The diversity of Loudoun residents is critical to the county, but so are commonalities. Loudoun is in great need of a common interest; something with meaning but without controversy -a focal point that would welcome all ages, races and religions, and allow even the most combative and critical of our residents an occasional smile.
Healing the wounds of war and other dark times in our nation’s history, baseball has remained a proven elixir for the broken spirit. Even through the strike in the 1990s, baseball has remained, to a certain degree, above the fray. Fans might feel betrayed, but they moved on and so did baseball.
This past decade has brought Loudoun significant growth and prosperity, and a consistent name on every "youngest and wealthiest" list that matters. But we have also witnessed a growing presence of gangs and an intangible restlessness concerning our future.
Purpose, for today’s youth, is as important to their growth as food and water. Loudoun offers few alternatives for youth, who find little supervision with a lot of free time. Loudoun Youth, a Loudoun County non-profit, has experienced great success in a county with a burgeoning youth population, but cannot successfully serve the sheer volume with their consistent and evolving needs. It will take a multitude of resources—human, financial and otherwise—to reach Loudoun’s youth. VIP Baseball, headed by Bob Farren, the group that plans to bring baseball to Loudoun, hopes the ballpark—and the baseball team—becomes part of the solution.
The ballpark could serve as the first step for many population groups, non-profits and residents looking for an anchor for their hometown.
But first it has to be built.
The Stats
The ballpark was approved through a Special Exception application, fast-tracked in efforts to secure the team rights for Loudoun. The 5,500-seat ballpark will be home to a professional baseball team—not affiliated with Major League Baseball, but part of the Atlantic League. This will be the league's ninth team, and is expected to debut in 2011.
The ballpark will serve as a tenant for the Kincora development, a $3 billion project on the corner of Routes 28 and 7, currently seeking a rezoning from the county. The area up for rezoning will be composed of office buildings, a performing arts center, shops, restaurants and 1,400 condo-style homes.
The ballpark itself will be a year-round facility, and by the end of the third year, baseball is expected to be only one-third of its programming. The ballpark is scheduled to hold 15 special events, a mix of concerts, camps, church masses, wine and cheese festivals, regional and state athletic championships and even high school graduations.
The ownership has also agreed to make the ballpark available to Loudoun County’s Department of Parks and Recreation for use by schools and organizations when not in use by the team. Loudoun County Parks and Recreation stands to greatly benefit from the Kincora project separate from the ballpark—40 acres will be dedicated to the department for trails, bike paths and open park space. The ballpark will focus on “family and affordable fun,” with a children’s area dedicated to bumper pool, bumper boats, and a rock-climbing wall.
The ballpark will also serve to satiate hardcore sports fanatics, starting with the scoreboard. The ballpark will feature to the largest scoreboard to be found in any minor league ballpark, critical to those who live and die by stats. The left field will serve as a VIP section, with premium seating in the form of 44 rocking chairs, another example of the group’s creative approach.
Four clubhouses will be built in the park, so the fan experience won’t be minimized as a result of tightly scheduled games. The ballpark will be asymmetrical, with a different field configuration to accommodate football and lacrosse games that will also be played in the park.
Meeting rooms built for every type of organization—from businesses to den meetings—will be available prior to games or throughout the year.
The center of any successful sports franchise is the fan experience. Fan contests and promotions will engage the fans before, during and after the game. Baseball players will meet with their young fans before and after practices, a commitment made by players when they contract with the league.
The Atlantic League
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball operates unofficially in a hub and spoke system with the MLB and its minor affiliates. The league was established in 1998 after its creator, Frank Boulton proposed to move the former Albany-Colonie Yankees to Long Island, but was met with an objection from the New York Mets. As a result, Boulton established The Atlantic League, with a longer season and a higher salary cap.
The Atlantic League teams include the Bridgeport Bluefish, Camden Riversharks, Lancaster Barnstormers, Long Island Ducks, Newark Bears, Somerset Patriots, Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and the York Revolution. Long Island draws the most attendees with an average of 6,014 and Bridgeport drawing 2,384. In comparison, Loudoun’s team is expected to draw an average of 3,300 fans. The longest and strongest feud in the league—a relationship coveted by fans and owners—remains Bridgeport Bluefish and the Long Island Ducks.
As indicated by the Special Exception application, the need to fast track the ballpark stemmed from an Atlantic League deadline. The league’s decision to allow two teams to enter the league in the 2011 season was dependent upon the team’s readiness, and was conditionally granted to VIP Baseball. Four applications in outside markets stand ready to replace VIP Baseball should the project fail. The Atlantic League is not without its suitors. This game is ours to lose.
The application further explains why the two applications were separated:
“Recognizing that the mixed-use business rezoning application involves policy issues that require more time to address, the landowners identified 60 acres that could be committed to just keynote office, the ballpark and support auxiliary uses. The goal was to present the Board an application limited to only the key note office and related uses recommended in the Revised General Plan, so the landowners, VIP Baseball and the Atlantic League could obtain a decision by the Board without having to address the policy issues raised by the mixed-use rezoning. We thought that separating the applications would facilitate the Board’s review by allowing Supervisors who support the concept of the ballpark and keynote office, and the potential economic development opportunities they present, to vote to approve the SPEX application while reserving judgment on the mixed-use rezoning.”
Although the applicant believes the Kincora project is the best source of funding, the application does address the issue should Kincora not win approval. Private financing, state and federal development grants and loan programs, a community development authority (to fund just the ballpark) or a ballpark authority (similar to what Richmond is pursuing) are all viable options.
A ballpark—and all that goes with it—may be the most unique opportunity provided to Loudoun County, and especially its youngest residents, in decades. The state-of-the-art ballpark will no doubt impress those dedicated to the sport, but it will be the intangibles; the memories, the experiences and the unique feeling of belonging to something—that may create the most impact for Loudoun.
Baseball may be the one universal that brings us together, where there are no agendas. The game is clear, the roles are established, and the rules are consistent.
As Humphrey Bogart once said, “A hot dog at the ballpark beats roast beef at the Ritz.”
Holy crap this is the longest editorial ever written.