ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Asheville City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved renaming historic McCormick Field to HomeTrust Park, formalizing a new naming rights agreement tied to the recent $38.5 million renovation of the city-owned ballpark.
The Asheville Tourists announced the partnership with HomeTrust Bank on Monday. The agreement allows the team to sell naming rights under terms outlined in its lease with the city.
McCormick Field, owned by the city of Asheville and leased to the Tourists since 2010, was originally named for Dr. Lewis McCormick, the city’s first bacteriologist. City officials said the lease, approved in 2025, includes provisions permitting the team to secure a corporate sponsor, subject to council approval.
The council voted 7-0 in favor of the change.
The naming rights deal comes as the city completes a major renovation of the ballpark aimed at meeting Major League Baseball’s Professional Development League standards. Construction began following the 2023 season and is expected to be finished in time for opening day.
City officials said the upgrades were necessary after the stadium ranked in the bottom 10% of minor league facilities nationwide under MLB’s updated standards introduced after the 2020 reorganization of minor league baseball.
Under the lease agreement, annual payments from the team — bolstered in part by naming rights revenue — will help offset the city’s debt from the renovation project.
The agreement also requires the facility to host non-baseball events, with a minimum attendance threshold tied to financial penalties if unmet. City leaders said the goal is to expand the venue’s use for concerts, college sports and other community events.
HomeTrust Bank, headquartered in Asheville, was selected by the team as the naming rights sponsor. City officials said the company met criteria outlined in the lease requiring that sponsors align with community standards and not damage the city’s image.
The lease stipulates that the team is responsible for all costs associated with installing and maintaining signage. If the naming agreement expires, the team must also cover the cost of reverting the stadium name back to McCormick Field.
Despite the approval, some residents voiced opposition, citing the historical significance of the original name.
One speaker urged the city to preserve McCormick’s legacy, noting his early 20th-century public health work combating disease spread by houseflies through a campaign known as “Swat That Fly.”
City officials said efforts have been made to retain that history, including a new on-site historical display highlighting the stadium’s past and McCormick’s contributions.
While the facility will now be marketed as HomeTrust Park, officials noted the original name remains part of the site’s history and identity.
