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The new Washington Nationals ballpark. – Andrew Harnik/Examiner file
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The Washington Nationals unveiled plans Wednesday for the nationally televised Opening Night game against the Atlanta Braves, and they will feature a party atmosphere inside and outside the new Nationals Park.
Among the scheduled events Sunday: Local Dixieland jazz band Sheiks of Dixie playing outside the Navy Yard Metro Station; barbershop quartet The Ringers entertaining by the Centerfield Gate; face painting and balloon artists for the children; flyovers by four F-16s representing the D.C. Air National Guard; the first pitch from President Bush; and a seventh-inning rendition of “God Bless America” by American Idol finalist Elliot Yamin.
Mayor Adrian Fenty, who opposed public financing for the $611 million, 41,888-seat ballpark when he served on the D.C. Council, will start the game with “Washington, Let’s Play Ball.” The National Anthem will be performed by D.C. native Denyce Graves.
All fans will receive a Curly “W” lanyard and “Welcome Home” rally towel upon entry to the park. Pregame ceremonies led by Nationals’ broadcaster Don Sutton start at 7:45 p.m., with first pitch slated for 8:15.
Grandstand tickets for opening night will be on sale for $5 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, but the team is not allowing fans to camp out on team property or line up prior to 3 p.m.
“The Washington Nationals are excited to offer these affordable seats for the Inaugural Game at Nationals Park,” team President Stan Kasten said in a statement. “Fans who purchase these tickets will be asked to enter the ballpark immediately to ensure these tickets remain in the hands of the loyal fans who have anxiously awaited the opening of the ballpark.”
For Ward 2 D.C. Councilman Jack Evans, a lead supporter of the $611 million stadium project, the opening game means vindication.
“We got baseball in Washington, which people said couldn’t happen,” Evans said. “We got the stadium built on time. The financing plan worked exactly as I said it would. … It all worked out exactly as I said it would.”
mneibauer@dcexaminer.com
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Comments from Examiner Readers
8:46 PM MST on Fri., Jul. 18, 2008 re: "Council considers raising taxes on Nationals tickets"
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2:18 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008
re: "No easy access near ballpark for disabled"
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11:32 AM MST on Sat., Mar. 15, 2008
re: "Shuttle service, beer sales among issues still to work out before Opening Day"
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11:34 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
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8:58 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
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7:47 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
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7:06 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
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6:23 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
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9:01 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
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4:10 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
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12:17 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
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5:46 AM MST on Tue., May. 22, 2007
re: "Deal should clear the way for stadium art"
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Examiner Reader said:
Not paying the rent? Kick them out! They are a losing team anyway.
0 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Now how did "progressive, caring" DC happen to forget about the Americans with Disabilities Act which requires that public facility projects consider access for the disabled?
8 agree | 8 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"The most extreme example might be June 29, when United faces off against David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy as 12:30 p.m., and the Nationals play the Baltimore Orioles an hour later." well that was some brilliant scheduling there....lets stuff 100,000 people into the area over a two hour span
7 agree | 8 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Considering where the new stadium is, you can bet that the cost of security will skyrocket!!!
8 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
If DC knew that they couldn't afford to pay the police department they shouldn't have never opened up the Stadium. You have so many poor people living in the DC area and all the taxes we citizens have to pay could have been going into better use. we have to pay all this money and we are not going to see where the money is going. Who cares, right.
8 agree | 10 disagree
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Mike Licht said:
Re:$2M owed for security at Nats games -- Since the "quasi-governmental" D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission won't pay the $2 million it owes the Metropolitan Police Department for security at Nats games, why not get those "quasi" Commission members and paid staff out directing traffic on game days? At $55 an hour, it should only take them 36,364 person-hours to work off their debt.
9 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"Whether the [commission] is paying it or MPD is paying it, it comes out of the same pot,” Mayor Adrian Fenty’s spokeswoman Carrie Brooks said in a statement. WHAT? Good grief, no wonder the city is in so much trouble. Everyone is aware the budget process means nothing in D.C., and that is why money is misspent and missing everywhere, but to come out an officially admit it, wow - good work Brooks.
8 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The city charges baseball $55.00 per hour, the officers are paid their regular hourly rate. For most officers that about $32.00 per hour. What is the city doing with the difference?
8 agree | 9 disagree
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Mike Licht said:
miqcie: Art is good. The DC government should make sure that it is part of the environment throughout our city, and encourage the community cultural groups and gifted DC artists who create it. The stadium is private property, owned by the Lerner family, who can well afford to buy their own art.
292 agree | 315 disagree
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miqcie said:
I'm hopeful that this funding will be restored and is appropriate use of financing for public art. As a denizen of this city, I'd don't mind a part of my tax dollars going to projects like this that are truly community goods.
323 agree | 295 disagree
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Mike Licht said:
The Commission claimed the site-specific art for the private baseball stadium was just being "loaned" to the stadium but still owned by the commission. That is like saying your dental work is on loan from someone else. Public art projects like this are normally paid for by the developer, and the public arts agency gives technical assistance in the project's execution. This poor judgment by the Commission has cost the DC arts community $850,000 in much-needed capital funds.
351 agree | 296 disagree
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Mike Licht said:
Update: The deal is now for a $206,000+ site-specific sculpture to be "loaned" to the stadium by the DC Arts Commission. That is like saying that you "borrow" your dental work, an obvious falsehood. Shame.
356 agree | 350 disagree
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