MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) – An indoor entertainment venue could soon be coming to the northern end of Mount Pleasant in the Carolina Park community.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ventura Sports Group, Mark Schuster, says this facility on Faison Road would be anchored by an eSports stadium, which will be used for other events throughout the year.

“Charleston’s a destination. As they continue to build these eSports venues around the country, people are going to want to go to places they love going to. And what’s a better place to go to than Charleston and Mount Pleasant,” Schuster said.

The project is on 29 acres of land, near Highway 17. Schuster says the eSports stadium will be 120,000 square feet with a 1,600 seat auditorium inside.

He says there will also be space for classes where you can go learn to play eSports. Plans also show a convention hall inside the eSports venue.

Schuster says the targeted audience for eSports is primarily those ages 13 to 35, but it continues to see more and more growth.

Schuster says around the venue will be retail stores, restaurants, and possibly a hotel.

He says they plan to host entertainments like boxing, mixed martial arts, and concerts in the area throughout the year.

Schuster, also the former General Manager of the Charleston RiverDogs, says there are only five other eSports stadiums like this one in the United States right now. Those are in Philadephia, Arlington, Las Vegas, Oakland, and southern California.

The eSports venue in Mount Pleasant is in the planning and development stages right now. Schuster says they are trying to move quickly, and hope to see it open by the end of 2023, or the first quarter of 2024.

He says the cost of the project will vary based on what all comes around the space. He says they have received interest from folks about also having a post-production film studio here, to allow for more movie making in town. He says that has not been approved yet, but if it is included, the total project cost would be about $82 million.

He estimates it would bring about $10 million annually in tax revenue. He says that’s not to mention the number of jobs, both construction and full-time/long-term positions, it will bring.

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