FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. – Despite a few early raindrops, the sun broke through the clouds as hundreds of local little leaguers and their families celebrated the opening of Patriot Park North in Fairfax County, Va.
The county’s new state-of-the-art baseball/softball sportsplex officially opened on Saturday, April 15. Local officials said the event signaled the completion of a “game-changing” facility that “offers a fantastic competitive experience and provides a significant economic benefit to the community.”
“Patriot Park North provides a winning combination of community use and economic benefit that really knocks it out of the park,” says Fairfax County Parks Authority (FCPA) executive director Jai Cole. “This project is a wonderful example of what we can do together with the community and a host of partners in creating and executing a shared vision for amazing park facilities like this. This is a project we can all truly be proud of.”
Originally, the park was home to three grass diamond fields. In 2014, the FCPA acquired adjacent land, which expanded the site to 67 acres and opened the possibility for the redevelopment of the property to accommodate expanded use and create a prime destination for baseball and softball tournaments throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
The redevelopment of the park included the installation of six synthetic turf diamond fields (two 60-ft and four 90-ft diamonds), batting cages, warm-up areas, lighting, a 360-degree press box and deck, livestreaming capability, concession stands, stormwater management, trails, a playground, parking lot, and other site amenities. The $22.7-million facility was funded through developer proffers and voter-approved 2016 and 2020 park bonds.
The FCPA anticipates significant returns on investment, with 26 committed tournaments already in process. The economic impact for the county is estimated between $162,000 to more than $1 million per tournament, depending on attendance and the duration of the event. The total estimated impact for all 26 tournaments is approximately $18.3 million in 2023.
