Smithfield Council Abandons $6M Stadium Plan, Pursues Long‑Term Deal At Legion Field
A New Direction for Smithfield Baseball
SMITHFIELD, N.C. — After months of debate over cost, transparency, and the future of Smithfield Community Park, the Smithfield Town Council unanimously voted Tuesday night to halt plans for a $6 million baseball stadium and instead pursue a long‑term lease for the Smithfield Tobs to play at the American Legion baseball field on Pitchi Street off N. Brightleaf Boulevard.
The decision followed a 1 hour and 45 minute closed session and marks a dramatic shift from the town’s earlier commitment to build a new 1,500‑seat stadium at Community Park.
Councilman Travis Scott — long the most outspoken critic of the Community Park project — said the Legion field option “solves a lot of issues,” but warned that the town still faces major unknowns.
“There are still a lot of unanswered questions, especially about the total cost,” Scott said. “I don’t believe the council was ever informed of the true cost of the stadium at Community Park.”
The council voted to pause all activity on the Community Park stadium and to sign a Letter of Intent (LOI) with American Legion Post 132, outlining the framework for an 81‑year lease of the Legion ballfield and adjacent parking areas.
Inside the Proposed 81‑Year Lease
The LOI, signed April 7, lays out the terms the town and the Legion expect to finalize within 45 days. Key provisions include:
- 81‑year lease term beginning May 1, 2026
- $24,000 annual rent ($2,000 per month)
- Annual rent increases capped at 5%, tied to Consumer Price Index (CPI‑U)
- $140,000 lump‑sum buyout to terminate all existing field‑use agreements
- Exclusive use of the ballfields and adjacent parking for the Town
- Legion building and its immediate parking excluded
- Joint development of a site plan for stadium layout, access, and parking
- Town inspection rights beginning after April 12, 2026
- 45‑day deadline to negotiate a full long‑term lease
Click here to read the Letter of Intent
The LOI is non‑binding except for exclusivity and cost‑sharing provisions.
How the Stadium Plan Unraveled
Initial Approval in 2025
In November 2025, the council voted 5–1 to approve a 20‑year agreement with the Wilson Tobs and a $6 million contract to build a new stadium at Community Park. The franchise announced it would relocate to Smithfield and rebrand as the Smithfield Tobs and the JOCO TaterHogs, an alternate identity honoring Johnston County’s agricultural heritage.
Team president Greg Suire praised the move as a “treasured opportunity,” and Mayor Andy Moore called it “a tremendous opportunity for our town.”
Councilman Scott cast the lone dissenting vote, citing concerns about cost, location, and lack of public input.
Rising Costs and Missing Pieces
By March 2026, updated project estimates showed the stadium cost had climbed to $5,996,937 — and that figure did not include:
- Permanent restrooms
- A concession stand
- Paved parking
- A scoreboard
- A sound system
- Potential NCDOT‑required road improvements
Interim Town Manager Kimberly Pickett said temporary restrooms, food trucks, and gravel parking could be used initially. She said additional funding would come from grants and fundraising but did not identify specific sources.
The design also included only 60 parking spaces for a 1,500‑seat venue, requiring overflow parking at the SRAC and nearby schools, plus a police‑staffed crosswalk across Buffalo Road.
Scott argued the council was not being given the full financial picture.
Public Pushback and Transparency Concerns
Residents raised concerns about:
- Traffic and safety on Buffalo Road
- Loss of park amenities, including a soccer field and disc golf area
- Alcohol sales near schools
- The town paying $1,000 per month for Tobs office space
- Lack of a public hearing
- Long‑term financial risk to taxpayers
Scott said he believed the public’s engagement played a major role in the council’s decision to change direction.
A Return to the Original Site
The Legion field was the first location discussed for the Tobs before the council shifted to Community Park in 2025. The new LOI revives that earlier concept — this time with a long‑term lease rather than new construction.
The Legion must still secure consent from the Johnston County Community Foundation, which owns the land.
If finalized, the Legion field would become the future home of the Smithfield Tobs, replacing the Community Park stadium plan approved just months earlier.
