WOODBRIDGE, Va. — The prospect of a new stadium for the Washington Commanders in Prince William County continues to draw mixed reactions from fans and residents, but if you ask one supervisor, she will maintain from commenting until there are formal plans.
The organization has "procured" 200 acres of land in Woodbridge with a value of about $100 million. A spokesperson for the Commanders stressed the team is still assessing multiple locations across the DMV.
A state lawmaker described the deal as a "purchase option," which would give the Commanders the right to buy the land in the future. The location in Woodbridge was one of three proposed sites in Virginia, first unveiled by WUSA9.
Prince William County Supervisor Margaret Franklin of the Woodbridge District could not say if she can support having a stadium in the city because she has not seen any plans.
Neighbors near the proposed location by Telegraph Road against an existing neighborhood on Summit School Road oppose a stadium. The homeowners association sent a letter to county officials to express disapproval.
"Once we see some actual information come before the board, I'm sure we'll evaluate all of those concerns," Franklin told WUSA9 before the county board of supervisors meeting on Tuesday. "If it were to come before the board we will evaluate that as we do with any other project and we'll look at potential economic revenue, potential traffic mitigation, and we'll look at environmental concerns in totality as we do with each project that comes forward."
While Franklin is keeping mum on the idea, she said "looking at any economic booster is always a good thing."
Weighing the pros and cons will be a big undertaking for the board if a plan moves forward. The distance of about 26 miles from downtown D.C. is enough of a concern for fans.
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.