WASHINGTON — There will be a new look coming to Nationals Park next season.
The team is getting a brand new state-of-the-art scoreboard as part of agreed-upon upgrades for the 2024 season, according to District Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Events DC.
Nationals Park is owned by the District of Columbia. Under the terms of the lease with the team, the District is required to provide maintenance and upkeep of the park. Nationals Park turned 15 years old in April
"It's an expensive item," Mendelson said of the scoreboard during a briefing with reporters on Monday. Mendelson said Events DC agreed to upgrade the scoreboard at a price tag of "somewhere around" $20 million to $22 million.
Events DC would not confirm the price of the scoreboard on Monday, but told WUSA9 in a statement:
"Events DC negotiates with the Washington Nationals annually regarding capital improvements at the ballpark as part of our lease agreement obligations. These discussions and agreements are part of the regular business between a lessor and a lessee. Events DC has agreed to some of the team's requirements for the 2024 lease year, which includes the scoreboard."
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser would not comment on the situation during a briefing with reporters on Monday.
D.C. is also busy working to try to court the Washington Commanders football team to the city at the site of the old RFK Stadium. In September, as a bill moved forward to allow the transfer of the RFK site to the District's control, a D.C. official told WUSA9 that Monumental Sports owner Ted Leonsis is in negotiations with the city to finance major upgrades at Capital One Arena. But he’s also considering moving the Wizards and Capitals to a new, Northern Virginia home and how much D.C. is willing to pay for in upgrades to 29-year-old Cap One could impact his decision.
In September Mayor Bowser told WUSA9 she believes the city can realistically finance it all, without hurting taxpayers.
“Listen, we have sports, we supported sports, we brought Major League Baseball to Washington, D.C. – all of those criticisms existed,” Bowser said. “We built a stadium, we built a World Series Champion at that stadium among other investments that we've made. So, there are always ways to make investments that have a payoff for the city. And we know that world class sports have a payout for the city.”