What Happens Next
Town and Legion representatives now have 45 days to negotiate a full lease agreement. The Town Council must approve the final contract, and the Legion must terminate all existing field‑use agreements after receiving the $140,000 buyout payment.
The shift raises new questions about:
- Whether the Tobs’ 20‑year stadium lease agreement will need to be renegotiated
- Whether the team will still relocate in 2027
- How much the Legion field will require in upgrades
- The cost of the renovations and upgrades
For now, the Community Park stadium is on hold — and Smithfield’s baseball future is headed back to Pitchi Street.
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Good thing that Commissioner Stephens sold her land before this, eh? #followTheMoney
Finally followed the most common sense approach. You should be a county commissioner Travis!
Somebody is making money off this deal, and it’s not the hardworking taxpaying citizens of Smithfield. A 81 year lease @$24000 with a 5% increase each year? Does anybody really expect the Smithfield Tobs to play baseball in Smithfield for 81 years? I believe a 10 year lease would be sufficient, and if the Tobs are still playing baseball in ten years, the lease could be renegotiated. Hey JoCo, you’re the ones that voted for these idiots.
What is a Tob?
Still thinking Commissioner Stephens is abusing her powers and needs to resign or be removed from office. Shame on other Johnston County Commissioners for not investigating this further.
Pro bringing the team to Smithfield, not even against the idea of a stadium. Was against how fast they went from announcing The plan to bring them in to 6 mill stadium.
Ok, now for some common sense; expand SSS field with bleachers down the foul lines. Let SSS run the concessions and take 50% of net. Expand concessions with mobile stations down each foul line. Parking is already available, bathrooms already available. Let the tobs take all gate receipts and pay for security. Does that make too much sense? I mean after all, the Clayton Clovers play on a municipal field of Glen Laurel Rd.
High school field should not
Be over played on and that will
Take away from the high school players being able to use their own field when wanted!
Why are they trying to just jam it in somewhere?? They would be better off take that $2m and purchasing land across 95 and doing the job right and build some that will actually draw in people. The new spot is smaller and on a small dead end 2 way street.
My thoughts exactly. The legion location is not ideal. And the traffic issues it will create for US 301. Not to mention this area is very small.
81 years? where did that number come from???
Can anyone give a list of the laws that Ms.Stephens broke? Now don’t list the laws that you feel she broke but the actual laws broken?
Chapter 138A.
State Government Ethics Act.
A good read
So Mr. Thompson you are saying she is a voting member of the Smithfield town council and not a county commissioner?
No, I said it was a good read. It has to do with ethics. Is it ethical a county commissioner votes to give Smithfield 2 million in funding for the baseball field and then sells land to Smithfield at a price far above what it was listed for 2 years ago and receives a commission on the sale? I say it’s questionable at best. From a legal stand point I have no idea and never said I did. I will say, though that I do question the judgment of anybody in elected office to think that this wouldn’t raise some suspicions.
I don’t understand why people are so slow and want things to remain like the “glory days”. I mean people are moving here fast and it would be good to have something to do besides spending money shopping. Oh I forgot, you are all against malls or anything that attracts people to come out and enjoy. Just sit on the front porch and drink the tea. Get over it. North Carolina as a whole is fast growing and Smithfield is too.
If the people moving here don’t like it the way it is, why did they move here in the first place? Just because you move to a place does not mean you get to change said place from what it has always been. I, like most commenting here, have lived in Johnston County our entire lives. This county has always been a laid-back, easy going place. And we really wish it to stay that way. Why change a place from what it’s always been? If y’all new transplants don’t like it here, there are many other places that might accommodate you better.
……The shift raises new questions about….how people making decisions think!!!!!!
(thank you Travis Scott)
😂
Thank goodness for MR. Scott he is thinking logically and not being controlled by money.
Go take a look at the American Legion Field which has been converted to a soccer field. The area isn’t big enough to have a worthy ball field. Did the council members even take a drive out and check out this new/old possibility? Imagine the Carolina Mudcats stadium placed there? Not gonna happen!
I agree????81 year lease …that’s ridiculous and the 141000???? What is really going on????
