Former Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero with Doug Kirchhofer, left, of Boyd Sports, and Stone Mosley of Denark Construction.
Members of the Executive Women’s Association, which consists of the top female business leaders in town, last week got a private tour of Covenant Health Park, the new multi-use stadium in downtown Knoxville that will be home to the Knoxville Smokies.
In addition to hosting the home games of the minor league baseball team, Covenant Health Park also will be home to the One Knoxville SC soccer team and the site of all kinds of concerts, gatherings and other activities. It is set to open mid-April.
About 50 women — and two brave fellows! — took a 45-minute tour of the facility led by Doug Kirchhofer, CEO of Boyd Sports, which owns the baseball team and will manage the facility, and Stone Mosley, assistant project manager of Denark Construction, the general contractor building the stadium.
“I got a little choked up, to tell you the truth,” said Phyllis Nichols, the recently retired long-time president and CEO of the Knoxville Area Urban League. “Randy Boyd had a vision that a lot of people could not see. And to stand on concrete and see that it’s become a reality, it’s awe-inspiring.”
Boyd a Knoxville businessman and owner of the Smokies who currently serves without pay as the president of the University of Tennessee, was the impetus behind moving the team back to Knoxville from Kodak, where it’s been playing for 25 years. He donated the land for the project and has provided millions of dollars to help finance the publicly-owned facility.
The Urban League, under Nichols’ leadership, partnered with Boyd Sports to ensure significant minority participation in the project.
Come along on the tour.
Everyone gathered in the parking lot under the overpass on Jackson Avenue to wait for the tour to start. The stadium is located at 601 E. Jackson Ave.
From left, Jan Brown, Phyllis Nichols, and Carolyn Jensen before the tour.
From left, Carolyn Jensen, Jayne Burritt, Mary Bogert, Misti Satterfield, and Eve Thomas.
From left, Jan Brown, Linda Sterling, Gwen Brown, Missy Drinnon, Rosa Mar, Celeste Herbert, and Phyllis Nichols.
Here’s one of those guys! From left, Dan Hamilton, Liz Melloy, Pam White, and Kathy Hamilton.
Upon arriving at the stadium site, Dan Hamilton told his wife, Kathy, “Every time you invite me to go somewhere with you, it ends up being with a bunch of women!”
“Would you like me to stop?” she queried.
“Heck, no!” he said.
Here’s the other lucky lad, George Ballenger. With him, from left, Ruth Ellis, who invited him, Susan Dakak, Lori Tucker, Linda Underwood, and Amy Brooks.
From left, Margie Nichols, Laura Barnes, Amanda Busby, and Madeline Rogero.
Susan Edwards, left, and Tasha Blakney. Susan, with KUB, brought her own hard hat!
Yep.
So did Becky Hancock, left, and Nicki Collett, both with the Tennessee Theatre, which is in the midst of a construction project renovating the 612 Building on Gay Street to be an extension of the theater.
Maribel Koella, left, and Pat Medley.
Ursula Bailey, right, is program chair of the Executive Women’s Association. She’s with Tasha Blakney, left, and Madeline Rogero.
Stone Mosley welcomed everyone.
Loved seeing the “Future Home” billboard in the distance. The Smokies were the Southern League champions last season.
Ready?
Let’s go!
There will be retail — shops and restaurants — facing the outside of the stadium in this space.
Love the Knoxville sign.
Megan Erpenbach, the executive director of the Executive Women’s Association, talks with Doug Kirchoffer as the tour starts.
Ha.
We entered through the players’ area. It will not be open to the public once the construction is complete. It will contain a family waiting area, players’ space to relax, private lockers, etc.
The players will have a large private kitchen.
It also will contain a gym, weight-training room, and other amenities.
Kirchhofer said this area conforms to the dictates of Major League Baseball and that, had the new stadium not been built, major and expensive renovations would have been required at the current stadium in Kodak.
“You might think this is a lot of space for 30 guys to play baseball,” Kirchhofer said. “But player development is key to the business model of Major League Baseball.” He noted that local management has no control over many of the requirements, so “we focus on the experience you have when you come to the stadium.”
