Gastonia residents ready for FUSE

Gastonia residents who turned out for the FUSE District's groundbreaking ceremony Thursday seemed ready to hear the words "Play ball" ring out from the stadium in spring 2021.

More than 200 people turned out in 98-degree weather to see city leaders break ground on a multipurpose events complex near where a long ago abandoned Sears department store once stood along with a troublesome motel.

Developers and city leaders promised the crowd the FUSE District will lead to a revitalization of west Gastonia, giving the community a place to not only watch sporting events, but also attend concerts and Easter sunrise services.

Those working to bring the stadium to fruition were greeted with an approving crowd.

Here are the thoughts of five Gastonia residents who attended the groundbreaking Thursday:

Max Gray — "I live two blocks away and I can walk down here and I love baseball and all sports. It's going to bring the whole city together and I just love a party."

Kyren Brown — "I want to watch a soccer game over here. All of my family can come and look at it and come see me play."

Lynne Nester — "The west end needs this. This is going to bring concerts and events to this part of the city that's going to bring people to Gastonia. It's going to be family entertainment in a secure environment."

Addison Carr — "This is going to be good for the sustainability of our community and the small businesses that are here. This is going to bring out diverse cultures to different events and be a good thing for this great city."

John Clemmons — "Folks love sporting events around here and this will be a place for people to come out together and have a good time."

You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-869-1823 or Twitter.com/TheGazetteKevin.