Groundbreaking for Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge Announced

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held this week at the site of the new Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge youth baseball complex.

The City of Pigeon Forge and Ripken Baseball have announced a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014.

Scheduled to open in Spring 2016, the new $22.5 million facility will host youth tournament baseball on its six lighted synthetic turf fields modeled after famous professional ballparks such as Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Isotopes Stadium and BB&T Ballpark. It will also have a 14,000 square foot, two-level clubhouse.

A rendering of the clubhouse interior at Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge.

Speakers at the groundbreaking will include Major League Baseball Hall of Famer & Chairman and Founder of Ripken Baseball, CAL RIPKEN, JR.; President of Ripken Baseball, TIM LEWIS; the Mayor of the City of Pigeon Forge, MAYOR DAVID WEAR; and the City Manager of the City of Pigeon Forge, EARLENE M. TEASTER.

Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge will be the third Ripken Experience complex by Baltimore, Md. based Ripken Baseball, Inc., a sports entertainment company representing the business interests of brothers Cal Ripken, Jr. and Bill Ripken. It will be a tournament destination for elite 9-and 10-year-old baseball.

Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge Site Plan

Ripken Experience Aberdeen powered by Under Armour is located in the Ripken’s hometown in Maryland and is host to the 12-year-old Cal Ripken World Series, which brings 10 teams from around the world together to compete for a World Championship title each summer. Ripken Experience Myrtle Beach features elite baseball and softball competition for 13- to 18-year-olds and is a spring training facility for college and high school teams.

In July, the City of Pigeon Forge awarded the $22.5 million construction contract to Merit Construction, Inc. of Knoxville, Tenn.

The Pigeon Forge City Commission approved $26 million in bonds to help pay for the baseball facility’s construction at its August 2014 meeting.