Greenville's Public-Private Success

Proof of that was on display when the city served as backdrop to the 58^th Annual Conference of The Association of Public Treasurers of the United States & Canada (APT US&C). Of the more than 200 government finance leaders from across North America who attended, nearly half opted to take tours of Greenville's downtown to see the results of these partnerships firsthand.

"This tour is a great example of how Greenville can impact other cities by sharing how we got to where we are," said Stall, who led one of the tours.

"I think you are like superheroes when it comes to these private, public partnerships," said Sal Talarico, finance director with the City of Oberlin, Ohio. "I don't know of any community that doesn't do (public-private partnerships), but they struggle. You make it look routine."

Greenville's public-private partnerships have run the gambit from affordable housing to revitalizing historic properties and building sports stadiums. Each project has been unique, but the success has established Greenville as an expert in using collaboration as a tool for economic growth.

Fluor Field is the perfect example. Opened in April 2006, the $15.5 million development is home of the Greenville Drive, a minor league baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The city made land available to the team via a long-term lease. In exchange, the Drive funded construction of the 5,000-seat stadium and moved the team to Greenville.

The City also recruited a developer to complete a mixed-use development directly adjacent to the stadium. This development included 40 condominiums, as well as retail and office space. Topping off the deal: a former fire house was repurposed to serve as the team's souvenir shop.

Chip Dawson, the treasurer of the City of South Jordan, Utah - a municipality of comparable size to Greenville and located south of Salt Lake City - said the development of Fluor Field and District 356 inspired him.

"This has been a fantastic opportunity for me to look at and see what's possible when integrating a sporting facility into the middle of a downtown area," he said. "They've done such a great job here, and so that's going to allow me to go back to my home state with some ideas on how we can improve things in the future."

Greenville also is home to 575 international companies. The New York Times recognized the city's vibrant downtown with its urban greenspace, trails, unique shops and world class restaurants. The city has appeared near or at the top of many lists ranking the best places to live and do business. U.S. News and World Report cited Greenville as a Top 5 Best Place to Live in the U.S. in 2024, and Nice.com ranked it the #1 Best Place for Young Professionals in South Carolina for the past five years.

Tours also visited areas like the Westin Poinsett Hotel, a once dilapidated building that stood vacant for decades before it was restored in 1999 as a luxury hotel. Today, it's on the National Registry of Historic Places and stands as an iconic piece of the Greenville skyline. Other stops included ONE City Plaza, a public gathering space surrounded by retail, restaurants, office space and two universities.

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