Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers about ALX Sports, its relationship with Alexandria Soccer Association, community access, financial sustainability, professional operations, maintenance and accountability.

ALX Sports and Alexandria Soccer Association

ALX Sports is a new, independent nonprofit organization being established by Alexandria Soccer Association (ASA) to operate the Alexandria Sports and Events Complex as a multi-sport and events destination.
While ALX Sports is a new organization, it is being developed with the experience, leadership, operating systems and community relationships of ASA, which has served Alexandria since 1970. ASA brings decades of experience managing sports programming, facilities, staff, events and community partnerships.
ALX Sports will have its own mission, governing board, finances and operating policies, with a focus that extends well beyond soccer. Its responsibility will be to operate and maintain a welcoming, professionally managed facility that serves Alexandria residents, supports a wide range of sports and community activities, attracts tournaments and events, and protects this important public asset for the long term.
ASA became involved in the project as part of developing a public-private partnership that could make the Complex possible. The model brings together the City, which owns the property, with a nonprofit partner that can help fund the project, attract sponsorships and other private support, and take responsibility for operating and maintaining the facility.
Through ALX Sports, the project can build on ASA's organizational experience while creating a structure specifically designed for the Complex. ALX Sports will make a significant financial contribution toward the project and will be responsible for generating the revenue needed to operate and maintain the facility over the long term, without relying on the City to operate the Complex.
ASA created ALX Sports because the Complex requires a mission and operating model that extends well beyond soccer. The facility will be designed to serve many sports, organizations and community uses while also attracting tournaments, competitions, trade shows, performances and other events.
Creating a separate nonprofit makes that broader mission clear and allows ALX Sports' governance, staffing, finances, operating policies and performance measures to focus specifically on the Complex and its long-term success. ASA will remain a user of the facility and an institutional partner, while ALX Sports will be responsible for operating the Complex for a much broader range of users and activities.
No. ALX Sports is a separate nonprofit with its own mission, governance, finances, policies and accountability requirements.
ASA is helping launch ALX Sports by providing experienced leadership, proven operating systems, community knowledge and an initial base of facility use. The relationship between the two organizations will be clearly defined through the agreements and policies being developed as the project moves forward, including any shared staff or services, how costs are allocated, how financial transactions are approved, conflict-of-interest requirements and decision-making responsibilities.
ASA has served Alexandria since 1970, growing from a 60-player neighborhood program into a year-round community organization serving approximately 8,500 youth and adult participants.
Its work extends well beyond running soccer teams. ASA coordinates year-round programming across more than 40 fields and 40 courts, manages staff and contractors, works closely with the City and Alexandria City Public Schools, runs tournaments and camps, maintains equipment and communicates with thousands of Alexandria families.
ASA also has extensive experience operating programs in public facilities that it does not own, working through leases, use agreements and partnerships with public agencies. It brings experienced managers, administrative systems and longstanding relationships with schools, public agencies, sports organizations, vendors and community partners.
Community access has also been an important part of ASA's work. More than 2,000 children received access to free programming through Access4All in the most recently reported year. ASA has also worked with the City, schools and the U.S. Soccer Foundation to improve local play spaces, including multi-use futsal courts.
That experience provides ALX Sports with an established operational foundation while it develops the facility-specific staff, systems and expertise required to operate a much larger and more complex facility.
ASA’s participants will benefit from additional indoor capacity, just as basketball, volleyball, pickleball, futsal, adaptive-sports providers, schools and other program participants will. ASA's access to the Complex will be governed by the same written scheduling and pricing policies that apply to other users.
ASA's participation also benefits the sustainability and success of the Complex. Its recurring programs will provide an established base of activity and revenue, particularly during the facility's launch. But ASA alone does not have enough programming to fill a Complex of this size or generate the revenue required to operate and maintain it.
ALX Sports therefore has both a mission-based and financial reason to build a diverse mix of sports, organizations, community uses, tournaments, competitions and other events. A broad mix of users is essential not only to the mission of the Complex, but also to its long-term financial sustainability.
The Complex is being established as a multi-sport and events facility, and its governance and operating structure will reinforce that commitment. ALX Sports will have a separate nonprofit mission and governing board, along with written facility-use and scheduling policies, conflict-of-interest requirements, documented-related-party transactions, transparent pricing and regular reporting on how the facility is being used.
Those protections will be incorporated into the governance documents, operating agreements and policies being developed with the City. Reporting will provide measurable information about facility use, including factors such as sport, user type, residency and time period.

