Nationals Park: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 22:09, 3 September 2007

Template:Future stadium Template:Infobox Baseball Stadium Nationals Ballpark (or Nationals Park) is the new ballpark for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. The facility is projected to open in time for opening day 2008. It is located along the Anacostia River in southeast Washington, D.C., and will replace the Nationals' current facility, RFK Stadium. The new ballpark was designed by HOK Sport and Devrouax & Purnell Architects and Planners, will seat 41,000 fans, and is projected to cost at least $611 million.^[1] It will sit across the river from the D.C. United's proposed soccer-specific stadium at Poplar Point. The site is Metro-accessible via the Navy Yard station. Fans will be able to view the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol building from certain areas of the stadium. The stadium's naming rights will likely be sold to a corporation.

Location

The ballpark is being constructed on a 21-acre plot of land in the Near Southeast neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Although it is near the Anacostia River, the site is landlocked, bounded by South Capitol Street to the west, N Street to the north, 1st Street SE to the east, and Potomac Avenue to the south. The park will face to the north-northeast, in the general direction of the U.S. Capitol (located approximately 15 blocks away) and Union Station.

The park's orientation was controversial, because some expected it to have a full view of the Capitol's dome. However, construction of proposed stadium parking garages and future commercial development on plots north of the ballpark will block direct view of the Capitol from most seats in the park.

Transportation

Nationals Ballpark is located just one block south of M Street, SE, a main (and until very recently, underused) artery bisecting Southeast and Southwest Washington, D.C. The ballpark is also accessible from I-395 via the Southwest Freeway, and from I-295 via the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, which carries South Capitol Street across the Anacostia River. The Douglass Bridge was renovated so that South Capitol Street will continue at ground level past the stadium (It was previously 15 feet above ground level).

The new ballpark is also accessible via the Navy Yard station, which is served by Metro's Green Line. The station, which is located a block and a half from the ballpark's gate in left-center field, is expected to be heavily used by fans on game day. Plans call for the Navy Yard station's ballpark entrance and farecard mezzanine to be expanded, along with the addition of an extra escalator and elevator to handle the crowds.

Other options, such as Metrobus access, satellite parking arrangements, and even watertaxi service, have been discussed in the media, but no specific plans have been announced to date.

Financing and controversy

File:Nationals Ballpark rendering.jpg

Early rendering of ballpark design, prior to site selection. Since that time, the design has been changed significantly.

Financing for the stadium was expected to be provided by a banking syndicate led by Deutsche Bank. However, finalization of the financing deal, as of December 2005, stalled due to complex negotiations between the city government, MLB as owner of the team, and the bank. The bank requested a letter of credit or comparable financial guarantee against stadium rent to cover risks such as poor attendance or terrorism. The requested guarantee was $24 million, $6 million for each of the four years of stadium construction. The city had requested that MLB provide the guarantee. The financing situation was since solved and construction began in May 2006.

Construction

File:HalfAndN.jpg

Ballpark site layout prior to demolition and excavation.

The site of Nationals Ballpark was chosen by Mayor Anthony Williams as the most viable of four possibilities for a future ballpark. The ballpark's design was released to the public at a press conference on March 14, 2006. Ground breaking was in early 2006.

The ballpark will have 41,000 seats and will feature 66 suites, all around the infield. Other amenities include the "Oval Office bar." Team President Stan Kasten also said that the team might sell the naming rights to the levels of the luxury suites, which bear the names of presidents Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln. While the city has agreed to spend up to $611 million, Kasten has stated that the principal owners, the Lerner family, are spending tens of millions of dollars more on "jazzing up the park."

On March 13, 2007, Kasten announced that not only was the Nationals new ballpark on schedule to be ready by Opening Day 2008, but that there would be a grove of cherry blossoms located just beyond the left field bleachers. Kasten stated that the cherry blossoms will provide a look that Americans associate with the nation's capital. The Nationals also have plans to erect three statues in the ballpark, honoring Walter Johnson of the original Washington Senators, Frank Howard of the expansion Senators, and Josh Gibson of the Negro League Homestead Grays who played in Washington ^[2].

References

^ ^ New ballpark design unveiled - Washington Nationals news
^ At Last, Bound for Glory - Washington Post Website

External links

Official Site - Washington Nationals Ballpark
Clark Construction - New Ballpark Webcams
Near Southeast DC Redevelopment - Nationals Ballpark
Nationals Ballpark page on Ballparks.com
Nationals Ballpark page on jdland.com
New Nats stadium to have cherry trees inside park on ESPN.com

Preceded by RFK Stadium 2005–2007	Home of the Washington Nationals 2008—	Succeeded by —

