Baseball Stadium Sales Tax Deal Gets Statehouse OK

Fredericksburg should be able to set aside some sales tax revenues at a planned minor league baseball complex to help pay for the public portion of the development.

Legislation making the new allowance won Va. House approval Wednesday after Senate approval earlier this month. 

Existing law allowed municipalities to pay down debt for new facilities using a portion of the sales tax revenues the facility generates. The exception had to be created because of the city's public-private partnership.

The city is working with owners of the Hagerstown Suns to move the Maryland ball club into a new 5,000-seat minor league stadium at Celebrate Virginia South. The city is funding the parking lot, but the rest of the project is expected to be paid for through private financing.

An impact statement from the state Department of Taxation notes more than a dozen other municipalities are currently using the financing tool. Fredericksburg will be the only one currently using it for a sports complex.

Fredericksburg.com's Bill Freehling has more on the ballpark plans and the legislation.