FASA Breaks Ground On Soccer Complex

The Fredericksburg Area Soccer Association broke ground today on what will become one of the largest soccer complexes in Virginia at New Post in Spotsylvania County.

The Spotsylvania Sportsplex will be located on 80 acres near the intersection of U.S. 17 and Route 2. The joint project with FASA, Spotsylvania County and the Virginia Youth Soccer Association was announced back in July 2010 and the county government agreed to extend water and sewer to the property, which could open the entire State Routes 2 and 17 corridor to future development. This project is near the proposed site for the county's Virginia Railway Express train station.

FASA representatives said they've been planning for this complex for about six years because of the club's explosive growth. FASA will build four full-size fields and six smaller fields at a cost of $3.5 million. The fields will have professional grade Bermuda grass and the scheduled opening date is spring 2013. VYSA will build nine more fields and its headquarters there. Parking for both entities' fields will be constructed in this first phase. VYSA is a nonprofit devoted to promoting youth soccer in Virginia and D.C. VYSA has more than 134,000 registered players and provides soccer programs and activities for its members.

"This is a joyous moment for our club," said FASA General Manager Pete Cinalli. "Many people have worked very hard over many years to move this project forward, and we can't wait to see our very own 'field of dreams' become a reality."

Cinalli said Spotsylvania County's Department of Economic Development played a major role in the project. Tim Walsh, president and CEO of Rappahannock Construction Company, will oversee the project. His company also built the fields at Patriot Park in Spotsylvania County.

Spotsylvania County's Lee Hill District Supervisor Gary Skinner, who was a big proponent of the project and helped bring it to fruition, was a guest speaker, along with freshman State Senator Bryce Reeves.

FASA has been a soccer club for more than 30 years and expanded into one of the largest clubs in the Northern Virginia area. There are more than 2,000 players for FASA, and the club competes in numerous regional and national leagues. This complex is expected to host very large soccer events, and could provide a financial boost to the Fredericksburg area with all of the new visiting families. Skinner said back in 2010 that the county expects at least $900,000 a year in local tax revenue from the project.