Here is something from the newspaper about it.
New park ready to kick off
Complex called "The premier soccer facility in the Southeast"
DENNY SEITZ - Charlotte Observer
An eight-field complex intended to be the soccer equivalent of Cherry Park will be unveiled Sunday.
About 5,000 people are expected Sunday for the opening of the Manchester Meadows complex.
"We think it's the premier soccer facility in the Southeast," said John Taylor of the Rock Hill Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. "We did a lot of research across the region and across the nation and think this one is unique and stands alone."
The $12 million project, built on 70 acres off Dave Lyle Boulevard about a mile west of Interstate 77, consists of six grass fields, two artificial turf fields, a pavilion, concessions, a lake, playgrounds, picnic areas and walking trails.
City officials hope the economic impact will be comparable to that of the softball fields at Cherry Park, which generates about $5 million per year for the local economy, Taylor said.
Winthrop men's soccer coach Rich Posipanko already has seen an impact.
"As soon as people started hearing about Manchester Meadows, they were calling me about playing in a tournament there," Posipanko said. "It's not close to being one of the biggest complexes, but you'll have a tough time finding a place with more amenities. This place could be top-of-the-list as far as looks.
"If you were going to build a dream eight-field facility, this is it."
Robert Thomas, sports marketing director for the Rock Hill/York County Convention and Visitors Bureau, expects the fields to attract thousands of visitors each year.
"It will have a huge impact on the hotel industry in the area," Thomas said. "It's perfectly suited for family and friends to come to town with soccer players and watch them, then eat, sleep, shop, sightsee, play on the playground. Everything is centrally located."
The wear and tear of soccer on a field is much greater than that of softball, so midweek games will be limited, Thomas said.
The complex has been talked about for years. Posipanko, who began coaching at Winthrop 18 years ago, said he heard about it when he was first hired. Now that it's here, he's ecstatic.
"It gives us a venue where we can do a large-scale tournament," Posipanko said. "When I knew I had this facility, it took me two hours to fill a lineup for a tournament that has top-notch teams. I had to turn Furman and West Virginia down."
For Posipanko's tournament on March 31 next year, he limited invitations to college teams that had been ranked in the national top 20 in the past four years, such as South Carolina and Clemson, and high school teams ranked in S.C. top 15 last season, such as Northwestern and Fort Mill.
"These are the kinds of tournaments you can get here," he said, "now that you have this facility."
Want to Go?
WHAT: Grand opening of the Manchester Meadows soccer complex, with soccer demonstrations, self-guided tours, a scavenger hunt and live music. The rain date is Tuesday at 5 p.m.
WHEN: 3-6 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: 337 E. Mount Gallant Road, Rock Hill
INFORMATION: rockhillrocks.com or (803) 329-5620
