Clark/Hunt/Smoot Begins Construction on New Major League Ballpark in D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission has given Clark/Hunt/Smoot, A Joint Venture the green light to proceed with construction of the new Major League Ballpark in Washington, D.C. The new ballpark will be located at the base of the South Capitol Street Bridge along the Anacostia Waterfront, and will serve as the new home of the Washington Nationals baseball team. The 1,050,000-gross-square-foot facility will seat approximately 41,000 fans. Groundbreaking took place in early May.

As members of the Washington, D.C. community for nearly 100 years, Clark Construction is thrilled to be a part of this important milestone in the city’s history,” said William L. Talbert, CEO of Clark’s Mid-Atlantic Region. “Along with Hunt Construction Group and Smoot Construction of Washington, D.C., our joint venture partners, we are excited to be moving ahead with construction on the Nationals’ new ballpark, and look forward to building a facility of which the nation’s capital can be proud.

The joint venture architectural team of HOK Sport of Kansas City, Mo., and Devrouax & Purnell of Washington, D.C. (HOK/D&P) is working on a design-build basis with Clark/Hunt/Smoot to create a unique, iconic facility that will serve as a gateway to the nation’s capital from the south. The Nationals’ ballpark will feature new innovations in building design and technology, while balancing an architectural presence fitting its location in Washington, D.C.

Clark/Hunt/Smoot, A Joint Venture is composed of Clark Construction Group, LLC of Bethesda, Md., Hunt Construction Group, Inc. of Indianapolis, and Smoot Construction of Washington, D.C. The combined portfolio of these three firms includes the construction of 11 of the past 16 Major League Baseball ballparks built in the country. Ten of those projects featured HOK Sport, the nation’s premier sports facility architect. Notable partnerships include PETCO Park in San Diego, Comerica Park in Detroit, and Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Clark and Smoot’s Washington, D.C. portfolio also includes several projects with Devrouax & Purnell, most notably the $634-million Washington Convention Center.

The joint venture looks forward to working with local, small, disadvantaged business enterprise (LSDBE) partners on this project. Several of these LSDBE firms will learn about Clark/Hunt/Smoot’s management tools in order to foster long-term growth and build capacity in their own businesses.

Construction on the ballpark is expected to be completed in time for the 2008 baseball season.