Environmental concerns at an alternate site is causing Prince William County officials to focus on an I-66 location as the site of a new Potomac Nationals (High Class A; Carolina League) ballpark.
It’s come down to two sites for a new ballpark, according to P-Nats owner Art Silber: a site along I-95 and another site along I-66. The I-95 site has some environmental issues — basically, a stream runs beneath where home plate would be situated — which will likely preclude it from making the cut as a final selection.
The I-66 site has some other advantages, including easy access for Loudoun County residents. That would set up a showdown of sorts with an Atlantic Leage team planned for Loudoun County; construction of a ballpark there has not yet begun.
In other P-Nats news, the field at Pfitzner Stadium has been completely redone: the old field was taken out, the soil line was torn down 14 inches, and a layer of sand and a drainage system were added. The P-Nats have suffered through field issues in past years; a series last year was moved because of poor field conditions, and although no one will admit it out loud, the Washington Nationals declined to send phenom Bryce Harper to Pfitzner Stadium last season because of concerns about the field.
RELATED STORIES: Surprise, surprise: P-Nats ballpark decision put off again; P-Nats expand ballpark search area; Pfitzner Stadium field to be upgraded; As Harper skips Potomac, Silber works on ballpark solution; P-Nats, Prince William County working on new ballpark plan
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