Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43
Mount Vernon Athletic Complex 2100 Foxhall Rd NW Washington, DC 20007
Year Opened: 2001 Capacity: 500
A Lacrosse Revolution in D.C.
Located on George Washington University’s Mount Vernon Campus, three miles from the main campus in Foggy Bottom, the Mount Vernon Athletic Complex plays home to several of the Revolutionaries' athletic programs. The women's lacrosse team plays at the main athletic field, which is also home to GW soccer. (GW does not have a men's lacrosse team.) There are also tennis courts, a softball field, and a student gym in the complex.
Food & Beverage 0
No food and beverage is available for sale at GW lacrosse games games. There is a cafeteria inside West Hall adjacent to the stadium which sells meals at mealtimes which can be taken into the stadium, and one does not need to be a student to buy from there, but it is only open during meal hours and you are at the mercy of whatever they happen to be serving that day, if it is even open when you visit.
Atmosphere 2
The Mount Vernon Athletic Complex has a rather unique seating layout. Assuming you are coming from the parking garage or walking in from off-campus, you will find some random chairs strewn about on a lawn across the street from the stadium. Some fans like to watch from here, or you can walk around to three rows of bleachers on the far side by West Hall. These bleachers can get cramped and there is really no aisle to speak of going across, so expect to have to walk across fans and get walked across yourself.
There is a scoreboard on one end of the field which shows only the most basic information. There is really not much going on here besides the game itself. George Washington has a mascot, who appropriately is a costumed version of George Washington himself, but he was not present when we visited.
Neighborhood 4
The Mount Vernon Athletic Complex is located in Northwest Washington off Foxhall Road. Although there are several scenic parks and trails in the vicinity, as well as the German Embassy, your best bet for dining is to head elsewhere in the District. A seafood place and an Italian restaurant are located west of the Mount Vernon campus near the Potomac River, and some other places up MacArthur Boulevard, but most of your options will be closer to Downtown, not further.
The Tenleytown and Georgetown neighborhoods are a short drive or Uber ride away and offer numerous dining and entertainment options. You can also head downtown and visit the many historic sites. monuments, and memorials along the National Mall. Just keep in mind if you want to tour the Capitol or White House, you will need to book in advance.
Fans 3
The Revolutionaries only draw a couple hundred fans to a typical home game, and with about half choosing to sit in the bleachers and half choosing to sit in the chairs along the grass or bring their own. The crowd is knowledgeable about the team and the sport, but not particularly loud. Most of them are friends or family of the players, although you do get some other locals as well.. When GW is playing a nearby school, expect to have a lot of visiting fans in attendance as well.
Because it is far from campus, there are few GW students in attendance, although there is a shuttle bus that runs between the campuses, so they would be able to get here if they wanted io.
Access 3
Depending on how you are arriving, the Mount Vernon campus can either be significantly easier or significantly harder to get to than the main campus in Foggy Bottom. While it is not Metro-accessible, it is a lot easier to drive to this campus in outer Washington than it is to drive downtown to the main campus. There is a parking garage on campus right next to the stadium. Parking is free all day on weekends or for up to three hours on weekdays. It can get very pricey if staying for more than three hours on a weekday, starting at $16 for up to four hours and going up from there, so try to go on a weekend or time your visit accordingly.
As noted above, the bleachers can be cramped and hard to get around. If this is a concern for you, you can sit in the chairs across the street and have a good view of the game, just arrive early so they aren’t all taken. Although there are no restrooms at the field itself, there are some in West Hall. Just take the stairs or elevator down a level and they are easy to get to. You may need a GW student to card you into the building depending on the time of day, but there will usually be one nearby to help.
Return on Investment 4
Admission to Revolutionaries' lacrosse games is free, with the possible exception of Atlatnic 10 or NCAA Tournament matches. You won’t pay for concessions because there aren’t any. We suggest visiting on a weekend to maximize value without having to carefully time things to avoid paying a ridiculous amount for parking.
Extras 1
One star for all the unique vantage points to watch a game here. Whether it’s sitting in the crowded bleachers, in chairs across the street, or standing along the fence, there are plenty of ways to take in a GW lacrosse game here.
Final Thoughts
The Mount Vernon Athletic Complex is a unique college lacrosse venue with many ways to take in a game. However, at its core it is a pretty basic facility. Fans of George Washington University may want to make the trip here to see a game, but there is not much to offer a neutral unless you are a die-hard lacrosse fan.
Comments