The D.C. Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) held a Local Business Appreciation Reception at Washington Nationals Park's PNC Diamond Club to honor the large and small businesses that helped construct the Nationals Stadium.
The project exemplifies the way the District government promotes the growth and development of its businesses and communities. The ballpark project's success demonstrates the feasibility of relying on local, small businesses for major public projects, and highlights how local business participation benefits both city businesses and residents. The project created employment opportunities and underscored incentives for businesses to locate or remain in the District, and thus helped augment the city tax base.
Approximately 70 local businesses representing every ward in the District worked on Nationals Park. Many of their employees were on hand for the celebration, along with Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells and At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown, both of whom greeted the crowd and emphasized the hard work of the businesses involved in constructing the stadium and the importance of supporting small business in the District.
DSLBD honored certain individuals who were integral in reaching the 50 percent requirement. Award recipients were: At-large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown; Allen Lew, director, Office of Public Education Facilities Management; Gregory O'Dell, president and CEO, Washington, D.C. Convention Center; Courtland Cox, consultant, Office of Public Education Facilities Management; Clark/Hunt/Smoot; Tom Kenton, Clark Construction; Alice Patterson, Clark Construction retiree; Chrystal Stowe, Smoot Construction; and Erik A. Moses, president and CEO, D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission
