Sen. Gerald Malloy, Rep. Robert Williams Present $1 Million to City of Darlington’s Blue St. Sports Complex

DARLINGTON, S.C. (Oct. 16, 2024) – Sen. Gerald Malloy and Rep. Robert Williams presented the City of Darlington with a $1 million check on Wednesday to go towards its sports complex that’s being constructed on Blue St.

In partnership with the Darlington County School District (DCSD), the City of Darlington is funding seven new ballfields on Blue St. The project completely renovates the old ballfields that have been in place for decades. The $1 million appropriation from the State of South Carolina, which had been in the works for more than six months, serves as a significant contribution to the project.

“I appreciate the opportunity to support recreation in Darlington County,” Sen. Malloy said. “There’s no real price that you can put on recreation. It is important to our quality of life.

“We have a similar facility, Byerly Park, that I was responsible for in Hartsville. I think this was very creative, innovative and a collaborative and cooperative operation that Mayor Curtis Boyd and the City of Darlington engaged in so we can make sure that we take care of the citizens of Darlington.”

Rep. Williams said, “This project will certainly help future kids in the area of athletics. We are very appreciative of this impactful funding to the City and Darlington County School District.”

The overall project is projected to cost $8.4 million. The City of Darlington is funding $5.5 million, and DCSD is funding $1.45 million. An additional $450,000 will be needed to complete the project in its entirety; however, the ballfields will be ready for play by early 2025. Five fields will be utilized for recreation, and two fields will serve Darlington High School’s baseball and softball teams.

“This has been a long time coming,” said Mayor Curtis Boyd. “Thirty-five years in the works. Since I have been here for the past five years, this has been a No. 1 initiative of mine to make sure that the citizens have the proper fields to play on, be proud of and enjoy for their families. It’s really exciting to see the School Board, Sen. Malloy and the City all working together to provide a wonderful facility for our residents and visitors to enjoy.”

The Blue St. Sports Complex project broke ground back in June. Construction is well underway on the property, with several ballfield fences already being installed. Buildings on-site are also being constructed as well.

To learn more about the City of Darlington, visit cityofdarlington.com or call 843-398-4000.