After 25 years, professional baseball returns to Knoxville with the opening of Covenant Health Park. The new multi-use stadium, located at 601 E Jackson Avenue, will host its inaugural game on April 15, featuring the Tennessee Smokies against the Chattanooga Lookouts.
With a seating capacity of approximately 7,000, the stadium will serve as a year-round venue for One Knoxville SC soccer matches, concerts, festivals, and other events. Boyd Sports, owner of the Tennessee Smokies, has signed a 30-year lease, ensuring the team’s long-term presence in Knoxville.
Covenant Health Park is a centerpiece of a broader redevelopment initiative aimed at revitalizing East Knoxville. GEM Community Development Group, Boyd Sports’ private development partner, is investing over $100 million in residential, commercial, and entertainment projects around the stadium. The redevelopment is projected to generate nearly $480 million in economic impact over the next 30 years and create more than 400 full-time jobs.
The area surrounding the stadium has undergone major infrastructure improvements, including new sewer systems, underground utilities, and redesigned roadways to support the growing district.
Knoxville’s professional baseball history dates back over a century. The Knoxville Pioneers, the city’s first professional team, played at Caswell Park in 1921. Bill Meyer Stadium, built in 1953, hosted baseball for more than 45 years until the Smokies relocated to a neighboring county. Now, with the opening of Covenant Health Park, Knoxville reconnects with its rich baseball heritage while contributing to the revitalization of East Knoxville.
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