NORTHERN VIRGINIA DAILY

Article date: September 22, 2001

 

Complex project is stalled by soccer foundation

 

“I totally am empathetic and sympathetic (to the frustrations of the board), but we are trying to put the square peg in the round hole”

Herb Giobbi

U.S. Soccer Foundation executive director

By Mary Jordan

Two years after the U.S. Soccer Foundation announced that it wanted to build a soccer complex at the Avtex Superfund site, residents of the community are still waiting for action.

The soccer foundation met Friday with the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority to discuss the status of the soccer complex.

However, instead of getting answers, board members were left visibly frustrated.

“There are a lot of soccer families in the community and you can’t pass them on the street without them asking what’s going on,” said EDA Director William P. Barnett.  “For a year now, I haven’t been able to give them a clue.”

Others at the meeting agreed that communication between the Soccer Foundation and the EDA needs to be improved.

U.S. Soccer Foundation Executive Director Herb Giobbi reassured the EDA board of directors that it is interested in the project, adding that it is currently seeking a strategic partnership with the U.S. Army National Guard to perform construction of the fields at little or no cost to the community.

“We’re not letting go, we think it’s a fascinating project.”Giobbi said.  “We still think this is a great project and would like to find ways to see it happen.”

However, Giobbi was unable to give a direct answer when asked repeatedly by board members about an anticipated time line for when the soccer fields would be complete.

Giobbi outlined four key areas of the project:

•                     Th purchase of land

•                     Engineering and conceptual design

•                     Earth moving

•                     Maintenance

He added that the foundation anticipates beginning the earth moving phase in early spring, but has to wait for a formal commitment from the National Guard before work can begin.

“I totally am empathetic and sympathetic (to the frustrations of the board), but we are trying to put the square peg in the round hole,” Giobbi said.

To this, Barnett replied,”there’s no peg in the hole, this is a void that needs to be filled.”

The board asked the soccer foundation to prepare a detailed action plan that will identify specific milestones in the project— such as who will perform the contract work, when that work will begin and how they are going to pay for it— and present it to the board at its October meeting.

The board also asked that each item identify how and where the local community, government officials and the EDA can help in the process and to e-mail a weekly progress report to the EDA, even if there is nothing new to report.

“We don’t control the process, so we area really at their mercy,” EDA Executive Director Stephen A. Heavener said.

However, Heavener said he is sure that the soccer foundation is serious about the project.

“I think they’re committed to the project, but we don’t know how and when,” he said.  “Open and routine communication is very important to this project.  We are all looking forward to construction and development.”

Also at Friday’s meeting, the EDA listened to an outlined presentation by County Administrator Douglas Stanley about the Blue Ridge Shadows project— proposed to include residential housing, a golf course, a hotel conference center and retail businesses on U.S. 340-522 north of Front Royal

Blue Ridge Shadows representatives visited the EDA in July to ask for its support.

On Friday, board members voted to do just that.

“I think we have a great opportunity for our community here, and I think we should take advantage of it,” said Chairman Richard M. Novak.

Barnett added that construction of such a project in Warren County is consistent with the EDA’s Strategic Plan, which outlines one of its goals to attract hotels, restaurants and other retail businesses.

“A conference center an golf resort certainly are consistent with the Strategic Plan we have,” Barnett said.