The Potomac Nationals secure stadium deal in Fredericksburg, will relocate by 2020

FREDERICKSBURG — Baseball is coming to Fredericksburg.

“Let’s play ball!’ Mayor Katherine Greenlaw said as she donned a baseball cap to approve the Potomac Nationals move to the city from Woodbridge, its neighbor to the north.

City Officials unanimously approved an agreement with the Potomac Nationals and team owner Art Silber to bring the Minor League team to Fredericksburg. The council also agreed to allow the $35 million stadium to be built and funded by the team with public backing.

The P-Nats proposed a stadium resolution that would be privately funded by team owner Art Silber, with financial component from the city of Fredericksburg and Mary Washington Healthcare, the current investor.

City taxpayers will be on the hook for an annual $1.05 million payment to the Silber family. City economic development director Bill Freehling says the city’s financial support should help the family secure bank loan to build the stadium.

In exchange, the city will enjoy use of the stadium for concerts half of the year when not in use by the team, branding through advertising at the stadium, and a box suite to entertain guests.

“We believe we will be able to make it up through revenues generated by the stadium,” said Freehling.

Mary Washington will not have naming rights to the stadium but will also benefit from advertising there, added Freehling.

The deal differs from last year’s failed effort in Prince William County when officials in that county were exploring the sale of bonds to back the stadium that would have been built between Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center and Wegmans grocery store at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center. 

The county is now exploring the option of building a parking garage on that site.

The stadium in Fredericksburg will be located on Celebrate Virginia South, near Wegmans grocery store and the Fredericksburg Expo Center.

“I am very excited for this,” Councilman Matthew Kelly said. “This idea started in a booth at 2400 Diner in Downtown Fredericksburg.”

“This property has been worth the wait,” Councilwoman Kerry Devine said. “Let’s play ball.”

The club will not be able to relocate during its 30-year contract. This wasn’t the case in Prince William County, where officials were concerned that, despite any county investment, Minor League Baseball could order the team to relocate to another city despite assurances from Silber he wouldn’t support such a move.

The team has agreed with CVAS Stadium LLC (an affiliate of the Silver Cos.) to build the stadium and the required parking lot being built near the Fredericksburg Expo Center.

The P-Nats are the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Many players stop by and play for the team while on their way to the Major Leagues.

The P-Nats have played in the newly renamed Northwest Federal Field at Richard G. Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge for 34 years and failed minor league playing field standards in 2011.

The current plan for seating in the stadium is along the first and third baselines and around home plate. The stadium would be constructed so that crowd noise and sound from the stadium’s public address system will be directed toward centerfield away from any surrounding neighborhoods that are located around the stadium.

The team and the city’s plan to have the stadium ready to play ball by Opening Day 2020.

The council also met to discuss amendments to the city’s comprehensive plan to move the Potomac Nationals to the city.

The city amended their current comprehensive plan to bring the P-Nats to Fredericksburg. The current Comprehensive Plan calls for a Minor League Baseball stadium in Celebrate Virginia South, but it does not mention significant public support and use of the facility.

The first amendment to the comprehensive plan includes transportation. The amendment includes a realignment of Celebrate Virginia South. The changes include the creation of a network of a collection of streets tied into the proposed interstate interchange.

The second amendment includes a need to have an empty portion of the Carl D. Silver Parkway right-of-way realigned.

The current general development plan shows a future extension of the parkway that would extend right through the middle of the stadium property. The proposed realignment would curve around the stadium and would allow a potential Intersection with Gordon W. Shelton Boulevard.

Both amendments were approved unanimously by the council.

Fredericksburg originally tried to acquire the Hagerstown Suns in 2013, but the deal ultimately fell through because the team and the city could not agree on who would build the parking lot.

Minor League Baseball is expected to approve the relocation of the team to Fredericksburg.