Groundbreaking date for new Fredericksburg stadium set

The moment that many local minor league baseball fans have dreamed of for longer than 20 years is coming closer to becoming reality.

Fredericksburg Baseball announced this week that a groundbreaking ceremony for the organization's state-of-the-art new stadium in the Virginia municipality will take place on Sunday, Feb. 24, from 2-5 p.m. It is open to the public. The event will take place at the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center ballroom and is free to all who attend.

The first shovel will be put into the ground as part of the photo opportunity, and the event will include light refreshments, an outdoor groundbreaking ceremony and an indoor program that will include key players involved in bringing baseball to Fredericksburg.

Fredericksburg Baseball will have merchandise for sale, as well as information on both the Booster Club and corporate sponsorship opportunities.

From the event's press release:

Team owners Art Silber, Lani Weiss, and Seth Silber stated: "We are excited to take this next step towards opening our ballpark in April 2020. This is a great opportunity to share our excitement and plans for the new stadium with the community, and recognize the incredible support from the City, fans, and sponsors who have turned this dream into a reality."

For more information about joining the Founders Club, or about Fredericksburg Baseball, visit FredericksburgBaseball.com.

This moment is significant because the possibility of a new stadium for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals has been worked on for many years and has had a start-and-stop momentum. The groundbreaking marks a significant step toward a new ballpark to replace aging Pfitzner Stadium. The P-Nats will play in Woodbridge through the 2020 season.