Effort Fails To Drop Land Purchase For PWC Indoor Sports Complex

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — Prince William County will move forward with the purchase agreement for land where an indoor sports complex could be built. A vote by the Board of County Supervisors Tuesday to reject the purchase agreement failed.

The Prince William County Board of County Supervisors had approved a purchase agreement in November 2023 for the land where the sports complex would be located. The board had to decide if it wants to terminate the agreement within 150 days — by May 20. Closing on the property is scheduled for June 17.

Tuesday's vote happened on party lines, with Republican Brentsville District Supervisor Tom Gordy, Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega and Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Weir voting to end the purchase agreement. Board Chair Deshundra Jefferson, who has expressed skepticism about the indoor sports complex use, voted with other Democrats against ending the purchase.

Jefferson said the board wasn't taking action on whether the property would become an indoor sports complex. While she supports the sports complex "in theory" and spoke about it with Olympic gold medalist Benita Fitzgerald-Mosley, Jefferson doesn't support the sports complex proposal as it currently stands and needs to be convinced that the cost to taxpayers can be mitigated. Jefferson supported a suggestion from Occoquan District Supervisor Kenny Boddye to look into sponsorships for the complex.

"Although I have concerns about where to park, a sports facility, I do agree with moving forward with purchasing the land as a strategic purchase. There are things that we can do with the land," said Jefferson.

Boddye agreed that the land could be beneficial even without a sports complex.

"Regardless how folks feel about the facility itself, the land is a worthy purchase under its own merits," said Boddye. "I've said several times this is in close proximity to one of the largest commuter lots in the county...has quick access to the [toll] lanes, has quick access to transit hubs, has quick access to a lot of amenities in this part of the county. So whereas if this becomes an indoor sports and entertainment facility or something else or even just housing or a mixed use center as per the small area plan, this land in of itself is valuable and is worth the county controlling."

Other Democratic members pointed to the economic benefits of funding a sports complex.

"We know that those are going to be national tournaments for whatever that can look like, and so I'm excited to see what we can bring here as far as that national event goes," said Neabsco District Supervisor Victor Angry. "But for what we're talking about here for our citizens and our kids is right here in this opportunity, and I am 100 percent fully in support of it and have been driving this issue this initiative since 2019."

"I do think that it is important. I do think that there are clear benefits to the county, particularly for youth sports leagues," said Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin. "I think that this will just continue to kind of further our standing kind of within the region, as we talk about bringing various types of revenue streams to this county. Why not look at something within the sports, tourism and entertainment space? I think it's something that is missing."

Weir, who introduced the motion to reject the purchase agreement, questioned the return of the complex to the county and whether the cost would be more than the $140.45 million estimated.

"By not taking an action tonight, we're locking ourselves into a $15 million contract or at least having to eat 500K, because we're not taking an action on the land purchase tonight," said Weir. "That's offensive to me, and should be offensive to every taxpayer in this county. But that's typical with the process with this whole thing. This is gone from a sports complex a park for the kids to...a sports entertainment venue."

About the Sports Complex Proposal and Next Steps

The proposed 250,000-square-foot facility would be located on 21.85 acres at 13505 Telegraph Road in Woodbridge. Amenities envisioned for the space are eight basketball courts with a conversion option to 16 volleyball courts and 20 pickleball courts 200-meter indoor track and event space with a conversion option to basketball courts, volleyball courts and pickleball courts, multi-purpose rooms, café with seating overlooking the track, and more space. Audience seating could provide 3,500 for track and field events and up to 6,800 for graduations.

"The facility will be able to accommodate a wide array of large sporting events such as track and field, basketball, football, volleyball, pickleball cheer wrestling and a slew of others," said Seth Hendler-Voss, Prince William County's director of the Parks and Recreation Department. "But beyond sports, the facility will support other events such as high school graduations, high school robotics and drone competitions, trade shows expos, community events and conventions."

Hendler-Voss said the sports facility would be the only of its kind in the DC region with accessibility to the I-95 corridor and the Telegraph Road commuter parking lot for backup parking during prime hours. He said the track could become only the 11th hydraulic banked track in the U.S.

"Our community currently lacks bulk indoor space for group sports and special events, meaning that our families and our clubs and our leagues and our teams have to travel outside the county for competitions and for entertainment," said Hendler-Voss. "The project is expected to grow and diversify the county's tax base, provide needed support to the school division, improve health outcomes for our residents, create jobs and support local businesses, expand tourism seasonality, elevate the county's sports tourism brand, spur new hotel development and tourism occupancy tax growth and bolster Prince William County's destination brand."

According to a county staff presentation, the estimated capital cost of the project is $140.45 million, which includes the land purchase. Christina Winn, executive director of Prince William County Economic Development, said the cost would be paid through bonds and debt service estimated at just over $10 million per year for 20 years.

Use of the facility would be fee-based, but an estimate of expenses and revenue predicts the facility would run at a loss in the first two years and make a profit in the third year. Along with fees supporting the venue, county staff say the project would generate revenues from visitor spending on food and drinks, transient occupancy tax on hotel rooms and sales tax.

If the county is moving forward with the land purchase, it would have to decide if the complex should be run by the county or a third-party operator. Winn said some options are providing deeply discounted fees to spur visitation and spending in the county or community uses with local visitors during weekdays and outside visitors on weekends.

In July, county staff are expected to review financial and economic projections and a draft comprehensive agreement for the project, as well as discuss the options for county or third-party operation. The board would need to schedule a public hearing for the comprehensive agreement, likely in September.