Could this baseball stadium become Wake County’s next big destination?
With the Carolina Mudcats leaving Zebulon this year, local leaders are looking for a new tenant to help turn the team’s stadium into a destination for eastern Wake County.
“We encourage the community to join us as we reimagine what the next phase of Five County Stadium could include,” said Don Mial, vice chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners. “This is our time to create opportunities that will benefit the residents in the area now and in the years ahead.”
The 6,500-seat stadium, about a 25-minute drive from Raleigh, should still be the main draw for visitors, but Wake County wants to find a partner to develop the land around it.
Mudcats to Warbirds
Five County Stadium, named for its close proximity to four neighboring counties, is jointly owned by Wake County and the town of Zebulon.
It’s been home to the Carolina Mudcats baseball team, a Minor League Baseball Class-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers since the stadium was built in 1991.
The Mudcats were lured away from Wake County to the city of Wilson, about 40 miles east of Raleigh, with the promise of a $70 million new stadium and more than $200 million in investment around it. They will be called the Wilson Warbirds, and construction of the new stadium is underway.
Money was needed to make repairs to Five County Stadium to comply with Major League Baseball standards, something the team tried to accomplish in 2022. At the time, the team also suggested non-mandated improvements meant to create “a fun atmosphere to draw in fans,” The News & Observer previously reported. The improvements were estimated to cost $15 million.
The stadium also hosts the N.C. High School Athletic Association Baseball Championships each year and some festivals and concerts.
Regional destination
Proposals for the stadium and surrounding property are due Friday, Feb. 28., and two options will be presented to the Wake County Board of Commissioners and the Zebulon Board of Commissioners in March or April. A contract could be in place by summer.
The stadium takes up about eight acres and two gravel parking lots make up another 13.4 acres. That leaves about 30 acres available to be developed.
In 2021, the town imagined the stadium as a “year-round draw” connected to downtown Zebulon, a town of of about 10,000 people. Planning documents shows the town envisioned a hotel, amphitheater, restaurants, bars, hotel, and “adventure center” with trampoline park, mini golf, sky diving and rock climbing as possible ideas for redevelopment of the stadium.
How to provide input
People can suggest what they’d like to see through Friday, Feb. 28, in a survey available in English and Spanish at form.jotform.com/250285894799176.
People can also call 919-327-3754 to suggest ideas by voicemail.
Paper surveys are available at Zebulon Town Hall, Zebulon Community Center and Zebulon Community Library.
This story was originally published February 24, 2025 at 9:54 AM.