And in we go!
Our first view of the field! We were behind home plate. That’s Yardley Flats across the way — it consists of 233 studio, one- and two-bedroom luxury apartments overlooking the field. They are named after William Francis Yardley, a civil rights leader, politician and Knoxville’s first Black attorney,
The reason for the protective netting.
The seats are in! Covenant Health Park seats 7,400 for a baseball game.
The mesh seats right behind home plate include access to the Club Level, which we will see a little later in the tour.
We tried out the seats and got a little better view of the field. “Are those windows unbreakable?” asked Rosa Mar, indicating the Yardley Flats building. “We are going to find out!” quipped Kirchhofer. “They are farther away than it looks!” he added.
It was a good photo op. The building in the center of this photo is the 9-story Beauford Delaney Building. It will contain 47 luxury condominiums overlooking the field and three floors of team offices and multiple retail and restaurant spaces. Delaney was a celebrated Black artist from Knoxville.
Stone Mosley making some points.
You can see the Tennessee-shaped outline of what will be the scoreboard.
Doug Kirchhofer making a few remarks.
Claudia Caballero.
The concourse.
View of the field from the concourse.
Going to be a fun gathering spot.
The stadium contains 13 private viewing suites. All but two half-suites already have been subscribed to, we were told.
This bridge provides passage over First Creek. With its completion, visitors can walk uninterrupted all around Covenant Health Park. Forget “mall walking!”
Stone Mosley takes a few questions. That’s Kreis Beall in the front.
There’s Kim Denton.
Andrea Bailey, left, and Kim Trent pause to chat.
Adrienne Anderson, left, and Pam White, the president of the Executive Women’s Association.
Dan and Kathy Hamilton listening to Doug Kirchhofer.
Moving along!
To the Club Level.
Nice. This 5,300-square foot area will probably be home to about 300 events per year, Kirchhofer said. About 120 of those will be associated with concerts, baseball and soccer games. The rest will be private parties and gatherings.
“This room is the best space at Covenant Health Park,” Kirchhofer said.
View of the “batter’s eye.” That green square makes it possible for players to see and better track the ball amid a chaotic background. “It protects the sight of the ball,” Kirchhofer said. “That keeps hitters from getting whacked!”
A great view from the Club Level.
Club Level seats.
See how close to finished it is?
Kirchhofer took a few more questions.
The subjects ranged from parking — plans will be announced soon — to fireworks — they will happen every weekend of home games.
Gotta take a peek in here! It was our final stop.
Still under construction, it will be leased out for private events when not in use by the owner. “It will be the second best space,” Kirchhofer said. It sounds like we are about to get a terrific new event center, in addition to all the entertainment and sporting events!
Forty-five minutes flew by and soon we were back in the parking lot where we were to collect our boxed lunches!
Food line.
Kandyce Harber, left, and Jennifer Holder got theirs!
Don’t forget the cookies!
Visit this website for everything you want to know about the stadium and to track progress. Look forward to seeing you there!
Thanks for showing all the photos. When I went to signup, it was too late. No more reservations were being taken.
loved the perfect way you covered out tour. You always capture so much of the feel of the event. What would we do without you to keep us informed?
Georgiana: Darn! Sorry you missed it. It was very impressive. Can’t wait for it to open.
Carolyn: How kind of you. Thanks. It was a great group with lots of enthusiasm and really good questions.
Great to see all these sharp, professional women visiting and supporting this beautiful facility!
So glad you were able to see it! Denark Construction is really proud of this project, and our team is happy that we were able to deliver it early!
Becky: I agree! Hope to see everyone often after it opens!
Denark: You all have done a wonderful job. Everyone from your team has been great to work with. And the result speaks for itself!
It seems as though just yesterday this complex was nothing more than a concept. To now see a fantastic development is indeed remarkable. Congratulations and thank you to all involved for working hard to make this come true.
Bill: Agree 100 percent! See you at the ballpark!
About the Author
What You’re Saying
What’s Hot
My Favorite Blogs
Archives