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In 2008, the Nationals
began a new chapter in their short history in Washington, DC when
they opened their new ballpark. For the first time since 1962 when
RFK Stadium opened, fans in the Nation's capital have a new ballpark
to see a ballgame at. In April 2005, baseball returned to
Washington, DC for the first time since after the 1971 season when
the Senators moved to Texas. After trying to lure the Houston Astros
and San Diego Padres to the city in the 1990s, the Montreal Expos
moved Washington DC after the 2004 season. For nearly a decade the
Expos struggled attracting fans to Olympic Stadium and trying to get
a new ballpark built in Montreal. By 2000 it became inevitable that
the Expos would eventually leave the City of Montreal.
Several
cities sought the Expos, but Washington DC was the logical location
for the team to relocate. The city had been without MLB for over
three decades and became one of the largest cities in the country
that could support a baseball team. In September 2004, MLB announced
that the Expos would move to the city. The Montreal Expos were
renamed the Washington Nationals and began playing at RFK Stadium in
April 2005. RFK Stadium had been the home to the Washington Senators
before they moved and became the Texas Rangers. Built in 1961, RFK
Stadium lacked many of the amenities of newer ballparks and was a
multipurpose stadium. Part of the agreement for the team to move to
DC was the city would build a new ballpark. Throughout December
2004, there were weeks of political wrangling as several members of
the District of Columbia Council balked at an earlier plan to
finance a new stadium. City officials and MLB negotiated a deal that
allowed some private financing for the ballpark. In March 2006, the
Nationals and the DC Sports Commission released plans for the new
 Nationals ballpark. Located in southeast Washington along the
Anacostia River, bordered by South Capital Street to the west, M
Street to the north, First Street to the east and Potomac Avenue to
the south, construction began in spring 2006. The ballpark has yet
to be named after a corporate sponsor and is known as Nationals
Park.
On March 30, 2008 the Washington Nationals played their
first game at Nationals Park against the Atlanta Braves.
Nationals Park is the fourth ballpark to open in
Washington DC following American League Park, Griffith
Stadium and RFK Stadium. The Washington Nationals
ballpark breaks away from the traditional mold of newer
ballparks and has a sleek, more modern design that
features a mostly glass and steel facade. Like
Turner Field in Atlanta, many fans enter the ballpark
through the outfield areas that leads from the Navy Yard
Metro station. Open concourses can be found throughout
the ballpark with escalators and ramps taking fans to
their seats. With a seating capacity of 41,000, fans
have great views of the action on the field from just
about anywhere in the ballpark. Roughly 22,000 seats are
located in the lower deck and stretch from the left
field foul pole to homeplate and around the right field
foul pole. The upper deck, where fans will be able to
see the US Capital Building, seats 12,000 and breaks
into two sections along the first base side. Additional
seating and bleachers are found beyond the outfield.
Nationals
Park has many luxuries and
amenities similar to other ballparks
built recently. Approximately 1,800 padded luxury seats are in the
first few rows directly behind homeplate. The ballpark also features
2,500 club seats, 1,112 suite seats and a 500-seat founder's club.
Fans can visit the PNC Diamond Club, a baseball inspired restaurant
that celebrates Washington's baseball history. The Homestead Greys
Bar, located inside the Stars and Stripes Club is a tribute to
Washington's Negro League team. Located near the centerfield gate is
Strike Zone, a kids play area featuring a variety of games. Fans
visiting Nationals Park will notice that the ballpark has all blue
seats except in centerfield. Here is the Red Porch, directly below
the Red Porch Restaurant where fans watch the game from a different
perspective. Nationals Park would not be complete without one of the
most distinctive trees that Washington DC is known for, cherry
trees. Fourteen Kwanzan Japanese cherry trees are located in the
centerfield plaza and left field concourse.
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