The Arlington County Board approved a 20-year agreement with the University today mandating that GW provides at least $3 million to upgrade and improve at Barcroft Park

The improvements to the field will include synthetic turf field, renovations to the dugouts, creation of a press box, a ticket and concession area, stadium seating, a bullpen and a reconfigured parking lot adjacent to the field.

The renovations to Barcroft, which has been the home of the Colonials since 1993, have been a focus of the Department of Athletics ongoing review. GW has always been responsible for the routine maintenance, upkeep and improvement of the field, but criticism over its poor condition lead the University Board of Trustees Athletics Committee to contact the Arlington County Board to formalize their agreement.

“We are extremely pleased that the university and Arlington County will continue and expand the partnership in support of the GW baseball program,” athletics director Patrick Nero said. “This is a great opportunity to provide a modern facility for both GW student-athletes and the youth of northern Virginia, and we thank Arlington County for its support of this transformational project.”

Under the new agreement, GW will contribute annually for maintenance, operations and utilities of the field and the shared supporting facilities, based on GW’s pro-rated share of field use. The Colonials will use the field for games and practices for 20 years, during which time GW will contribute, based on its percentage use of the field, toward the cost of replacing the synthetic turf field.

Arlington County will review and approve the design and construction documents for the field. The renovations are expected to increase the County’s annual maintenance costs for the field in FY 2013 by $25,000 to $40,000.

Construction at Barcroft is expected to begin in October, and GW plans to start using the upgraded field in spring 2012.