via Fox5 Washington,
Monumental Sports & Entertainment CEO Ted Leonsis, Virginia Gov. Youngkin, and other local leaders announced Wednesday an ambitious plan for a public-private partnership that aims to relocate the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards to a newly proposed entertainment district in Alexandria's Potomac Yard.
This groundbreaking move, set for 2028, hinges on the proposal being finalized.
The project would span 70 acres and would include a new global headquarters for Monumental Sports & Entertainment, a state-of-the-art arena for the Capitals and Wizards, an expansive Monumental Sports Network media studio, practice facilities, a performing arts venue, and an enhanced Esports facility.
Leonsis emphasized the project's significance in a statement, saying, "Our commitment to evolving our teams and deepening community ties is unwavering. This expansion into Virginia offers an unparalleled opportunity to foster creativity and lead in sports and technology."
I have been to several games over the years at the old Cap Centre and the current building. I have been to Alexandria as well. This seems akin to the development going on with many sports ventures - certainly - the UBS Arena - where they are closer to finishing the "retail village" construction in the old south parking lot at Belmont Park (The horse racing has been suspended for a year - the Belmont Stakes in 2024 will be in Saratoga - not Belmont Park - while the racetrack itself is being remodeled) and talks of a hotel are out there. This Potomac Yard has a new Metro station - which will help with transport. Traffic in the whole DC area is a train wreck - so this was the first thing I looked for.
I like the current building but do not love it. I like the fact that it's in the Chinatown area and there are plenty of hotels and mass transit servicing the current arena....but it does not have the charm of some of the buildings (The Joe, Nassau Coliseum, Spectrum) that would make me miss it.
This is the future of sports! I suppose. Caps fans may feel differently, but I think this is a great move and someone will make a lot of DINERO off this!
Disposable Stadiums. New stadiums every twenty years at the burden of the tax payer.
Don't forget the forgotten promises of the surrounding development like say "districts"
Like say Detroit's Columbia Park district
Proposed:
reality:
But this is what happens when you let one family buy a bunch of surrounding property to a stadium. They open parking lots that generate all kinds of revenue.
Alexandria, with its mass transit and tightly packed population will at least escape this fate. But having driven in that traffic for 2 years (more than a decade ago)....good luck moving during rush hour. The best drive was always GW Memorial Pkwy (once you got past the Mobile station or better yet the last light for a while 2 miles up say up to 395N)--this development is absolutely going to kill that route.
Anyone that's been to that area recently: how's Bugsys in Old Towne--is it still what it was or has it changed? Haven't been there in a decade since the now deceased old owner Brian Watson sold it.
bye bye Target, Best Buy, a good pet hospital, next door Petsmart, Barnes & Noble, Michaels/HomeGoods, and the Wine Shop
https://twitter.com/JoePomplia...
and they have a graduate college campus going up too, then airport traffic a mile north, glad I'm not living there.
Check out the renderings...is it the same company as did the Detroit District?
https://twitter.com/JoePomplia...
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