Established in 1995, Upward Sports is the world’s largest Christian youth sports provider. At the time of project financing, the league accomodated approximately 500,000 players at more than 2,000 churches in 47 states participate in camps, clinics, and leagues through Upward Sports’ Recreation Division. Located off Interstate 85 in Spartanburg County, the 120,000-sq.-ft. Upward Star Center features six full-sized basketball courts, 12 regulation indoor volleyball courts, four batting cages, a running track, strength and conditioning area with trainers, weights and cardio machines, a speed and agility area, team rooms, players’ lounge, meeting rooms, a café and a retail shop.

Upward occupies 114,400 sq. ft. of the Star Center. An additional 5,600-sq.-ft. is occupied by Spartanburg Regional Health Services (SRHS), which offers strength training, rehabilitation, and orthopedic services to the neighborhood. SRHS, a self-funded political subdivision of the state of South Carolina, is one of the state’s largest healthcare systems, serving Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties in South Carolina, and Polk and Rutherford counties in North Carolina.