Moore Cadillac Wins GMHS Stadium Naming Rights for Big Help Bankrolling Lights

An aggressive campaign to raise money to light the George Mason High School athletic fields by parents of student athletes at the Falls Church school scored a major breakthrough from a former student.

Jacques Joseph (Joey) Moore III, who starred in football and baseball at GMHS before graduating in 1999, used his new position as vice president at Moore Cadillac in Tysons Corner to negotiate a deal with the George Mason Boosters Club that gives the car dealership "naming rights" to the football field at the school in exchange for a major donation that, effectively, puts the fundraising effort "over the top."

Moore, who received his bachelor's degree from The Citadel before joining his grandfather's auto business and rising rapidly to the position of vice-president, told the News-Press that he was grateful for the role that athletics played for him at George Mason High School, saying it was an important part of maintaining his interest in school.

The Boosters' campaign hardly envisioned that such a young former GMHS athlete would make such an important difference in their efforts. But for David Mowbray and Joel Hamme, the parents who are spearheading the "Light the Fields" effort, it was a very happy development.

In exchange for the Moore Cadillac contribution, the football field at the high school will be officially known as Moore Cadillac Stadium for five years. At the end of that time, the "naming rights" will be renegotiated.

Young Mr. Moore said the effort will be to raise the profile of his company in this area and will be done in conjunction with other advertising efforts as Cadillac reshapes its image. He said a new company location is currently under development near Dulles Airport which, when completed an in combination with the Tysons Corner operation, will make Moore Cadillac the largest dealership in the nation.

Moore's grandfather started the dealership 35 years ago after years working in the management of another company.

Moore, his brother Charlie and cousin Jeff Mize all graduated from George Mason High School and his mother, Sally Eckfelt, was a member of the Falls Church School Board.

Some aspects of the deal between Moore Cadillac and the George Mason Boosters remain subject to formal approval by the Falls Church School Board, which was slated to act on the matter this Tuesday, but weather forced a postponement until next week. However, when Mowbray presented the matter to a School Board work session last Saturday, it was met favorably.

The School Board earlier this year authorized the Booster Club to negotiate such deals. Other opportunities for "naming rights" at the high school athletic complex still exist.

Mowbray told the News-Press that getting the lights onto the football field at the high school by this fall might be "a bit overly optimistic." But he added that the effort to light the football field will be followed by one to extend lighting to the baseball and softball diamonds, as well.