Owned locally
Gastonia people hold a meaningful stake, so the community has a real say in the team’s future.
An idea worth swinging at
A team owned by Gastonia.
Twice now, professional baseball in Gastonia has depended on an outside operator, and twice it has gone away. The ballpark is still here. So are the fans. What if the next team belonged to the community that fills the seats?
Live from the community
1Neighbors in the know
1ZIP codes
Every name is a real neighbor who raised a hand.
CaroMont Health Park · FUSE District, downtown Gastonia
The box score so far
Two teams. Two exits. One ballpark.
- 2021
The ballpark opens
The city-owned CaroMont Health Park opens downtown and the Honey Hunters take the field.
- Nov 2023
Honey Hunters out
After a division title, the league terminates the team over unpaid debts. The operator files for bankruptcy.
- 2024
A new operator
The Gastonia Baseball Club plays one season, then becomes the Ghost Peppers in 2025.
- Sept 30, 2026
Ghost Peppers out
Ownership ceases operations to focus on arena-based sports and entertainment.
- Next
Chapter three
What if this time the team belonged to the people in the stands?
The idea
A team that can’t be taken away
Run by pros
Community ownership doesn’t mean amateur management. An experienced front office runs the day-to-day.
Built to last
Capital with a cushion, a fair lease and a park that stays busy beyond baseball season, built for decades, not a quick flip.
It’s been done
Fans have owned their teams for a century
1923
Green Bay Packers
Owned by their fans for over 100 years, in a town “too small” for the NFL.
1957
Rochester Red Wings
A community stock drive kept the team home. It’s still community-owned.
1950s
Indianapolis Indians
Held by local shareholders for generations, and one of the steadiest clubs in the minors.
Inside Scoop
The latest
The Ghost Peppers are done. Now what?
For the second time in three years, Gastonia’s ballpark has lost its team. Here’s why we think the next chapter should look different.
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