Work on Ballpark Continues as Opening Day Nears

WHEN YOU LOOK AT the inside of the Nationals new ballpark, it seems that the first pitch could be thrown any day. But even though the scoreboard, many of the seats and 100,000 square feet of new Kentucky bluegrass is in place, the stadium isn't ready for that first pitch just yet.

As Matthew Cutts, chairman of the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission's board of directors, told Express in an interview last week, work continues on interior spaces — like the press box, locker rooms and other areas the average fan will never see — along with mechanical systems. And that work can be much more complicated than, say, erecting steel and pouring concrete.

On Tuesday, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, Nationals representatives and other officials gathered to show off the stadium's new turf in what's expected to be the last such ceremony before Opening Day in the spring. With stadium construction proceeding on time and on budget, the new ballpark, Cutts said, symbolizes "the new energy and eagerness for success" in the District.

According to Cutts, the District's ability to coordinate such a complex building project is also a sign of how far the city's government has come since the more chaotic 1990s.

"Ten years ago," he said, "this would have been unthinkable."

But there's still much to be done. With Opening Day set for late March — the Nationals are looking to host an exhibition game against the Orioles on March 29 — the pressure is on. And many of the biggest worries planners face come from outside the stadium itself.

Among those concerns is parking. Report The Post's Daniel LeDuc and Barry Svrulga:

Officials have said that ensuring sufficient spaces will be critical to the stadium's early success. Team officials estimate that they will need between 5,000 and 9,000 spaces for each game and said season ticket holders will have an opportunity to buy spaces near the stadium.

The Nationals are negotiating with the Sports and Entertainment Commission for the right to use parking lots at RFK to hold some attendees' cars. If that plan comes to fruition, shuttle buses would transport fans from the lots to the ballpark.

Also on planners' minds is a lawsuit over a Metro-owned bus garage that has the potential to impact the entertainment district that's expected to rise on Half Street SE, adjacent to the stadium. In September, Metro sold the 2.2-acre property to Akridge Co., which plans to develop the site. However, officials at competing Monument Realty say they've been working with the transit agency and the District government for three years as "master developer" of the area near the ballpark, The Post's David Nakamura reported last month. That relationship, they said, gave them the understanding that Metro would sell the land to Monument. So they've sued to stop the sale to Akridge.

Monument also happens to be the company that's working on upgrades to the nearby Navy Yard Metrorail station to prepare it for the increased traffic that ballpark crowds will bring. Nakamura reported that Monument has threatened to slow its work on the station — an effort that is already behind schedule.

Cutts said that, among many concerns, is on his radar screen. "It is something we're monitoring," Cutts said. "Nobody wants to be blamed for ruining Opening Day."

And now, that day is less than 20 weeks away.

» "First Games, Seating Set for Nationals' New Park" [WaPo]

EARLIER:
» "Fenty Debuts Playing Field at New Nats Stadium" [Free Ride/Express]
» "Suit Over Metro's Sale of Garage Could Pose Problem for Stadium" [WaPo]

Screen capture of stadium from video by Akira Hakuta/washingtonpost.com; Photo of ballpark tour by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post

Posted By Michael Grass at 5:38 PM on November 15, 2007 Tagged in D.C. Government , Free Ride , Navy Yard , Near Southeast , News , Real Estate , The District , Top Stories

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