RICHMOND, Va. — Conversations about the future of a new stadium in Alexandria to house the Washington Capitals and Wizards intensified as opponents from Northern Virginia traveled to Richmond to lobby.
Pushback against the proposal to build a $2.8 billion sports and entertainment district, which would also include a practice facility and an arts venue, in Potomac Yard grew since Monumental Sports & Entertainment Owner Ted Leonsis made the announcement alongside Gov. Glenn Youngkin in December.
Members of the Coalition to Stop the Arena at Potomac Yard spent all Thursday trying to convince 29 lawmakers at the Virginia General Assembly not to support the project.
Residents from Alexandria and D.C. also joined a rally outside of the Capitol to oppose the proposal. They comprise of different community groups such as Don’t Mute DC (Stop the Move), Taxpayers Protection Alliance, The National Consumer League, and the Sports Fans Coalition.
“Our goal is to make sure that our voices are being heard and the concerns are being addressed in those closed-door meetings,” Karl Nielsen of DC New Liberals told WUSA9. “My biggest is probably the scale of the investment.”
“Economic deals like this don't work well for the local communities,” Brian Hess of Sports Fans Coalition said. “They end up putting the local communities and, in this case, the entire commonwealth, at greater risk for defaulting on bonds, not making payments and ultimately, having to raise taxes on Virginians and Alexandrians to cover this mistaken deal.”
In order to approve the proposal, state legislators must first establish a sports authority that would oversee the finances of the stadium and entertainment district.
Despite supporters including Gov. Glenn Youngkin who say the sports and entertainment district will bring 30,000 jobs and $12 billion in economic benefits, opponents are still not convinced the tax revenue generated will be enough to pay back the billions of dollars in bonds if granted.
Meanwhile, Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Fairfax County) believes the plan is “sound.”
“There's always a risk in anything you do but I think this is a good bet,” he told WUSA9.
Among the lawmakers the groups spoke to was Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria City) who told WUSA9 he still has questions about labor, affordable housing, and transportation.
Transportation and traffic remain the biggest concerns for residents and lawmakers. A study commissioned by Youngkin, Monumental Sports, and the City of Alexandria found it would take $135 to $215 million to make necessary infrastructure investments to move the sports teams to Potomac Yard.
The study focuses on Route 1 to help accommodate 2,800 more cars during peak hours when the road already carries about 50,000 vehicles per day on an average weekday. The plan also includes designated rideshare zones, a 2,500-space garage on-site, and expand access and services at the Potomac Yard Metro station to avoid extreme crowding.
“Where is the transportation money actually coming from?” Sen. Danica Roem, D-Manassas, asked. “I'm very critical about what’s going on with the transportation part and if this advances to the floor, I will have plenty of questions to ask about it.”