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Spotsylvania County supervisors reach agreement with Virginia Youth Soccer Association and Fredericksburg Area Soccer Association to construct 17-field soccer complex at New Post Date published: 7/15/2010
By DAN TELVOCK About 80 acres of mostly open land at New Post in Spotsylvania will become one of the state's largest outdoor soccer complexes with 17 fields. The Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors reached an agreement with Fredericksburg Area Soccer Association and the Virginia Youth Soccer Association Tuesday night after a closed meeting. Both nonprofit groups plan to build their own field complexes and operate independently on the 80-acre tract. County zoning officials say the project is allowed by-right without a public hearing, under the mixed land-use zoning designation. Of the 17 fields to be built over the next 10 years, four are expected to be artificial turf, lighted and have seating for fans. The county promises in the agreement to extend water, sewer and other improvements to the property. The extension of utilities could open the entire State Routes 2 and 17 corridor to future development. This project is near the proposed site for the county's Virginia Railway Express train station. FASA President Pete Cinalli called the project the "Field of Dreams" in a mailer to FASA members yesterday. He thanked county board chairman Gary Skinner and county staff for help in reaching this agreement after two years of mostly closed-door meetings. Skinner was a key player in bringing the two nonprofits to the county. He said the county expects at least $900,000 a year in local tax revenue from the project. "And that is conservative," Skinner said yesterday. "We also get a professional organization and 17 soccer fields. It is a benefit to the kids. It is going to be a great partnership for this county." The project will replace the complex FASA had planned for Massaponax Church and Hickory Ridge roads. "It's huge," Cinalli said. "This opportunity came up and being across from VYSA it made a lot of sense to us, so we redirected our efforts to this location." FASA's membership has grown to 1,200 players. The nonprofit will build seven natural-grass soccer fields, with the possibility of lighting some of the fields in the future on 30 acres. Cinalli said this complex is expected to be the largest in the state, bigger than the Warhill Sports Complex in Williamsburg. He said in partnering with VYSA, they can attract regional and national events.
Read more stories about Spotsylvania Date published: 7/15/2010
I will have those details--at least some of them--in a story in the next few days or so.
But, to give out some info now, yes Tricord owns the land, and about another 250 or so acres out there. This is what they called New Post, and then it became Summitt Crossing but on some different land nearby.
"Supvisors reached agreement... BEHIND CLOSED DOORS": "Zoning officials say project is allowed by-right WITHOUT PUBLIC HEARING"; "COUNTY PROMISES to EXTEND WATER and SEWER"; "two years of MOSTLY CLOSED DOOR MEETINGS" doesn't anyone in Spotsylvania County Virginia get? So now, the BOSs get to vote your wallet and not include the constituent public into the conversation? If so, what kind of government did YOU elect into office to represent, NOT YOU, but special interest disguised as a soccer ball?
approx 500 per kid per season, that's 1000 bucks kid/year. I would estimate there are 25 teams with average 16 kids per team. That's about 400 kids paying 1000 bucks a year. The teams alone will bring in 400,000. I know that is not all going to fields, but that is a significant amount. Soccer is getting extremely popular.
Just curious, is this where the Tricord development was applied for and not approved? If so, maybe now we know why. And maybe it wasn't (Dan can probably answer that). Also would be interesting what exactly (breakdown) is included in the $ 900K a year local tax revenue estimate. Dan, you have been really busy for months now, with excellent coverage and details. Thanks for the information.
These soccer fields will cost us dearly. I guess no cares because we keep electing pro-developer supervisors. I hope Mr. Telvock will follow up with an article detailing the growth (and the cost to taxpayers) that will accompany the new utility lines.
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