WASHINGTON — Virginia's Major Employment and Investment (MEI) Project Approval Commission held a virtual closed-door meeting Monday evening to discuss a deal to move the Washington Capitals and Wizards across the Potomac River to Alexandria. While details on the project have not been made public, a lawmaker with knowledge of the discussions told WUSA9 that they'd be discussing an incentive package to lure Monumental Sports & Entertainment from D.C. to Virginia.
Just after 6:15 p.m., WUSA9 learned that the committee voted in favor of a proposal to outbid what the District government has offered Monumental, which has asked the D.C. government for $600 million for a major renovation.
The Washington Post first reported Monday that the Virginia area under consideration for the new sports venue is Alexandria's Potomac Yards neighborhood, where a new Metro station opened this year.
Monumental Sports & Entertainment, founded by Ted Leonsis, owns and operates Capital One Arena, where the Capitals and Wizards both play their home games in D.C. The arena is also known to hold many concerts and performances. Luring the organization to Alexandria could mean a big loss for both sports and music fans in D.C.
WUSA reached out to Monumental for comment and received the following statement from a company spokesperson:
"Monumental Sports & Entertainment is committed to delivering the best fan experience, winning championships, giving back to our communities, and becoming the most valuable regional sports and entertainment enterprise in the world so that we can continue to reinvest in our fans and community. Our commitment to the DMV is unwavering and we look forward to sharing plans for future investments."
Mayor Muriel Bowser's administration, who has been working on boosting the downtown area as a part of the post-pandemic economic recovery, told WUSA9 in a statement:
“Mayor Bowser and Chairman Mendelson have worked together closely, and in lockstep, to put forward a strong proposal to Monumental Sports, and after several months of negotiations, we are committed to seeing this through as a vital component of DC’s Comeback.”
Both the offices of Alexandria's mayor and Gov. Glenn Youngkin are declining to comment at this time.
The next steps would include a bill being introduced to the Virginia General Assembly during the upcoming legislative session. If the bill is approved and signed by Youngkin, then the proposal would be presented to Monumental Sports, and they would have to choose between D.C.'s offer or Virginia's offer.
The move of the professional hockey and basketball teams would be a huge loss to the District and the Chinatown corridor. In the last few weeks, businesses have told WUSA9 they are closing their doors in the area in part because of the decrease in foot traffic.