What’s Happening With Smokies Stadium in Kodak?

For 25 years, Smokies Stadium was a centerpiece of the Sevier County tourism scene, it’s been essentially vacant for a year, what’s next?

Baseball season is over in East Tennessee. The boys of summer have turned their attention to the endeavors of the fall.

And for the first time since it opened 25 years ago, Smokies Stadium has mostly sat vacant. There may have been some sort of minor action of which we are unaware. But in terms of the purpose for which it was built, it remains unused. Smokies Stadium has been empty, a bit like a jilted ex, while its former team the (now) Knoxville Smokies played the season in its glistening new Covenant Health Park in East Knoxville.

But while many are celebrating Randy Boyd’s house of baseball wonder, we are left wondering what’s going to happen in Kodak. We’ve been waiting for answers but it appears that wait is going to be a little longer.

Developer TORG given four-month extension

In the days after the Smokies absconded back to Knoxville, the owners of the Stadium – Sevier County and other local government organizations – asked prospective partners to offer their best plans. Three organizations – including a group connected with the Eastern Band of Cherokee – responded to the RFP.

The Outlet Resource Group – aka TORG – won the proposal process in April. At the time, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters explained that theirs was the only proposal to keep the Stadium intact. Per reporting by WVLT at the same time, the plan included “workforce housing, hotel, retail, food and beverage and a vision that keeps Smokies Stadium utilized in a new and exciting capacity.”

Now, it appears it will be at least February 2026 before we know for sure what the Stadium’s future holds.

What are the possibilities?

As the name suggests, the Outlet Resource Group develops retail outlet spaces. TORG describes itself as “a global alliance of experts that delivers a truly comprehensive approach to outlets. Our deep experience and thorough understanding of every facet of the outlet industry – from finance and acquisitions to leasing, marketing and more – enables us to deliver informed, integrated solutions.” What does that mean in English? They build retail outlet centers.

Could the Tennessee Smokies stadium become some sort of retail outlet space?

I suppose so, but I’m left to wonder what they’d do with the baseball field part. The upstairs suites could be reworked into shops of some kind as could the various former food stands around the concourse, I suppose. There is a proper sit-down restaurant facility on the property.

As for the workforce housing, I’m not sure what they mean. Are we going to build apartments in the dugouts? The new Covenant Health Park in Knoxville has apartments around the outfield. But the land beyond the Smokies Stadium on is a massive hill. I can’t imagine that it would be a good location for Covenant Health Park-type house. Frankly, the “keep the Stadium intact” portion of the statement seems at odds with the TORG plan that had been released.

Could another baseball team move in?

Frankly, the most appropriate use of a baseball stadium is hosting baseball games. Assuming if you don’t want to tear it down and start over. There was talk that Smokies owner Randy Boyd was interested in putting a Single A team or Rookie League team there. The Smokies are AA. However, I doubt Single A would be a big enough draw and they don’t play enough games in the Rookie League season to make it worth it.

Back in 2024, I had a source that indicated the Savannah Bananas were sniffing around the stadium, considering expansion. At the time a Bananas spokesperson denied that the Bananas were looking at expansion. Since that denial, the Bananas have announced three new teams. They include the Texas Tailgaters who began play last season, the Loco Beach Coconuts and the Indianapolis Clowns who will start play next season. While the three expansion teams are regionally based, they don’t have a hometown or stadium. They will be barnstorming teams. The majority of their play will be in their region. However, they wouldn’t have a stadium.

The Bananas are coming to Knoxville next year. But they will play at Covenant Health Park and the 100,000-seat Neyland Stadium. So, it seems they’ve outgrown Smokies Stadium.

I suppose the Stadium could partner with other baseball and softball entities, local college or high school leagues or maybe even the Cal Ripken Experience for some championship game type stuff. But I don’t really see that happening either.

Topgolf

You know what multi-level activity would fit the general U-shaped concourse pretty well? Topgolf. What is Topgolf? It’s essentially a multi-level driving range. There’s one in Farragut, just off of I-40. Could Topgolf or a competitor be interested in the Smokies site? It might make some sense.

If you drive by a lot of Topgolf facilities, you see giant nets to keep the golfers from doing things like blasting their shots onto the interstate. The section behind Smokies Stadium – as we’ve established is a big dang hill. There’s not a golfer in the world who could clear that thing. But you could have Topgolf in the concourse and on the second floor, while keeping the restaurant space and even having rooms for retail shops and the like.

Would other bidders still have a chance to get back in the race?

We’ll have to wait and see. My assumption was that the county and its leaders would partner with the Cherokee’s group which owns land beyond the stadium for a larger project – likely some sort of gaming center. The state is surely going to get tired of seeing tourism money going to Cherokee, North Carolina or to the Hard Rock in Bristol, Virginia at some point. But that will still be years down the line.

The Eastern Band developers own property on both sides of the interstate. But the project of Gateway to the Smokies appears to be on indefinite hold as well. If TORG can’t get it’s act together in 120 days, it’s possible the county and Kituwah – the Eastern Band’s group – will try to work together again.

What would you like to see at the former Smokies Stadium? Let us know in the comments and on the socials!