One Loudoun Ballpark Set for April 3 Vote

A proposal to permit a 5,500-seat ballpark in One Loudoun that would double as the home for both professional baseball and soccer teams is set for an April 3 vote by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.

Dozens of speakers and observers attended a public hearing Monday night at Farmwell Station Middle School to voice their support or concerns.

Transportation and noise remained top concerns not just because of games, but also because of the 17 concerts that would be permitted each year, under the current proposal.

One concern raised by supervisors were additional changes to the One Loudoun project that appeared to be only tangentially related to the stadium.

“I feel a little taken advantage of in the process,” said County Chairman Scott K. York (R-At Large), who along with the board majority supported an expedited review of the stadium and related land use changes.

York made clear his support for the stadium itself – “I look forward to the day we can see ball played in this stadium” – however, he said if some of the other land use changes remain in the proposal, “I can vote no.”

The current proposal also would limit fireworks displays to 12 events per year. Supervisors were divided about whether to consider more than 17 concerts, but several indicated they would support exempting smaller community events from the concert restriction.

Latching onto a theme that has been aired by the Loudoun Hounds, the baseball club pushing for the stadium, some board members said the choice is less about the location and more about whether the county wants a baseball team.

“It has become clear that without a ballpark at One Loudoun there is no team,” said Supervisor Matt Letourneau (R-Dulles). “I have come to believe that.”

However, he also expressed concerns about other requests to alter One Loudoun’s plan.

Supervisor Ralph Buona (R-Ashburn) said it was not the board’s job to determine the location, but rather to consider whether the desired location works.

“The board can’t move it back to Kincora,” he said. “The board can’t move it somewhere else. That’s not something we can do.”

The stadium was initially approved at Kincora, but would not be constructed there in time for the 2014 season. The Hounds would be part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Last year, the North American Soccer League authorized a new team to operated out of Loudoun and play at the stadium with the Hounds. The NASL team has since been named Virginia Cavalry FC.

The board voted 7-0-2 to send the item to the April 3 meeting for a vote, with the intention of clearing up the other land use concerns by that date. Supervisors Janet Clarke (R-Blue Ridge) and Ken Reid (R-Leesburg) were absent for the vote.