Facility Access and Community Use

Community First means Alexandria residents and community-serving organizations will be central to the purpose and year-round use of the Complex. Local uses will include youth and adult leagues, practices, camps, clinics, open play, school partnerships, adaptive sports, graduations, nonprofit gatherings, meetings and civic events.
Community First does not mean the Complex will be limited to Alexandria residents or local activities. Tournaments, competitions, trade shows, dance competitions, performances and other events are an important part of the operating model. They can create new opportunities for local athletes and organizations, bring visitors and outside spending to Alexandria, and generate revenue that helps operate and maintain the facility.
The goal is to balance these uses so Alexandria residents and organizations have meaningful, year-round access to the Complex at reasonable times and prices while allowing the facility to host the events necessary for its long-term financial sustainability.
The Complex's operating model is built around two complementary uses: recurring community programming and destination events. Local programs will keep the Complex active throughout the week and year, while tournaments, competitions, conferences and special events will bring visitors and outside spending to Alexandria and generate revenue needed to support operations, maintenance and long-term capital reserves.
The building's flexible design is intended to accommodate multiple activities at the same time, allowing community programming and larger events to coexist whenever possible. Written scheduling policies will protect meaningful local access, provide advance notice when major events affect regular programming and help ensure the same users are not repeatedly displaced.
Yes. Community input will help inform how the Complex is programmed and how facility-use and scheduling policies are developed. ALX Sports will engage local sports organizations, schools, nonprofits, adaptive-sports providers, community organizations and prospective facility users as these policies and the initial programming calendar are developed.
That engagement can include demand surveys, sport-specific planning meetings, published application and scheduling windows, customer feedback and other opportunities for input. Engagement will continue after the Complex opens so programming and scheduling can respond to changing community needs and actual facility use.
ALX Sports will work with the City, and with input from local organizations and facility users, to develop a written facility-use, leasing and scheduling policy that establishes clear and consistent rules for how space is allocated. The policy will address issues such as priority categories, residency, recurring and one-time uses, prime time, seasonal scheduling, tournament and event blocks, cancellations, pricing, deposits and a process for resolving disputes.
Scheduling decisions will consider the Complex as a whole. Its flexible spaces are designed to accommodate multiple activities at the same time, while recognizing that different sports and events have different requirements for floor configurations, equipment, safety buffers and changeover periods.
Fair access does not necessarily mean every sport or organization receives an equal number of hours. It means clear criteria are applied consistently and no single organization or sport is allowed to dominate access to the facility.
ASA will not have automatic control of prime time because of its relationship with ALX Sports. ASA may receive recurring space, just as other qualified organizations may, under the written scheduling and facility-use policies established for the Complex.
Any long-term or preferential arrangement involving ASA will be transparent and subject to the conflict-of-interest policies governing the relationship between ASA and ALX Sports.
ASA's existing programs will provide an important base of activity when the Complex opens, but they will not fill a facility of this size. A diverse calendar of sports, community uses, tournaments and events is necessary both to fulfill the Complex's mission and to generate the revenue needed to operate and maintain it.
Affordability will be considered as part of the Complex's facility-use and pricing policies. Different types of users and activities, including commercial events, nonprofit and school uses, resident programs and community-benefit activities, may require different pricing approaches.
Options being considered include resident rates, need-based assistance, subsidized community hours, partnerships with schools and nonprofits, and free or low-cost open-play opportunities. Specific programs, pricing approaches and eligibility requirements will be developed through the future agreements, policies and operating guidelines being developed with the City.
ASA's Access4All program provides experience in reducing financial barriers to participation. ALX Sports will build on that experience by developing a broader, multi-sport approach to access and affordability, with clear eligibility requirements, funding sources and reporting on who is being served.
Yes. Accessibility will be incorporated into both the physical facility and its operations, including opportunities for adaptive sports and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
Accessibility considerations will include equipment, scheduling, registration, wayfinding, seating, restrooms, parking and drop-off, staff training, emergency procedures, and sensory and communication needs. ALX Sports will also engage adaptive-sports organizations and people with disabilities as facility programming and operating plans are developed so potential barriers can be identified before the Complex opens.
In many cases, yes. The size and flexible configuration of the Complex are designed to allow multiple activities to occur simultaneously. Some large tournaments, competitions, trade shows and other events, however, may require substantial portions of the building and could affect parking, security, circulation or other activities.
Scheduling policies will balance major events with recurring community commitments, provide appropriate notice when normal use is affected, and avoid repeatedly displacing the same users. ALX Sports will also track and report on the impact major events have on community access, including community hours that are cancelled or relocated.
ALX Sports will look for opportunities to extend the benefits of the Complex beyond the activities taking place inside the facility. That includes recruiting Alexandria residents for employment opportunities, creating internship and youth-employment opportunities, and giving qualified local and small businesses opportunities to compete for work.
Any formal local hiring or purchasing requirements, preferences or reporting commitments will be established through the future agreements, policies and operating guidelines being developed with the City and will be consistent with applicable requirements.

