WOODBRIDGE, Va. — The Washington Commanders may have just taken a big step forward in selecting the team's future stadium location, with Virginia continuing to play a leading role.
According to a Commanders spokesperson, the organization has "procured" 200 acres of land in Woodbridge, Virginia; valued at approximately $100 million. The spokesperson, however, made it clear the team is still assessing multiple locations in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Virginia State Sen. Jeremy McPike described the deal as a "purchase option," which would give the team the right to buy the land in the future. Monday evening McPike shared a proposed site plan that included a layout for a stadium, amphitheater and retail.
Virginia State Senator Scott Surovell told WUSA9 that a Commanders lobbyist told him that the team paid for a hold on the land.
WUSA9 has previously reported that team leadership was considering three potential Northern Virginia sites where a Commanders stadium could be built, two of which were in Prince William County. The documents, which WUSA9 agreed not to show on air or online but has permission to report, are marked “Washington Football Team Master Plan Workshop” dated “12.22.2021” and broken into three separate plans: Master Plan Site A, Site B and Site C.
Site B is about 26 miles from downtown D.C. right off I-95 in Woodbridge, accessible by Telegraph Road and commercial and residential streets, backing up against an existing neighborhood on Summit School Road.
Site A sits in a Dumfries development known as Potomac Shores, a development in progress with new construction going up across from the land on which the stadium would be built.
Site C, the one location outside of Prince William County, would be built on the site of Loudoun Quarries in Loudon County, minutes away from Dulles Airport.
While the team has yet to declare where the next stadium would be built after the lease runs out on FedEx Field in 2027, they have released a few details on what they are considering. Any stadium location chosen would consist of more than just the stadium itself, including outdoor and indoor training facilities, team offices, a 14,000-seat amphitheater, hotels and a conference center, residential buildings and mixed-used retail including nightlife.
In a one-on-one interview with WUSA9's Eric Flack, Commanders President Jason Wright made a few promises about what fans can expect from the next home of the team, including that the next stadium would have a dome.
"Wherever this lands, it needs to not just be a 15-event-a-year venue," Wright said. "It needs to be something that can draw 90-100 events a year because that's what any community deserves."
Wright also mentioned four design principles that he said will be considered for any location proposal, in order to safeguard the "legacy of the team": intimacy, authenticity, connection and unity.
D.C. and Maryland have both said unequivocally that they would not offer any taxpayer money to help Snyder build a stadium. However, they would offer funding for infrastructure improvements and development around the new facility. At $350 million, Virginia’s stadium package remains the most lucrative being offered to Snyder and the Commanders.