WASHINGTON — Fredericksburg, Virginia, is one step closer to becoming the home of the Potomac Nationals.
Fredericksburg City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to approve the Potomac Nationals’ letter of intent for a state-of-the-art ballpark in the Celebrate Virginia development, just off Interstate 95.
The approval kicks off a four-month study period with a community input component. The 5,000-seat stadium will cost around $35 million and is expected to open in April 2020.
The stadium will be publicly financed, but Fredericksburg would be expected to pay the Potomac Nationals $1.05 million annually for 30 years, the minimum amount of time the Minor League Baseball franchise of the Washington Nationals is expected to stay in Fredericksburg.
Economic studies determined Fredericksburg to be a good marker for Minor League Baseball, estimating an annual tax revenue of $700,000.
The Potomac Nationals’ plans for a new stadium in Fredericksburg was announced last month.
The Potomac Nationals have been playing at the Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Virginia, since 1984.
