SEPTEMBER 2007

Mayor Adrian Fenty and the DC City Council Join the DC Sports & Entertainment Commission to Bid Fond Farewell to the Nationals at RFK Stadium   

(Washington, DC) - Mayor Adrian Fenty and the DC City Council, along with The DC Sports & Entertainment Commission (DCSEC) join to bid a fond farewell to the Washington Nationals this Sunday, September 23, 2007 during a pre-game ceremony.  The event will take place at 11:30am on the historic Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (RFK) field.  In their final home game of the regular season, the Nationals will play against the Philadelphia Phillies with the first pitch at 12:05pm.

The Sports Commission worked hard to prepare RFK for its final season.  With the support of the mayor and the council, the commission is currently managing the construction of the new Washington National Ballpark along the Anacostia River Waterfront, the new home of the Nationals.

“We broke ground in May of 2006 and in over year the new ballpark is taking shape.  The stadium remains on schedule and within the cost cap,” said Greg O’Dell, DCSEC CEO.  “We wish the Nationals sweet success in the new stadium.  The Commission will turn its attention to filling RFK with more sporting and entertainment events as well as further promoting DC United,” said O”Dell.

Work crews from Clark/Hunt/Smoot, the joint venture construction management team under contract with DCSEC, have already completed substantial work on the playing and concrete field walls and have transformed a construction site into a baseball diamond.   Come November, the first grass is scheduled to be installed.

“Over the next seven months, we expect over 800 workers, designers, engineers and managers plan to work full steam ahead without delay towards Opening Day in April 2008,” added DCSEC Board Chairman Matthew Cutts.

Formerly the home field to the Nationals, DCSEC manages RFK Stadium and houses Major League Soccer's DC United, as well as the non-military functions of the DC Armory.
DCSEC successfully managed the $24 million RFK renovation on an extremely tight deadline, readying the stadium in just four months with modern amenities including a new ball field, new scoreboards, updated food service stations, and a mechanized seating system and hydraulic pitcher's mound for quick conversions from baseball to soccer.  DC United Soccer Team will be the Stadium’s primary tenant and the expectation is to continue the relationship with the Team for 2008 and beyond.

NOTE: The DC Sports & Entertainment Commission is building the new ballpark on behalf of the District of Columbia Government. All press access must be granted by the Sports Commission or Clark/Hunt/Smoot. To schedule stories for RFK management and/or new ballpark construction contact Chinyere Hubbard at (202) 608-1126 or chubbard@dcsec.com.