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
   dimensions        = Left Field - 332 ft (101.2 m) <br> Left-Center - 364 ft (110.9 m) <br> Left-Center (deep) - 370 ft (112.8 m) <br> Center Field - 409 ft (124.7 m) <br> Right-Center - 377 ft (114.9 m) <br> Right Field - 335 ft (102.1 m) {{ref|dimensions}}
 }}
-'''Nationals Ballpark''' (or '''Nationals Park''') is the new ballpark for the [[Washington Nationals]] of [[Major League Baseball]]. The facility is projected to open in April [[2008]].  It will be located along the [[Anacostia River]] in southeast [[Washington, D.C.]], and will replace the Nationals' current facility, [[Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium|RFK Stadium]].  The new ballpark is being designed by [[HOK Sport + Venue + Event|HOK Sport]] and Devrouax & Purnell Architects and Planners, will seat 41,000 fans, and is projected to cost at least [[United States dollar|$]]535 million.{{ref|costs}} It will sit across the river from the [[Poplar Point Stadium|D.C. United's proposed soccer-specific stadium]] at Poplar Point. The site is [[Washington Metro|Metro]]-accessible via the [[Navy Yard (Washington Metro)|Navy Yard]] station.  Fans will be able to view the [[Washington Monument]] and the [[United States Capitol|U.S. Capitol]] building from certain upper deck seats and terraces of the stadium. The stadium's [[naming rights]] will likely be sold to a corporation.
+'''Nationals Ballpark''' (or '''Nationals Park''') is the new ballpark for the [[Washington Nationals]] of [[Major League Baseball]]. The facility is projected to open in time for opening day [[2008]].  It is located along the [[Anacostia River]] in southeast [[Washington, D.C.]], and will replace the Nationals' current facility, [[Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium|RFK Stadium]].  The new ballpark was designed by [[HOK Sport + Venue + Event|HOK Sport]] and Devrouax & Purnell Architects and Planners, will seat 41,000 fans, and is projected to cost at least [[United States dollar|$]]611 million.{{ref|costs}} It will sit across the river from the [[Poplar Point Stadium|D.C. United's proposed soccer-specific stadium]] at Poplar Point. The site is [[Washington Metro|Metro]]-accessible via the [[Navy Yard (Washington Metro)|Navy Yard]] station.  Fans will be able to view the [[Washington Monument]] and the [[United States Capitol|U.S. Capitol]] building from certain areas of the stadium. The stadium's [[naming rights]] will likely be sold to a corporation.
 ==Location==
 The ballpark is being constructed on a 21-acre plot of land in the [[Navy Yard (neighborhood), Washington, D.C.|Near Southeast]] neighborhood of Washington, D.C.  Although it is near the [[Anacostia River]], the site is landlocked, bounded by [[South Capitol Street]] to the west, N Street to the north, 1st Street SE to the east, and Potomac Avenue to the south.  The park will face to the north-northeast, in the general direction of the [[United States Capitol|U.S. Capitol]] (located approximately 15 blocks away) and [[Union Station (Washington, D.C.)|Union Station]].
-The park's orientation was controversial, because some expected it to have a full view of the Capitol's dome.  However, construction of proposed stadium parking garages and future commercial development on plots north of the ballpark will block direct view of the Capitol from most seats in the park.  The Capitol, as well as the Washington Monument, will be viewable from certain sections of the park's upper deck.
+The park's orientation was controversial, because some expected it to have a full view of the Capitol's dome.  However, construction of proposed stadium parking garages and future commercial development on plots north of the ballpark will block direct view of the Capitol from most seats in the park.
 ==Transportation==
 [[Image:Nationals Ballpark construction.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Nationals Ballpark under going construction in late March 2007.]]
-Nationals Ballpark will be located just one block south of M Street, SE, a main (and until very recently, underused) artery bisecting Southeast and Southwest Washington, D.C.  The ballpark will also be accessible from [[Interstate 395 (District of Columbia-Virginia)|I-395]] via the Southwest Freeway, and from [[Interstate 295 (District of Columbia)|I-295]] via the [[Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge]], which carries South Capitol Street across the Anacostia River. The Douglass Bridge is being rebuilt so that South Capitol Street will continue at ground level past the stadium (It is currently 15 feet above ground level).
+Nationals Ballpark is located just one block south of M Street, SE, a main (and until very recently, underused) artery bisecting Southeast and Southwest Washington, D.C.  The ballpark is also accessible from [[Interstate 395 (District of Columbia-Virginia)|I-395]] via the Southwest Freeway, and from [[Interstate 295 (District of Columbia)|I-295]] via the [[Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge]], which carries South Capitol Street across the Anacostia River. The Douglass Bridge was renovated so that South Capitol Street will continue at ground level past the stadium (It was previously 15 feet above ground level).
-The new ballpark will also be accessible via the [[Navy Yard (Washington Metro)|Navy Yard]] station, which is served by Metro's [[Green Line (Washington Metro)|Green Line]].  The station, which is located a block and a half from the ballpark's future gate in left-center field, is expected to be heavily used by fans on game day.  Plans call for the Navy Yard station's ballpark entrance and farecard mezzanine to be expanded, along with the addition of an extra escalator and elevator to handle the crowds.
+The new ballpark is also accessible via the [[Navy Yard (Washington Metro)|Navy Yard]] station, which is served by Metro's [[Green Line (Washington Metro)|Green Line]].  The station, which is located a block and a half from the ballpark's gate in left-center field, is expected to be heavily used by fans on game day.  Plans call for the Navy Yard station's ballpark entrance and farecard mezzanine to be expanded, along with the addition of an extra escalator and elevator to handle the crowds.
 Other options, such as Metrobus access, satellite parking arrangements, and even watertaxi service, have been discussed in the media, but no specific plans have been announced to date.