Financial Sustainability

The Complex will generate revenue from a diverse mix of programs, rentals, leagues, tournaments, competitions, trade shows and other events, concessions and food and beverage, sponsorships, and other permitted uses. No single sport, organization or revenue source is expected to support the facility on its own.
That diverse mix is an important part of the operating model. Community programming will provide consistent year-round use, while tournaments, competitions, trade shows and other events will generate additional revenue and bring visitors and outside spending to Alexandria.
Revenue from the Complex will support the costs of operating and maintaining the facility, including staffing, utilities, maintenance, equipment, insurance, contracted services, capital reserves and the annual financial commitment to the City.
ALX Sports will make a $10 million capital contribution toward the development of the Complex as part of the public-private partnership with the City.
ALX Sports will also pursue sponsorships, philanthropy and other private funding opportunities to support the project. The timing and other terms of the capital contribution, along with the broader financing structure and responsibilities of each party, will be established through the future agreements being developed with the City.
In addition to the $10 million capital contribution, ALX Sports will provide $2.5 million annually to the City as part of the financial structure for the Complex.
This ongoing financial commitment is an important part of the public-private partnership and one reason the Complex must operate as a true multi-sport and events destination. ALX Sports will need to generate sufficient activity and revenue not only to operate and maintain the facility, but also to meet its annual financial obligation to the City. ASA programming alone cannot generate the level of activity needed to support the entire operating model.
The timing, escalation and other terms of the annual payment will be established through the future agreements being developed with the City.
The operating model will include conservative budgeting, working-capital requirements, operating and capital reserves, regular financial reporting and reforecasting, and defined steps for addressing financial shortfalls.
The future agreements, policies and operating guidelines being developed with the City will establish when ALX Sports must notify the City of material financial issues, what financial information will be provided, and the process and remedies that apply if financial obligations are not met.
The goal is to identify and address financial shortfalls early without deferring necessary maintenance, compromising safety or shifting unapproved operating costs to the City.
ALX Sports will track and report on the financial performance of the Complex, including revenue, operating expenses, reserves, required payments and other performance measures established with the City.
Regular reporting will allow ALX Sports, its governing board and the City to compare actual performance against projections, identify material variances and address financial or operational issues as they arise.

