Imagine Anderson
Green Pond Landing & Event Center By Glenn Brill, Director, Anderson County Parks, Recreation & Tourism Division
December 19, 2015 marked the first birthday of Green Pond Landing & Event Center. During its inaugural year, Green Pond created $25 million in economic impact. Its second year will also generate millions of dollars for Anderson County’s economy. Lake Hartwell is becoming known as the lake “Where Champions Fish.” On March 17-20, 156 boats will launch from Green Pond during one of the six national stops for the Wal-Mart/ FLW Tour. “It’s the perfect tournament lake,” according to Anthony Gagliardi, Forrest Wood Cup Champion. This tournament also fished Hartwell in 2011 and 2012. The following month, 200 boats will compete for the prestigious American Bass Anglers (ABA) Ray Scott Championship, April 7-10. Its trade show will be held at the Civic Center of Anderson, along with the final days’ weigh-in. Last October, the ABA National Championship brought 207 boats to Green Pond, the most of any tournament to date. Up to 200 boats will compete for the Soldier’s Wish Big Bass Challenge on May 28. A different kind of fishing tournament will pack Green Pond on July 30. The Kayak Bass Series expects up to
“It’s the perfect tournament lake.”
Casey Ashley won the BassMaster Classic, held at Green Pond Landing on Lake Hartwell in 2015.
andersonmagazine.com 5 March/April 2016
150 kayak-based anglers to compete. The tournament’s organizer was considering a different ramp on Hartwell, but an aerial photo of Green Pond convinced him to hold the tourney here. As impressive as Green Pond’s impact is, consider this, it’s only 35 percent complete. As money becomes available, three additional launch lanes, a permanent restroom building, a 500-seat amphitheater for weigh-ins and additional courtesy docks will be added. n