TWO FORCES FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH When Meritus Park opened in May of 2024, it marked a turning point for the city, as thousands of visitors were drawn to the state of the art stadium. Moving forward, efforts are underway to grow and develop the surrounding areas, increasing downtown foot traffic and creating quality of life opportunities. “We’re trying to capitalize on the stadium,” City Administrator Scott Nicewarner acknowledges.“We are taking the initiative to help small downtown businesses take advantage of the 300,000 people that are coming through, especially between the months of April and October.” The stadium is one of two major projects driving activity in the city’s downtown area.The other is the new Hagerstown Field House, a multi court, multi field indoor sports complex built on the site of the city’s former stadium. “Between the two facilities, they’re generating upwards of what I would say is 400,000 people a year that are coming into Hagerstown, who for the most part would otherwise not be here,” says Nicewarner. “They are coming for a ball game, a youth tournament, a league activity, that kind of thing.” Although Meritus Park was a private venture, the Field House was developed by the City of Hagerstown and is operated by a third party. In addition, the City of Hagerstown has invested in a five story parking deck across from the stadium to make access convenient for visitors. RETAIL REVIVAL AND LOCAL ENTERPRISE Hagerstown’s ongoing revitalization is being shaped by a clear and evolving vision. Director of Planning and Economic Development, Jill Thompson notes,“In 2024 we completed a 10 year downtown plan, and we’re underway with developing a strategic direction for our next 10 years. We’re proud as a community that our efforts to revitalize our downtown are intentional and are driven by a roadmap for our future in terms of retail development.” She says that as retail trends grow, the city is encouraging small business development. “A lot of retail is homegrown, and I think we have seen that shift as a result of the pandemic and the idea that 101 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 HAGERSTOWN, MD
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