Controversial sports complex heads to vote
By Jason Jacks
While not yet ready for soccer or football, a 40-acre swath of trees in Ashburn is already seeing some heated competition as sports groups and homeowners square off over a large athletic complex slated for the site."We understand there is a need for more soccer fields in Loudoun," said Ashburn homeowner Thomas Bardenett. “Many of us have children who play sports. But we are concerned about the choice of location."
On Sept. 2, Loudoun's Board of Supervisors is scheduled to rule on several land-use applications to build a $40-million, multifield venue along Belmont Ridge Road south of Route 7 and across the street from the community of Belmont County Club.
Developer Play to Win LLC is promising that four of its six outdoor athletic fields would be artificial, while three more fields and several courts would be housed inside a 225,000-square-foot building. A swimming academy, office space and a restaurant are also part of the mix.
Loudoun Soccer, the Northern Virginia Football Club and the women's professional softball team, the Washington Glory, are among the groups signed on to use the facility.
As Loudoun's population has soared this decade, so has membership in its sports leagues, putting an exorbitant demand on the county's limited number of playing fields. But, despite the promise for more space to play on, not everyone is behind Play to Win's plan.
"This will attract huge crowds," said Mary Walker, who, along with Bardenett, is part of a small group of residents lobbying county leaders to at least delay their vote so the proposal has more time to be vetted.
They are concerned the facility will create late-night noise and unwanted light -- two issues that the developer said it is addressing -- and further clog two-lane Belmont Ridge Road.
"That road is not big enough to accommodate the traffic this will bring," Walker said. "It's just going to be a nightmare."
However, if supervisors reject Play to Win's land-use applications on Tuesday, the developer still can move ahead with its sports complex, but in a smaller scope. What would be lost, according to the developer, is a building that would house a swimming academy.
Former swimming coach Staci Kapinos, of Broadlands, said pools, like fields, are hard to come by in the area. She said some swimming clubs and teams are relegated to practicing after 9 p.m. because of limited pool time.
"Yes, I'm a fan of this," she said. "We really don't have a lot of aquatic facilities in Loudoun."
Supervisor Lori Waters (R-Broad Run), said she also welcomes the idea of a sports complex. To alleviate residents' concerns, she said she is confident the developer can "mitigate" many of the issues brought up by the site's neighbors.
"This is very needed," she said. "The county has not been able to keep up with the demand for fields."
The board's Sept. 2 meeting will take place in the board room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St. S.E., Leesburg, beginning at 9 a.m.
Contact the reporter at jjacks@timespapers.com