SEGRA AGREES TO LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE AND FAYETTEVILLE WOODPECKERS
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The City of Fayetteville and Fayetteville Woodpeckers announced today that they have entered into a long-term agreement with Segra, one of the largest independent fiber bandwidth companies in the United States, to name their downtown, $40 million ballpark as Segra Stadium. Segra will serve as the stadium’s Official Communications Services Partner.
In April 2018, EQT Partners completed the purchase of a majority stake in Spirit Communications and announced it would combine the Spirit assets with those of Lumos Networks, acquired in 2017. Just a few weeks ago, Lumos Networks and Spirit announced that the two companies had been rebranded as Segra. Now, as a combined company, Segra is one of the largest independent fiber bandwidth companies in the U.S. The two companies have integrated operations, have expanded their fiber-optic network and product sets and have made further investments in existing and new markets across nine states in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Notable new markets include Raleigh, Greensboro, and of course, Fayetteville, North Carolina.
“Segra is excited to partner with the Houston Astros and the City of Fayetteville” said Tim Biltz, CEO of Segra. “This is an exciting and transformational project for the city and the region. We look forward to further establishing our brand with this project and investing in the future of Fayetteville.”
“We are very excited in Fayetteville to announce that Segra has acquired naming rights to our new Fayetteville Woodpeckers’ baseball stadium,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said. “Segra is making an investment by expanding their business into Fayetteville, providing a state-of-the-art fiber network that will improve connectivity for current businesses and also potentially increasing our economic development efforts as we continue to attract new businesses to our city. So, this naming rights announcement is not only about the name of the baseball stadium, it’s about economic development, which has been the goal of the stadium since day one. For that reason, we welcome Segra to Fayetteville with high expectations.”
“Partnering with Segra is a major milestone for Fayetteville’s mission to revitalize its downtown and the surrounding communities,” said Fayetteville Woodpeckers President Mark Zarthar. “Segra has the capacity and desire to advance Fayetteville’s technological capabilities. This advancement will generate various layers of commercial opportunities, most notably the recruitment of major organizations to establish office locations and conduct business in this All-American metropolitan.”
SEGRA Stadium will open in April of 2019. The stadium will serve as a premier sports and entertainment venue for Fayetteville, NC, Cumberland County, and the surrounding communities of Southeastern North Carolina. With Segra as the stadium naming rights and Official Communications Services partner, the stadium will be one of, if not the most connected venues in Minor League Baseball. In partnership with Segra the new state of the art stadium will be outfitted with cutting edge 802.11ac Wave 2 Wi-Fi coverage powered by redundant 10 Gbps fiber connectivity allowing fans to enhance their game day experience with seamless lightning speed video, interaction and social media.
Other unique elements of the stadium include an outfield bar featuring live music, lounge seating, corn hole, foosball, and several televisions. The stadium’s premium club level, party deck, six luxury suites and four field boxes will provide fans with a high-end, full-service viewing occasion. A kids’ zone and berm allow young fans to remain active, enjoying the game at a different pace. All permanent and portable concessions stations will feature unique, original food concepts with branding that ties to Fayetteville and nearby Fort Bragg.
ABOUT SEGRA STADIUM
The $40 million state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue is expected to be a catalyzing economic development tool that attracts and retains business, provides national exposure, increases civic and community pride, and provides for an improved quality of life for residents. It features natural grass, a 25×70 LED scoreboard, six luxury suites, four field boxes, a premium club level, outdoor party deck, a kids zone, and more. Construction is scheduled to be completed in March 2019. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on April 13th, 2019 with Opening Day slated for April 18th, 2019
ABOUT SEGRA
Segra is one of the largest independent fiber bandwidth companies in the U.S. Representing a successful merger of Lumos Networks and Spirit Communications, the company now has the most advanced fiber infrastructure network of more than 21,000 miles that connects more than 9,000 on-net locations and 44 data centers throughout nine Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states. Segra provides Ethernet, MPLS, dark fiber, advanced data center services, IP and managed services, voice and cloud solutions, all backed by its industry-leading service and reliability. Customers include carriers, enterprises, governments, healthcare organizations, defense, education and small businesses. For more information about Segra’s technology and commitment to customer care, visit segra.com.
ABOUT THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.
Fayetteville is proud of its rich role in our nation’s history and holds fast to the friendly feel of a true hometown, while providing the cultural and entertainment amenities of bigger cities. The city boasts sophisticated restaurants, museums, musical and sporting events, and nearby Fort Bragg – the nation’s largest military installation – that solidifies the city’s deep roots in all things military. Fayetteville is the sixth-largest city in the state and home to more than 208,000 residents. For more information, please visit www.fayettevillenc.gov
ABOUT THE FAYETTEVILLE WOODPECKERS
The Houston Astros own and operate its Class A Advanced minor league affiliate, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. The Astros agreed to a 30-year lease and are invested in the long-term success of the City of Fayetteville. The team’s direction focuses on creating a culture of success with an accessible management team, building the best young talent in baseball, engaging with fans, and connecting the community with an exciting, family-friendly experience. For more information on the Woodpeckers, please visit www.fayettevillewoodpeckers.com.
ABOUT THE HOUSTON ASTROS
The 2017 World Champion Houston Astros have been Houston’s hometown baseball team since 1962, when the Colt .45s first took the field in Colt Stadium. Three years later, the team became the Houston Astros as a tribute to America’s “Space City” and will be entering their 58th season in Major League Baseball. In 2013, the Astros moved to the American League West Division, becoming the first franchise to move from the National League to the American League. The Astros are also the only team in MLB history to have won both an American and National League pennant. For 81 regular season games a year, the Astros can be found on their home field at Minute Maid Park, where families and friends come together to enjoy America’s favorite pastime in one of baseball’s most comfortable and fan-friendly ballparks. In addition to striving for success on the field, the Astros take pride in their local community and are committed to making Houston a better place by honoring our nation’s military, combatting homelessness, aiding in the fight against cancer and supporting youth baseball and softball through the Astros Foundation’s cornerstone programs. For more information on the Astros, please visit www.astros.com.
Media Contact
James M. Nester
Vice President of Marketing & Public Affairs
(304) 552-6282
James.Nester@segra.com
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