By KIPP HANLEY, Potomac News & Manassas Journal Messenger
Published: May 8, 2008

The Manassas Park City Council approved a comprehensive agreement with Blacksburg-based developer OWPR Inc. on Tuesday night to build a new Parks & Recreation Center at Costello Park.

The $22 million phased project will include an indoor swimming pool and enough space to eventually expand revenue-generating programs from 300 to 1,500 once the facility is built, said deputy director Theresa Polk. 

Eventually, the whole look of the park will change with five lighted ballfields for softball and baseball, playground areas, a dog park and a synthetic-turf field for football and soccer.

Construction could begin by this fall and be completed by the end of 2009, said Parks & Recreation Director Catherine Morretta.

Once students move to the new Cougar Upper Elementary School, Manassas Park Elementary School will be torn down, as will the outdoor swimming pool. The new-look park will actually have four fewer baseball/softball fields, but Morretta expects to handle the same volume of games with the addition of lights.

By fiscal 2012, the new facility could generate an estimated $2.1 million in annual revenue. After fiscal 2011, debt service payments are expected to exceed revenue each year.

Parks officials hope to eventually achieve a cost recovery on the facility of 75 percent. According to a departmental study, this percentage would compare favorably with other Northern Virginia jurisdictions with similar facilities.

Councilman Keith Miller believes the council will not have to approve any more funding to the Parks & Recreation department than it does now because of the potential of rental fees and membership fee revenue from the new facility.

City attorney Dean Crowhurst said there are many benefits to having a public-private partnership similar to the one the city is entering into. While cost usually would be the same as a typical design and build project, a public-private partnership allows for creative financing and an expedited process.

In this type of agreement, there is also a maximum price for the completion of the project that, if exceeded, would not be the responsibility of the city.

Miller, who has a 7-year-old son who currently plays Little League Baseball at Costello Park, is excited about the park upgrade. The current Parks & Recreation facility was built more than three decades ago and its fields are starting to show their age.

"A lot of his games are played over there and a lot of those fields are in dire need [of replacement]," Miller said. "And the building has definitely exceeded its life expectancy. ... This will be a huge asset to the city and a major bright spot to the west side of the city as well."

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738.