Officials announced Tuesday morning that a new Potomac Nationals stadium would be built at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center in Woodbridge on Opitz Boulevard across from the hospital.
The 6,000 to 7,000 seat stadium will be privately funded, Woodbridge district supervisor Frank Principi said. When completed, the stadium will bring in more than $200 million in private sector investment, said a press release from the county.
The first pitch at the new stadium could be thrown in Spring 2014, he said.
"This location here in Potomac Town Center truly makes this a preferred location," Principi said.
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Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean T. Connaughton said the Commonwealth of Virginia has already voted to put forward $15 million for a structured parking lot of 1,000 spaces.
"An important amenity in the project would be a new commuter garage built using state transportation funds, lands dedidcated to public use and constructed by the Prince William County Transportation Department," said the release from the county. "The garage would offer commuter parking to Prince William residents who use the transit serving the garage or carpool using HOV or Express Lanes."
The stadium will offer year-round events to residents and tourists, said the press release from the county.
"Not only will this be one of the nicest stadiums in the country," said Potomac VP/General Manager Josh Olerud, "this is a community facility that will increase the lifestyle of all residents in Prince William County."
Art Silber, owner of the Potomac Nationals, and Chairman Corey Stewart both said that the stadium project would not be happening if it were not for the VDOT-funded garage.
Silber announced his intent to invest over $25 million for the construction of a new stadium.
But "this is not a done deal," Principi added, saying he was planning a series of town halls on the project in the future.
"There are still a significant amount of engineering studies, environmental studies, that will have to be done, not the least of which is getting financing for the stadium and/or naming rights," said Principi to Patch. "And that doesn't happen overnight. So we're going to need some time to work through those issues and to make sure the public gets their fingerprints on this as it goes forward."
"While those studies are being developed the public will get to ask their questions and provide their comments and in the process make it an even better project for the community," said Principi.
Principi told Patch that in the next three to six months there will probably be a memorandum of understanding signed between the parties.
"I'm not sure the county would sign that, it would be between the developers and the baseball team," said Principi. "We've got to get a move on."
"Welcome to the new Woodbridge," Principi said.
"This is a project where you have total cooperation between government entities and a wonderful developer," Silber said. "We want to make this the social, athletic and entertainment center and we're going to do that in a fiscally responsible way."
Stewart said the board been working on this new stadium location since he was first elected as a supervisor in 2003.
Silber said the team
"We are at the beginning steps of our discussion with the community," said Richard Lake from PTC Roadside Development LLC, the management company. "This is a project of the community, for the community, by the community."
The county announced a press conference on Monday for the news. The press conference was held at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center outside of and , where
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1- Entertainment development is a good thing. I can not see how it would impact home values negatively. StoneBridge is a positive impact on the area, retail, restaurants and now entertainment, all make it a desireable area in a well planned area. 2- Parking deck is great, takes up less space, and has dual use. I have no idea but there may be street parking as well, plus parking near wegmans side lot. I definitely see myself having dinner in Stone Bridge and walking over to game. 3- The team will impact on 70 days (mostly evenings) including weekends, which will draw the larger crowds (if you can say large). Minor league baseball in this area has not drawn tremendously. 4- My main concern is this has been a very slow process (probably due to multiple parties being involved, hopefully they can keep it on the time schedule they show otherwise Nationals could pull their team from here. 5- I'm sorry but the fireworks are not that big of a deal, I would imagine they may just stop that promotion if they have to. Also when you buy into a new development (Potomac Club) you can't turn around and say theres too much development. It's like people who buy near an airport and try to reduce the number of flights because it's too noisy. Good smart development is good for the county, it attracts business, it make communities desireable.
I don't have that information, but we can try to find out.
Just saw your note about a WaPo article. Here's where we got the $200 million in investment from the press conference (this was distributed at the conference): http://www.pwcgov.org/government/dept/oem/PressRoom/Pages/NR-20120717-Press_Conference.aspx The team's owner, Art Silber, intends to invest over $25 million for the construction of the new stadium. Just want to clarify.
For the record, I am skeptical also as you stated that it's our tax dollars may be used. I also think it is a great idea and opportunity. Just hope it is planned well and the surrounded infrastructure improve.
When most people and I will go on a limb here to say about 99% of those that walked into Potomac Club community to look at a model home and express interest in buying, they knew what was coming the down the pipelines. If anything, they knew of Stonebridge. I've lived in my home in since 2008 and was privy to such information, if not all the recent proposals and approvals but most. If you moved into Potomac Club after I did, you definitely knew of the booming development that is in process and coming in the future. If not told by the developer themselves of your home, you should have done some due diligence like myself and most people did. Potomac Club was developed as a over arching plan to compliment Stonebridge. Wegmans, one of the most successful Grocery chain in the Northeast and upscale at that, was not signing onto such development if the facts was presented and some of those facts included Potomac Club, surrounding and future neighborhoods. It's by design why the community is literally across the street from Stonebridge. It's so we can look forward to walkable "evening out". Toby Keith is a huge deal, PF Chang's is a huge deal, REI and Sport and Health. So these restaurants, retail and lifestyle venues wasn't a clear indicator of what was coming? Woodbridge has been dying for such vibrant community. We're finally getting it and some still complains. You cannot please everyone but this is part of what we signed up for.
I agree with you and Ilike the pedestrian bridge over Neabsco but with ne exception, Where is it going to connect? Do you mean a bridgfe coming from the community to Stonebridge? Sounds a bit sketchy but I like your train of thought.
Tried to respond to the thread above but it would not let me. Anyway, your point about where to place such a bridge is well taken, its something i have been thinking about as well and have been unable to figure out. I would argue that engineers and developers could likely fabricate something. The bridge does not necessarily have to flow right into Potomac Club but I would argue a bridge by either one of the lights would be an area for good placement. I hate to be morbid but people will complain about the cost until the first kid is hit and then they'll be an outcry to do something. Just trying to get ahead of the curve and tragedy but I don't have the engineering knowledge or know how to comment on exactly what that bridge would look like or how it would be built. I think its a stretch but its something that should be put on the radar in my opinion.
Trust me, I'm all for what you have stated. I've never thought deep into an actual commuter bridge which is why it was refreshing to see your comment. There were many times that would either walk or drive to PTC and said to myself, why isn't there more pedestrian crossing points or crossing points at all the lights. There is a total of two crossing points. Now the Pedestrian cross buttons may be in place so there is a possibilty of it being added but I was always baffled by the current set up. Your comment are the types of comments that should be stated, looked at and address and the perfect forum for such would be these "Series of Town Hall Meetings" has scheduled regarding the Stadium Development.
I'll do my best to make it to the Town Halls, at least start the conversation. I appreciate the encouragement. Probably see you at the meeting!
I LOVE the idea of the stadium being right across the street. Of course, I think I'm among the few who viewed the area as mixed use and ripe for development when I bought at Potomac Club--I anticipated traffic, noise, etc. But it comes with local (walkable) access to Wegman's, entertainment, medical services, etc. The pedestrian bridge would absolutely help--that was my first comment when I moved to the area--"We need a bridge to Wegman's!" :-)