Heavy Hitters Make a Play for Baseball in Loudoun

The overall theme of the luncheon was baseball, opening with a rousing performance of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” by the Virginia Hams barbershop quartet.

Carter, 55, started as a catcher with the Montreal Expos before joining the New York Mets. He is now the manager/head coach of the Long Island Ducks, a minor league team that is part of the Atlantic League–the same league that the promoters of minor league baseball in Loudoun County would like their team to be affiliated with, once a stadium is built.

Atlantic League's Gary Carter

But the stadium can only be built if the commercial and residential component of the Kincora Project–a multi-use community on 442 acres at Routes 7 and 28–is approved.

Even before he was introduced, many in the audience were already familiar with Carter, and his major league career highlights. His performance in the 1986 World Series–which the Mets won as a result of a missed ball by Red Sox player Bill Buckner–is the stuff of legends.

Closer to home, Carter described the way in which minor league teams select their players, often giving young ballplayers the chance to prove themselves and move on to “affiliated ball teams.” He encouraged those present to do what they could to bring baseball to Loudoun, and that the team be part of the Atlantic League. “Let’s hope this dream comes true,” he added.

On a tight schedule due to an Atlantic League Liberty Division playoff game with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs that evening, Carter quickly ate lunch before heading off to the stadium in Waldorf, Maryland.

Part of a Larger Project

Addressing issues closer to home, Norton Scott LLC Managing Partner Mike Scott discussed the benefits and opportunities that the baseball stadium–and the entire Kincora project–would bring to Loudoun County.

Scott stressed that the project was “suburban in style, not a Reston,” in concept, and would become the civic hub for eastern Loudoun. He described the multiple uses that the project would offer in addition to baseball, including a fine arts center, nature preserve and various outdoor connected with Broad Run and the W&OD Park/Trail.

Kincora spokesman Mike Scott

Noting that concerns had been raised about the traffic that the stadium and Kincora project would generate, Scott explained that the developer was committed to making $70 million in road improvements in the immediate area, which would have to be built up-front–before the major housing construction was started. All would share in the benefit. “When completed, Kincora traffic will make up less than 50 percent of the volume on those roads,” said Scott.

Each part of the project is dependent on the other parts, according to Scott. “The residential component is necessary to create the vitality that will attract the Class A office users,” as well as providing needed housing in eastern Loudoun.

The final speaker was Robert Farren, managing partner of VIP Baseball, the group promoting the stadium and working to get the Atlantic League franchise. Farren, a resident of Waterford, pointed out that professional baseball would only make up about one-third of the activities at the stadium, with the rest of the operation going for community activities, other league play, and community sports.