19-04-2025
Major expansion planned for this SC arena. Here's what all will be done
The 12 acres that house the Bon Secours Wellness Arena at the entrance to downtown Greenville is being reimagined as an entertainment district to include a 6,500-seat outdoor amphitheater.
The master plan was unveiled Thursday by Neetu Patel, chairman of the Greenville Arena District Board, and Beth Paul, general manager of Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
The Arena District was established as a special purpose district by the General Assembly in 1940 and oversaw Greenville Memorial Auditorium, which opened in 1958, had 7,500 seats, and was torn down in 1997 to make way for the arena, which has 15,500 seats and opened in 1998.
Upgrades to the arena are part of the master plan, including expanding the loading docks from two to four, adding storage, and enhancing dressing rooms and flex-space areas by an additional 18,000 square feet. The plan also calls for adding 22,000 square feet for more accessible seating, expanded restrooms, improved circulation, and additional food and beverage options.
There will be new premium seating, redesigned entrances, and a western entrance and lobby for community events.
The 6,500 seats planned for the outdoor amphitheater falls between the 1,200 seats at the Pavilion at the Peace Center about a mile away in the heart of downtown along the Reedy River and the CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park in Simpsonville with seating for 14,000.
The amphitheater, to be built on what is now a parking lot, would create 545 permanent jobs, generate $15 million annually in compensation and have an estimated $63 million each year in economic impact, the Arena District said in a news release.
'This is our opportunity to build on the legacy of those who came before us — from the families of Little Texas to the visionaries who constructed Memorial Auditorium and the business and community leaders who created this arena 25 years ago,' Patel said in a news conference announcing the expansion plans. 'The master plan we are presenting today is about updating a building and protecting a vital community asset for the next 25 years and beyond.'
The plan was developed by the architecture firms LS3P, LMN, and Gensler.
It also includes creating mixed-use development with restaurants and retail, and enhanced pedestrian paths and green space.
The arena District hopes to have plans and cost estimates prepared by the end of 2025 and to begin construction in 2026 or early 2027.
Bob Secours has 130 ticketed events annually, including the Southeastern Conference Women's Basketball tournament, this year for the eighth time. The contract was extended for three more years.
Bon Secours, known as The Well, also hosts 75 to 100 community and non-profit events and provides shelter during natural disasters.
The Arena District estimates the economic impact of The Well at $2 billion since it opened.
