NATIONALS PARK OPENS TO A GRAND VICTORY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

After twenty-two months and a great deal of hard work and dedication, fans packed into Nationals Park for the first time on March 30th to see the Washington Nationals battle it out against the Atlanta Braves. Measuring in at 1.17 million square feet, the new LEED® Silver Certified stadium was ready to accommodate the 39,389 fans who packed the house on that historical evening.

Hunt Construction Group, in a joint venture with Clark Construction and Smoot Construction, began work on the impressive $392 million facility in May 2006. With 42,000 seats, 90 luxury suites, six floors and both five-level and six level parking structures, it is clear the facility was engineered around fan convenience and comfort.

While the lush and well manicured field is definitely a pleasing sight to players and fans, it is not the only green feature of this project. The stadium, which achieved LEED Silver status under the U.S. Green Building Council's green rating system, is the first green-built ballpark in the United States. With additions such as a plant covered roof to absorb rainwater and reduce runoff to the nearby Anacostia River and an advanced runoff filtration system, the facility has truly set a new standard.

The night was picture perfect for the fans who braved the falling temperatures. With its alabaster outer walls echoing the District's famed monuments; fans were welcomed into the park for the first time feeling like they were taking part in the opening of yet another landmark monument for the City.

Views from within the park were equally as impressive. In the closest seats, fans were near enough to the field to hear the players comments. In the higher seats, views of the Capitol Dome and the Washington Monument were on display. Four cranes could also be seen behind left and center field serving as a sign of development to the area surrounding the new facility.


Thanks to an extremely aggressive schedule and a good working relationship with the project team, the Design-Build ballpark was able to open for fans right on schedule. Nationals Park adds to the list of other Hunt-built Design-Build sports facilities such as University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona; Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri and Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown, Ohio.

With a last minute score against the Braves for a 3-2 win, fans were truly welcomed into a new era of Washington D.C. baseball. Hunt Construction Group is proud to have been part of the team to bring this exciting new landmark to the D.C area.