Loudoun County, VA: An Ideal Location for Any Tournament

Located less than an hour from Washington, DC, Loudoun County is home to Dulles International Airport. Far enough north for winter sports, yet far enough south for outdoor tournaments, Loudoun is an ideal location for any type of sports tournament. Nestled between the Blue Ridge mountains and the shores of the Potomac River, it guarantees you will not only get a great venue, but one with some spectacular views as well for the outdoor enthusiast.

Things to do in Loudoun County
As a sports tournament planner, you need to be worried about the actual tournament itself, not what the teams and their families will do in their down time, which is why Loudoun County, Virginia is an excellent destination because there are so many entertainment options that you won’t need to concern yourself with it!

Everyone has a need for speed somewhere deep inside them. During your tournament’s downtime, they can bring it out at the Indoor Autobahn Speedway – the largest indoor karting facility in the state. For those that appreciate speed but don’t want to be behind the wheel, visit the world-renowned Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum at the Steve F. Udvar-Hazy Center or the historical monuments around Washington D.C.

How to Get to Loudoun County
Given that there are a myriad of highways leading into the metro-D.C. area, all of the following states can reach Loudoun County in a day’s worth of driving: Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Dulles International Airport can be reached by any airport in the United States in less than six hours.

Facility Spotlight
Potomack Lakes Sportsplex
Sports: Softball, soccer
The Potomack Lakes Sportsplex is a 47-acre athletic complex with softball and soccer fields, as well as a large playground, picnic pavilion, concession kiosk and rest rooms. The complex also includes a maintenance building and meeting room. The facility hosts athletic contests from March until November, which include county adult softball and soccer leagues and youth soccer. The complex hosts up to 29 local, state, regional and national tournaments annually. The Sportsplex has won numerous National awards including the 2007 ISA Softball Complex of the Year Award. All fields contain lights and parking is available.

ION International Training Center
Sports: Hockey, figure skating
The 85,000-square- foot, $19.5 million ION International Training Center is anticipated to open in May 2019 and will initially feature two National Hockey League size sheets of ice. The two-story building also will include a full-service gym, cafe, pro shop, medical room and hockey training room, among other amenities. The NHL-sized rink’s multifunctional floor will be accessible for non-ice-related sporting events, school graduations, community events and concerts. It will be encircled by 4,000 seats. The center, with nearly 1,000 parking spaces and room to expand to four ice sheets, will encompass roughly 13 acres at The Peterson Cos.’ 450-acre Compass Creek development next to Leesburg Executive Airport.

Philip Bolen Memorial Park
Sports: Baseball, softball, football, lacrosse, soccer, recreational 
This 405-acre regional park has something for everyone – from the outdoor enthusiast to the seasoned athlete. The expansive property features baseball, softball, football, lacrosse, and soccer complexes, as well as trails, natural woodlands, picnic areas and a visitors’ center. Bolen Park is only a short drive from downtown Leesburg and minutes from Dulles International Airport.Built in 2011, this multi-million dollar sports complex offers nine diamonds, eight large rectangles, completely lit fields of Bermuda grass with ample parking. Bolin is host to several large tournaments on an annual basis including the PONY National, ASA/USA Softball Eastern Championship, Senior Softball Atlantic Championships and many other regional events.

Evergreen Sportsplex
Sports: Soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, flag football
The 44-acre complex features four FIFA One Star certification turf fields which are the only privately owned fields with this accreditation in the United States. The complex is designed to accommodate a wide variety of sports and recreational activities for all age groups. The Champion Field Pavilion is a 24,000 square foot, three-level pavilion which is adjacent to the championship field and features a lower level locker room and field entrance, a full service concession area and an upper level executive viewing area. The pavilion seats up to 3,000 spectators and includes 1,000 sq. ft. enclosed VIP viewing

area/multi-purpose room on the third level with views of all four turf fields. The zip-line/ropes adventure course is designed to be an environmentally friendly, low impact, exciting participatory activity that is a complement to all of the other attractions at Evergreen Sportsplex.

Planner Perspective
“Loudoun County, VA has hosted the USSSA Class “C” Eastern National Championships for the past three years. Proximity to the nation’s capital and reasonable hotel rates are an attraction, but the support that we receive from Visit Loudoun and Parks and Recreation really make our partnership a home run! Any event organizer would be wise to take a close look at what Loudoun County can offer!”
– Andy Wisk, Program Operations, USSSA East