from Laura Vozzella and Meagan Flynn of The Washington Post,
A plan by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) and the owner of the Wizards and Capitals to move the teams to Northern Virginia faced heat on both sides of the Potomac on Monday: A powerful Virginia Democrat said she considers the proposal dead, while D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) doubled down on insisting that she would enforce the teams’ lease to try to prevent their early exit.
The dual pushback led executives with Monumental Sports & Entertainment — billionaire Ted Leonsis’s company that owns the teams — to hastily convene a briefing with reporters Monday afternoon to assert that the plan to move to a new megacomplex in Alexandria’s Potomac Yard was fully on track. Still, the tension emanating from both sides underscored how the foundation for the teams’ move is far from solid, with support in the Virginia legislature uncertain. Meanwhile, Bowser alluded to the possibility of legal action in D.C. to enforce the teams’ existing lease at Capital One Arena downtown.
if they want to move to the suburbs, i doubt anybody can stop them. tough to care about this one way or the other. assumedly the league is behind the move. ive been to a game at cap1 and its a dump compared to newer arenas. not as bad as JLA, but lets say it has character.
and DC should also be looking at what they can do with that space. make it a park or outdoor market or something cool.
If the Caps have a lease with no buyout option, I don't see how they can just leave. On the other hand, I sure don't blame them for wanting to leave D.C.
theyll just pay their way out and pass it on to the fans at the new venue.
Move. Let the "politicians" sue you. Breach of Contract is a target rich environment!
Enjoy the new arena....
DC is doing everything they can to get people into the city (or keep them from leaving the city) so I'm not surprised they'll fight to try to keep them from leaving.
As stated above the district (Wash DC) doesnt want either team to leave the area. They are the anchor to the once thriving tourist area (Chinatown). However, that area became gentrified and fell upon increasing crime that drove tourists away. Many smaller businesses and restaurants in the area only exist because of the game crowds. If either team leaves many businesses will close.
Alexandria is across the river in a different state. The area they want to put the stadium at had a strip mall with Target/Best Buy/Petsmart type store as the anchor. Across the road (think Telegraph type) was smaller houses/offices that got bought up for redevelopment. They were building many high rise apartments when I left Alexandria. I lived down by the wave pool in Alexandria and that rent was 2k a month for a 1 bed apartment a decade ago. Those places have to be 5k a month starting prices. Also there is the whole fill in the tax basisbehind the strip mall was undeveloped property that was owned by the subway system.
This is what the owners want. Sports stadiums driving redevelopment with surrounding shopping, hotels, and restaurants. I should say publicly financed stadiums. It a way to make money on making money on a sports franchise.
But there is politics involved. There is Subway money for a new station that will require Wash DCs approval. There are land swaps required with public entities. There are highway infrastructure improvements necessary.
Basically, its the Pistons leaving Detroit for West Bloomfield or Birmingham instead of Auburn Hills.
Am I surprised that someone from DC with political power is doing everything to stop it. Nope. Will they be able to stop the move: doubtful.
Its a slowing technique just like Matty and the Gordie Howe Bridge.
As always, it's informative to read your posts, dca. Thanks for your perspective.
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