worth noting that Reese has ambitions to move a Major League Baseball team to Charlotte and views the Knights Stadium as a detriment. [3]