Town Council scraps the design/construction of an approved ball field, stadium, accessory buildings, and parking adjacent to an already existing athletic ballpark, Community Park, somewhat on the outskirts of town due to a 6 million dollar price tag for construction. Then to save face and honor their commitment and agreement with the Tobs team, the Council signs a Letter of Intent for an 81 year lease of a run-down ball field with hardly no parking or seating capacity. Pair that with the exclusion of the Legion Building and parking lot from the lease, and Smithfield is stuck with a horrible ball field, five 4-7 row separated bleachers, uncovered benches for dugouts, no parking, and no space for any kind of amenity development for the field. Their reasoning behind this transition of plans is the price tag associated with the construction of the new 1,500 person capacity stadium being approximately $6 million, safety and traffic along Buffalo Road, and alcohol sales near the schools. The consideration or concern regarding alcohol sales holds little water considering that at least 75% of the games would start well after school lets out. Secondly, the traffic associated with the ball games will be horrendous along dead-end Pitchi Street as well as N Brightleaf Blvd compared to Buffalo Road and M. Durwood Stephenson Pkwy, which was recently upgraded to handle increased traffic volume. Lastly, lets consider the cost of the projects. The abandoned stadium plans cost was estimated at roughly $6 million although some key aspects of a stadium were not factored in such as restrooms & concession stand, scoreboard, and sound system. However, we need to keep in mind that $2 million was promised from Johnston County for construction. Therefore, with the County’s contribution factored in, Smithfield could have a brand new stadium with parking, concessions, bathrooms, and all the bells and whistles for less than $6 million coming out of the Town. Now, lets compare the abandoned plans to the 81 year lease of the field on Pitchi Street. At $2,000/month or $24.000/year the rent payments for the 81 year lease will total $1.944 million without factoring in up to 5% annual rent increases. If you adjust for a maximum of 5% annual rent increases then Smithfield would be on the hook for an annual rent of just under $1.25 million, and the town wouldn’t even own the ball field. It may be cheaper up front to play at the Pitchi Street field, but Smithfield will still need to purchase or build bleachers/seating, parking, adequate concessions & restrooms, and any road improvements required to handle the increased traffic volume. Therefore, Smithfield will still have a significant development project and monetary expenditure before the Tobs could utilize the Pitchi Street location/field. Also, Smithfield will bear the full brunt of the costs because Johnston County no longer has to honor their promise of $2 million towards construction costs. Altogether in the long run, the 81 year lease of the Pitchi Street field is significantly more than the construction of a new stadium at Community Park, and the saddest part about it is that Smithfield will not own the field after wasting exponentially more money for a substandard ball field. HOWEVER, THANK GOODNESS FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THINKING LOGICALLY AND CHANGING THEIR MIND TO ABANDON A REASONABLE PLAN FOR A NEW STADIUM ON LAND ALREADY TOWN OWNED FOR AN ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS LEASE OF A DILAPIDATED BALL FIELD & CONCESSION STAND ON A SMALL DEAD-END STREET. OHH, I ALMOST FORGOT! LETS PAY $140.000 TO CANCEL MAYBE $15,000 WORTH OF EXISTING LEASES ON THE PITCHI STREET FIELD. Everyone is jumping up and down wanting transparency, so lets be transparent and make this idiocy make sense!!!
Nobody gives a rat’s behind about the “tobs”. I have lived in JoCo my entire life, over 50yrs, and have never heard of them. Wilson County is right next door so the “tobs” must be a horrible team. Regardless, the idiotic $6million stadium plan included less than 70 parking spaces for the 1500 seat idiotic stadium. My hope is the “tobs” will go elsewhere now that we’re not kissing their feet and bowing down to them. They are owned by multi-millionaires, they could buy their own land and build their stadium on it. They probably already know it would be a huge unprofitable money pit. They’d rather waste other people’s money than their own.
The Clayton Clovers MIGHT draw 100 people to watch a game. Maybe. And their site is clean, well lit, plenty of parking and restrooms, and required no capital investment (it’s a city park)
Why is Smithfield so determined to squander money in this way? They’ll never get it back.
If it’s such a great deal, private investors should be lining up ! I don’t see any.
24,000 a year @ 5% becomes ~ 1.25 MILLION a year at the end of the lease.