The home of the Mets Low-A South Atlantic League affiliate Columbia Fireflies has been named Ballpark of the Year by Ballpark Digest.

As the centerpiece of economic development in the city of Columbia, everything is being planned out for the fan experience. The entire area is part of a 20 year buildout plan in place by the city of Columbia, named BullStreet development. A half-billion dollars of construction in the surrounding area is underway and expected to last well into late 2017, with residential housing, a movie theatre, a tech village, and retailers all being added.

The stadium was designed, quite literally at the center of the 181 acre site, will be open year round. The stadium has already hosted church events and a Walk for Life and Famously Hot Pink Half Marathon is on schedule for late October. The building itself will remain open for residents with a concourse that will remain open during the day, for all to use (three trips around equal one mile).

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde , who once said; “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” officials visit from other cities planning their own stadiums. The facility has become a beacon of what a ballpark should be as part of an economic development project, unlike the failed Newark Bears. The club also recently broke the city attendance record (Capital City Bombers played in Columbia from 1983 until 2005) despite the ongoing construction, with an expectation to grow.

The team plans to honor the award with a pre-game ceremony and distribute a framable commemorative posters to the first 2,500 fans in attendance at the August 11 home game. Previous winners of the award include CHS Field (2015) and Southwest University Park (2014).