The cost to keep the lights on: Potomac Nationals stadium lease extended

MiLB still must decide if team stays in Prince William 

The Potomac Nationals are cleared to stay in Prince William County, through 2020, should the team choose.

The Board of Supervisors approved a new stadium agreement for the Minor-Leauge team’s current home at Richard G. Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge. Under the agreement, the team will pay 71% of the electric bill, and complete their current lease agreement which had been set to expire in December 2018.

The new deal gives the team two options to extend their stay at the stadium, in 2019 and again in 2020.

Other terms of the deal:

• The team will use the stadium to play 70 regular games
• Any non-baseball event must be approved by the county.
• Prince William County maintains non-plying field areas like parking lot, fencing, concession areas, stands
• The ball club is responsible for maintaining field and scoreboard
• The county may use the scoreboard during festivals and non-baseball events if county pays club $20 per hour per employee to use it

“We are so appreciative of the action that the Board has taken, as it affirms the team’s ability to continue playing at Pfitzner Stadium. At the same time, it affords us the opportunity during this time to investigate other avenues that involve private financing for a new ballpark,” the team posted on its Facebook page.

The new agreement comes after negotiations between the team, county officials and JBG, Inc., owners of the Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center development in Woodbridge for a new baseball stadium at the town center failed this past summer.

The team has been playing at the 33-year-old Pfitzner Stadium with special permission from Minor League Baseball due to what the league considers to be poor standards at the stadium. Team owner Art Silber threatened to begin negotiations to leave the county and possibly sell the team if the stadium deal was not approved.

This year, the P-Nats have paid more than $66,000 to keep the lights on at the stadium, the most the all club has paid in the past six years, according to county documents. In 2016, the team paid $37,000 for electricity. On average, the team pays about $40,000 to pay the electric bill.

Despite the new deal, it’s still unclear if the team will remain in Prince William County, According to county documents, the team must seek a variance from Minor League Baseball for permission to keep playing at Pfitzner through 2020. If denied and the team is forced to move, the contract stipulates the team cannot hold taxpayers liable for the cost of stadium improvements.

Gainesville District Supervisor Peter Candland called for more time so officials could hear from Minor League Baseball on whether or not it would approve the team’s extended stay at Pftizner. He called the team a “short-term” partner. 

“I’d just like to just go on record that I’m saying that this is a bad deal for Prince William County. I think that this is one of the biggest sweetheart deals that you can come up with. All we’re asking for is a little bit more time to get all of the information right here. I think nothing more than corporate welfare for or being friends of ours,” said Candland.

Candland and Brentsville District Supervisor Jeanine Lawson voted against the new deal.

Photo: Potomac Nationals