on may 4, 2006, the groundbreaking ceremony took place for the nationals' new ballpark, nationals park in southeast washington, d.c. principal owner mark d. lerner, managing principal owner theodore n. lerner, principal owner robert k. tanenbaum, and principal owner edward l. cohen wielded the shovels at the ceremony; public address announcer charlie brotman emceed the event, and former mayor of the district of columbia anthony a. williams, former nationals manager frank robinson, representatives from major league baseball, the district of columbia sports and entertainment commission, the anacostia waterfront corporation, and clark-hunt-smoot construction, and former washington senators and homestead grays players also attended. less than two years later, the nationals moved to nationals park for the 2008 season.