Principi 'Proud' Woodbridge Selected as Potential Potomac Nationals Stadium Location
Principi responds to comments about the Potomac Nationals Stadium
Photos
Patch collected your comments regarding the new Potomac Nationals Stadium on July 18. Patch editor Rachel Leon forwarded those comments on to Woodbridge district supervisor Frank Principi.
Now, Principi gives his comments in return:
"I am proud that Woodbridge has been selected as a potential site for the Potomac Nationals Stadium. I want to emphasis that the announcement made on July 17, 2012 is just one step in a long process. Many factors must come together before a final decision is made. This proposal will go through the Special Use Permit (SUP) process. Both an environmental study and a Transportation Impact Analysis (TIA) must be performed before the proposal goes before the Planning Commission or the Board of Supervisors for their approval. I will hold several town hall meetings throughout the process where residents can ask questions and share their views.
As a business operating in Prince William County since the mid-1980s, the Potomac Nationals have decided they need a new stadium to strengthen and expand their franchise. Whether it is located in Woodbridge or somewhere else in Northern Virginia, this is a business decision they will make once they have completed the vetting process from Prince William County.
In this proposal, VDOT has committed $15 million towards erecting a 1,200 space above ground commuter parking facility. This is a major plus for commuters in Eastern Prince William. The intention is for the garage to serve as a hub for slug lines and bus service, and address the need for commuter parking. Roadside Development, the owners of Potomac Town Center, committed the land and the site work to support the stadium and the commuter parking garage.
If the Stonebridge location is ultimately approved, this proposal will bring more than $200 million in private sector investment and $15 million in investment from the Commonwealth to our community. This proposal a unique opportunity to solve a known transportation need, while providing a new recreational amenity, and building a sense of place in the Woodbridge District.
I look forward to continued discussion with the community about this proposal to address concerns for traffic and noise impacts. The first town hall on this subject will be in September."
Related Content:
- Stonebridge a Front-runner for New Potomac Nationals Stadium Location
- Potomac Nationals Stadium Coming to Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center
- Speak Out: Potential Problems With New Potomac Nationals Stadium
- Construction on I-95 Express Lanes to Begin in Early August
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sandra
10:12 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
I think the location for the new ball field is piss poor. There is already enough traffic in that location due to the hospital and Wegmans. I can only imagine what it will be like after the ball field is in place.
Rick Young
3:07 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
Maybe you should move????? Geat location and great for PWC. Multi use facility and generates tax dollars. What's not to like????????
Linda
10:30 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
I heartilly agree with sandra!!! Too much traffic already in that area!
Kevin
10:34 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
I live across the road in Potomac Club and I can't believe how convenient it will be to be able to just walk to a Slug line in the morning. Theoretically I could leave my vehicle parked in the garage all week if I wanted too. The traffic won't be as bad as people are trying to make out either. There's like what only 60 or so home games a year anyway, plus we are talking about the Potomac Nationals, not the Washington Nationals! Not that many people are going to go to them to begin with. I really hope Principi can get this done.
Tik
1:02 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
I agree, Kevin. I also live at Potomac Club. I honestly don't find traffic congestion to be an issue. It seems fairly normal for a semi-urban area. We don't live in the country--we live in a high-growth, vibrant community. We could all sit back and just let Woodbridge fester, or we can support investment in beneficial community improvements that will create jobs, family-friendly activities, commuter solutions, etc. I think the commuter lot is a QUICK FIX solution to a long-term problem that faces it's own traffic jam: Trying to get all of the bureaucrats and citizens to agree to transportation solutions. Some don't want metro, some don't want HOT lanes--regulatory issues prevent quick decision-making, environmental studies need to be conducted, budgets need to be approved--SOMEONE MADE A DECISION TO SOLVE TRAFFIC ISSUES!!!! But yet, people still complain. I don't understand it--but I think the Stadium and the commuter lot are FANTASTIC! BRAVO!!!!!
len
12:28 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Kevin, right on! You hit all the points I was going to bring up. I would be interested in knowing the average attendance at the ball games? Either way, the fun this will provide is sure to outweigh any potential traffic headaches it may cause. Additionally, as you point out, this might cause many people, like you and I, to leave our cars at home, thereby easing traffic congestion.
J. Michael Hill
11:23 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
I can't think of a better place for this new stadium. I live across from the current stadium, never a traffic issue. This site provides so much for everyone. It provides much needed parking options, easy access to RT 95, easy access to restuarants and other entertainment and shopping to compliment the stadium, and it just makes sense to keep the Potomac Nationals here in Woodbridge. I am not a new comer to Woodbridge and will continue to live and support Woodbridge for many years to come. I say right on Potomac Nationals!
Tik
1:24 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
Great article on the positive economic impact of the Durham Bulls stadium in Durham, North Carolina:
http://www.businessnc.com/articles/2012-07/playing-ball-category/
Bill Petrak
5:13 pm on Sunday, August 5, 2012
I was going to type a long explanation of why this is a bad idea, but I can see that not that many people read this blog. But for those of you who do: I live in Potomac Club also and I respectfully disagree with my neighbors. As I mentioned on another page, Frank Principi came to our community last October and flat out told us this was a BAD IDEA for Woodbridge. He kept mentioning that this would only bring “hot dog” jobs to Woodbridge. There were probably 35 – 50 people in the room. This change of heart should give us all pause. Why the change? One reason might be where Mr. Principi gets his campaign contributions. You can all go to VPAP.org and see that he has raised over $160,000 for his campaigns since 2007 and over $65,000 of it came from real estate developers and construction industry. He is not the only supervisor doing this…most of them are. We have a huge problem in our county with back door deals where we are the ones who suffer later. I invite you to go to http://sheriffofnottinghampwc.blogspot.com/ and read all about the issues you probably are unaware of in our county. It will probably open your eyes and really tick you off. By the way, Mr. Principi came to our community promising to help us, did very little and took a campaign contribution from our developer who we were all being taken advantage of.
Jim Riley
10:03 am on Monday, August 6, 2012
Wait, this is the same Frank Principi who during the 2011 campaign derided this idea and ridiculed it as only bringing "hot dog jobs"?
Tik
11:39 am on Monday, August 6, 2012
I was at a town hall where Supervisor Principi brought it up and expressed that some are concerned that that a stadium would only bring hot dog jobs. I don't think he was expressing his opinion, but saying that he heard what folks are concerned about. He said that all sides would have to be considered before making a final decision.
Jim Riley
1:22 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Bill is correct. At a candidates forum last fall at Potomac Club, Chris Royse supported this idea while Principi ridiculed it and the one "expressing concern" about "hot dog jobs" was Principi himself.