FASA, VYSA celebrate breakthrough on 16-field complex planned for Spotsylvania County
The Fredericksburg Area Soccer Association marked a major milestone in the long road towards a top-caliber soccer fields complex of its own on Tuesday morning, joining county officials and executives from the Virginia Youth Soccer Association in a ceremonial signing of documents at Spotsylvania County’s Department of Economic Development authorizing the construction of the Spotsylvania Sportsplex at New Post.
The planned facility is a joint project involving FASA, VYSA, Spotsylvania County and property developers who have donated the land for the complex. Tuesday’s event, the product of nearly five years of planning among stakeholders, clears the path for initiating construction of a 16-field facility on an 80-acre tract near the intersection of U.S. 17 & Virginia 2, just south of Ruffin’s Pond.
Seven fields will be built and administered by FASA and nine by VYSA, the state’s governing organization for youth soccer and affiliate of the U.S. Soccer Federation. Lighting and all-weather synthetic-turf surfaces are planned for four fields. VYSA will also relocate their headquarters offices to the site, which is expected to rank as the largest such complex in the state.
“Our club is absolutely thrilled to take this huge step forward in making our ‘field of dreams’ a reality,” said Pete Cinalli, FASA’s General Manager and Director of Coaching, in a press release. “We are thankful for the support and partnership of the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors, VYSA, our own members and the many others who have made this possible.
“In addition to its myriad benefits to the local community, this facility will put our region on the map as one of the East Coast’s premier soccer destinations and we can’t wait to get started.”
Founded three decades ago, FASA has grown at a rapid pace in recent years and the club badly needs more fields in order to meet the needs of more than 1,500 participants in its recreational and travel programs. The Spotsylvania Sportsplex at New Post will also host major FASA and VYSA tournaments, which are expected to attract thousands of participants from across the region and beyond.
The property is located near a number of planned business and residential projects and looks likely to anchor significant economic development for the area.
“Top-notch soccer fields are an increasingly valuable commodity on the East Coast,” noted Cinalli, “and this complex will be a draw for local participants as well as those who will visit the region from across the country.”
County officials have estimated that the complex will generate about $1 million in annual tax revenue, a number FASA and VYSA officials expect will be dwarfed by the untold millions of dollars generated in the local economy when the facility is fully operational. FASA’s portion is expected to cost about $4 million to build. As part of the project, FASA and VYSA will promote county businesses and area attractions in club and tournament literature.
