After Prince William County flubbed the deal, the Potomac Nationals are looking for a new home in the Fredericskburg area. From the Free Lance-Star:
Rappahannock Baseball Initiative President Bobby Duke said he thinks another stadium proposal in Spotsylvania is unlikely, but that Stafford and Fredericksburg could be candidates. Some of the region’s political leaders expressed interest in talking with the team owner, but noted that any deal would have to make financial sense.
Supporters says stadium deals spur economic development, but critics say localities assume all the financial risk for the benefit of wealthy team owners.
Duke said he thinks the team may need to work out a proposal with little or no tax money involved.
“I think an owner’s going to have to, let’s be honest, sweeten the deal a little bit if they want to make one of these ventures happen,” he said.
Spotsylvania County nixed a similar deal on the basis that IDA loans — secured by small businesses but guaranteed by local governments — should not be extended to a proposed baseball stadium at Massaponax.
The problem with the logic? IDA and EDA funds (Industrial or Economic Development Authorities) are extended to just about everyone else, and despite picking winners and losers via crony capitalism in Spotsylvania, the local IDA still exists, demonstrating a sort of inconsistency that scares away both baseball and large scale economic investment.
Fredericksburg and Stafford County, on the other hand, remain open to the idea, provided the impact to the local taxpayer is minimized — precisely what private EDA loans are designed to do.
The Richmond Flying Squirrels have a 30-mile radius around their location at The Diamond where they would have to approve the move. Barring that, the Potomac Nationals have any number of opportunities to plunk down a first-rate facility around a growing intersection (and a population to support baseball), including the I-95 corridor down towards Caroline County — anywhere there is a river of cash on an interstate flowing by.
Either way, Spotsylvania County appears to be out of the deal at the moment.
There needs to be a basic understanding that this is not all about baseball. It is about providing a venue for community use and enjoyment. A venue for concerts, outdoor theater, etc. The baseball portions is a means to help fund the project through private contributions. A truly public/private endevour. The same process would apply to a performing arts center. It’s not about an outside business and their profits. It’s about proving a community amenity which will not require the community to paying the entire cost.
TOTALLY AGREED. Trying to think of a modern equivalent, but something that is truly a public space that would serve baseball just as well as it would serve Shakespeare In The Park… or a concert… etc.
“After Prince William County flubbed the deal”
That’s a matter of opinion. As a PWC taxpayer, I think they handled the deal just fine. If some want a publicly funded stadium, I very seriously suggest a GoFundMe page. That way those that truly want a stadium are free to pay as much as they want, while those that are indifferent are not saddled with it.
I have seen too many teams, in too many different cities, that “just had to have” a stadium in a particular location. The teams got their way and within 10 years were crying about needing a new stadium in a better location.
There also needs to be an understanding of the History of Art Silbur. Threatening to move the team is his MO. He’s been doing it for years. PWC has called his bluff multiple times. The nicest thing I can say about Silber is “Buyer Beware.”
Something else to consider – Silber’s assessment of his team: “More than 6 million people have attended P-Nats games over the past 33 years.” While that sounds impressive, based on 70 home games a season he’s saying the team averages less than 2600 fans a game. His words, supporting a deal. That’s not a lot of people.