Sunday, December 11, 2011

Longbridge Sports-Recreation Complex May Cost $165 Million

Hello Yupette,

I want to give you a heads up on Longbridge Park. What you heard at Saturday's County Board meeting was finally an admission that the County Board promised the soccer interests an indoor soccer arena, something that was denied by county staff until after the elections.

So, about $35 million has been spent on what exists at Longbridge Park now, another $50 million will be spent on the aquatics center. The indoor soccer arena, field house, and mixed-use recreation facility (which will include every imaginable sports and recreation activity) will cost another $80 million. So all that adds up to $165 million.

The insiders all knew about this deal months ago, but it was kept quiet because Audrey Clement raised fiscal responsibility as a campaign issue when she ran for County Board.

Longbridge Park will be discussed at the continued County Board meeting Tuesday night (agenda item 21) so maybe we'll hear more about how massive, and expensive, the arena will be. Stay tuned.

Peter

10 comments:

2100 said...

Longbridge sports-recreation complex will cost at least $175 million because of necessary transportation improvements.

Anonymous said...

There will be major league civil engineering problems on that site because of a high water table.

No Way My Kid Will Visit Longbridge Park said...

Does anyone realize how C R A Z Y it is having children play outdoor sports in an area that:

Receives significant air pollution from planes landing and taking off at Reagan Airport;

Receives significant air pollution from diesel locomotives crossing Long Bridge;

Receives significant air pollution from vehicles on the Parkway;

Receives significant air pollution from vehicles on 395;

Receives significant air pollution from vehicles on Rt 1;

Receives significant air pollution from the Pentagon heating plant?

I won't visit longbridge park either said...

Don't worry, be happy, J. Walter Tejada has imposed a voluntary ban on smoking in Arlington parks.

Anonymous said...

You forgot the 3,000 to 5,000 vehicle trips weekdays from the 739 parking spaces at Boeing.

Anonymous said...

Zimmy wants every kid in Arlington to play soccer, therefore every kid in Arlington will play soccer.

Anonymous said...

As for air pollution, you forgot all the parents picking up and dropping off kids at Longbridge Park and everyone else using the park, usually one to a vehicle.

Ted said...

Item 21 on tonight's County Board agenda is about appropriating almost $1 million for reconstructing 1/2 mile of Long Bridge Drive.

A huge amount has already been spent mitigating contaminated soil on the site of Longbridge Park, which was acquired in a land swap deal with Monument Realty.

This site is going to be a bonanza for civil and environmental engineers and consultants when the next phases are constructed (aquatic center and fieldhouse-recreation center-soccer arena).

Anonymous said...

It will be interesting to see how the civil engineers handle a rising water table on this site associated with higher tides on the Potomac River from global warming.

Anonymous said...

I think a rising water table is gonna be a big problem. The park is at or below sea level.