Leadership and Daily Operations

ALX Sports will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Complex and its performance over time. That includes opening and closing, staffing, scheduling, rentals, program delivery, event conversion, customer service, safety and emergency procedures, vendors, building systems, preventive maintenance, financial controls, marketing and reporting.
Operating a Complex of this scale involves much more than scheduling courts. ALX Sports will be responsible for coordinating simultaneous users and activities, protecting and maintaining the facility, responding to incidents, meeting its contractual and financial obligations, and providing consistent customer experience from routine weekday programming through major tournaments and events.
The Complex will have a dedicated professional facility team. Operating a facility of this size and complexity will not simply be added to the existing responsibilities of ASA employees.
The staffing model will include facility management, a qualified building engineer, and personnel responsible for operations, events, scheduling, customer service, safety and facility readiness. Licensed contractors and other specialists will support technical building systems and specialized services as needed.
Staffing levels and hours will be based on the final building design, operating schedule, attendance, simultaneous uses and event calendar. The final staffing structure and responsibilities will be established as part of ALX Sports' organizational and operating plans.
ALX Sports is currently being led by members of Alexandria Soccer Association's existing leadership team: Tommy Park, Sarah Christie and Katie Brooks. Their work with ASA gives ALX Sports immediate access to experienced leaders who already understand sports operations, facilities, events, partnerships, community engagement and the Alexandria community.
Each brings a different area of expertise to the development and leadership of ALX Sports:
- Tommy Park has served as Executive Director of Alexandria Soccer Association since 2011. He oversees an organization with an annual operating budget of approximately $8 million and 80 employees, serving approximately 7,500 participants annually. ASA currently coordinates programming and operations across more than 40 courts and 40 fields. Tommy also brings professional and major-event experience through his work as a Director with BJOLY, a professional game-day production company, where he has worked on hundreds of sporting events involving FIFA, Major League Soccer, the XFL, NCAA athletics and other professional and collegiate competitions. Earlier in his career, he worked on the grounds crew for the Washington Nationals and in Community Relations with D.C. United. He holds a master's degree in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown University. His experience brings organizational leadership, financial management, partnerships, major-event recruitment, sponsorship and long-term strategy to ALX Sports.
- Sarah Christie has more than 25 years of experience in sports-facility operations, event management and organizational leadership. Her facility-management experience began in 1999 at KEVA Sports Center in Madison, Wisconsin, where she managed soccer and camp operations, and later included Uihlein Soccer Park, a large sports complex with 13 outdoor fields and three large indoor turf fields. At ASA, Sarah has led facility partnerships and improvements, equipment systems, operating processes and public-private collaboration and works closely with the Alexandria City Public Schools, Visit Alexandria, regional jurisdictions and private partners. Her experience brings deep expertise in facility operations, staffing, maintenance, safety, risk management, event execution and long-term facility stewardship to ALX Sports.
- Katie Brooks brings experience in communications, marketing, branding, public relations and community engagement. Through her work with ASA, she has experience communicating and engaging with families, residents, sports organizations, community partners and other stakeholders. Her experience brings communications, marketing, community engagement, customer experience, sponsorship activation and major-event promotion expertise to ALX Sports.
As ALX Sports develops its organizational structure and prepares for the opening of the Complex, it will also build a dedicated professional facility team with the specialized expertise needed to operate and maintain a facility of this size and complexity.

Maintenance, Safety and Asset Protection

ALX Sports will have direct responsibility for the day-to-day condition, maintenance and long-term stewardship of the Complex. A dedicated building engineer and facility team will manage inspections, preventive maintenance, work orders, warranties, repairs and asset records.
Licensed contractors will support specialized systems and services such as HVAC, electrical, plumbing, elevators, fire and life safety, security, custodial services, food service and athletic equipment. Using outside contractors will not transfer responsibility or accountability away from ALX Sports.
The specific maintenance standards, responsibilities and reporting requirements will be established through the future agreements, policies and operating guidelines being developed with the City.
ALX Sports will use a computerized maintenance-management system to track major building assets, inspections, preventive-maintenance schedules, work orders, warranties, repair history and replacement needs.
This will create an ongoing record that ALX Sports management, its governing board and the City can use to monitor the condition of the facility, evaluate maintenance performance and plan for future capital needs.
The financial model also includes funding for ongoing maintenance and capital reserves. Specific reserve requirements, permitted uses, inspection rights and responsibility for major repairs and replacements will be established through the future agreements, policies and operating guidelines being developed with the City.
ALX Sports will maintain written safety and emergency plans addressing medical incidents, severe weather, fire and evacuation, crowd management, missing children, security concerns, food safety and business continuity.
Staff and contractors will receive training appropriate to their responsibilities, and major tournaments and events will have safety and staffing plans appropriate to the size and nature of the event.
ALX Sports will document incidents, corrective actions, inspections and emergency preparedness activities and report material issues as required through the future agreements, policies and operating guidelines being developed with the City.

Accountability, Governance and Public Protection

ALX Sports is a separate nonprofit organization and will have its own Board of Directors with fiduciary responsibility for the organization and oversight of its management, finances and operations.
The final board structure, appointment process, terms, qualifications and committees are being developed as part of ALX Sports' governance structure. The Board will be responsible for overseeing areas including financial performance, related-party transactions, maintenance and safety, organizational performance and ALX Sports' commitments related to the Complex.
The City will retain oversight and accountability rights as the owner of the Complex. ALX Sports' responsibility for operating the facility does not eliminate the City's role in protecting the public assets and ensuring that ALX Sports meets its financial, operating, maintenance and community commitments.
The future agreements, policies and operating guidelines being developed with the City will establish specific performance standards, financial and operational reporting requirements, maintenance standards, inspection and audit rights, reserve requirements and other measures that allow the City to monitor ALX Sports' performance.
Those agreements will also establish what happens if ALX Sports does not meet its obligations, including requirements for notice, opportunities to correct problems, and remedies available to the City if problems are not resolved.
ALX Sports will have a written conflict-of-interest policy addressing the relationship between ASA and ALX Sports, including shared leaders or services, facility rentals, sponsorships, vendors and financial transactions between the organizations.
Related party arrangements will be documented, reviewed through appropriate governance procedures and disclosed as required. Facility-use and scheduling policies will also ensure that ASA does not unilaterally determine its own access, pricing or priority within the Complex.
These requirements will help maintain a clear distinction between ASA's role as a facility user and institutional partner and ALX Sports' responsibility to operate the Complex fairly for a broad range of sports, organizations and users.
ALX Sports will regularly measure and report on the performance of the Complex. Reporting can include measures such as facility utilization, use by sport and user type, Alexandria resident participation, community access, event attendance, customer service, safety, financial performance, maintenance and asset condition.
Reporting will compare actual performance with established expectations and identify significant variances and corrective actions when needed. Detailed operational and financial reporting will be provided to the ALX Sports Board and the City as required through the future agreements being developed with the City.
ALX Sports will also provide public-facing information about the performance and community impact of the Complex so residents can see how the facility is being used and whether it meets its commitments.
The City's agreements with ALX Sports will establish operating and maintenance standards and provide the City with mechanisms to address problems if those standards are not met.
The future agreements being developed with the City will address performance standards, inspection and audit rights, financial and reserve requirements, insurance, notice and opportunities to correct problems, default and other remedies, as well as provisions for continuity or transition if ALX Sports is ultimately unable to fulfill its responsibilities.
These protections are intended to ensure that the City retains the ability to protect the Complex as a public asset even though ALX Sports is responsible for its day-to-day operation.
ALX Sports will establish a clear process for residents and facility users to raise concerns about issues such as safety, access, scheduling, customer service or conduct.
The process will include published contact information and a way to escalate concerns when necessary. ALX Sports will also gather feedback through tools such as customer surveys, meetings and other community-engagement opportunities.
Feedback and recurring concerns will be reviewed by ALX Sports management and its Board and used to identify operational issues and opportunities for improvement.