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But it seems too little, too late. By the time he and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) announced official funding legislation late Tuesday night, tents had gone up near the site of the Potomac Yard Metro to await a joint statement between Leonsis and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. (R).
While Bowser said he and Leonsis had been negotiating in good faith for months, what appeared to be a last-minute “best and final” offer was the reason. critics privately question whether he moved hastily because of Virginia’s efforts to influence Leonsis.
He said in a press conference on Wednesday that he did.
“We believe we put all the money we can on the table when we can,” Bowser said, noting that D.C. ran into its debt filing earlier this year. hinder negotiations. A financial turnaround allowed DC to refinance some of its debt this fall, he said, making Leonsis’ company, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, a better offer. give money “We were brutal about it.”
The departure of the teams will greatly affect the economy in the District and the District of Gallery Place-Chinatown near the Capital One Arena. It also complicates a banner goal of Bowser’s third term: to revitalize the city, due to the housing affordability crisis. Businesses are only expected to fail. He announced that the city will make a plan for a vibrant city in the spring this fall. Instead, the mayor’s agenda has been hampered by a sudden spike in violent crime and changes in key roles in his administration — chief among them, until recently, a leaders to oversee economic development.
Congressman Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), who has been perhaps the most vocal legislator in favor of focusing on Capital One Arena, said he was concerned over the summer that The city recognizes the Wizards and Capitals. But in this case, “the urgency was not there,” he said.
“I think it’s easy to get distracted by the new shiny ball, but we knew there was a list coming,” Allen said, apparently referring to Bowser’s target. in attracting the Washington Commanders to RFK Stadium as Leonsis weighed in. “We knew that Virginia was friendly to the teams at Monumental Sports. So that’s why we needed to make sure that we saw a vibrant Cap One as part of our overall plan in the city.
And I don’t think the city is working as fast and strategically in the reconstruction of the city as we need. This was not inevitable.”
Bowser on Wednesday said his administration will move forward with a task force to rethink economic development in the Capital One Arena area.
“We know that DC, the fans, the DC fans are loyal and they’re upset today, and they’re upset with Monumental’s decisions – or, what their decisions seem to be, like me,” he said, before turning to what he was trying to frame as a certain future. “But people have already contacted me, offering to be a part of the next one. A senior told me at our annual seniors’ holiday. , ‘Remember when one door closes, many more open.'”
Leonsis has long complained about the city’s lack of investment in the Capital One Arena – which was built in 1997 and is one of the oldest arenas in the NHL and NBA – and also about the increase in crime. in the area after the disaster.
But as Monumental Sports tries to secure investment and increase security from the city, Bowser also works to lure the Leader – something the mayor has set up as an ambition. At the same time, the Washington Nationals are looking to invest in the city in improving their ball.
In an effort to meet the needs of all the teams, Bowser announced the “sports team” in his department of economic development in July, at one point to reflect the changing effect of the promotion. the Wizards in town in the 1990s — “where they belong,” he added.
But even though Bowser said the effort remains on track and on time, in the last five months it seems to be moving slowly: It has not hired consultants to launch on a “study sports” about the economic impact of professional sports teams until October – a study that was intended to include the study of the impact of the Capital One Arena in the city.
Bowser and Mendelson appeared to ramp up their efforts in the run-up to Wednesday’s announcement, secretly donating $500 million. The government’s funding offer on Sunday, the money will be borrowed over three years as part of the capital projects budget.
Today, Virginia lawmakers voted to advance its agreement in a closed session.
In a 34-page draft that the two executives shared with Leonsis, the pitch described the Gallery Place-Chinatown border as an “entertainment hub,” talking about museums and restaurants and space for indoor outdoor festivals. the busy city. He also pledged to increase security on the field, to respond to the concerns of Leonsis and the country, and floated a special group to focus on improving security and reducing crime, traffic and congestion.
“We have the opportunity to restart a once-in-a-generation transformation of our city,” Bowser and Mendelson wrote in a letter presented to Leonsis at the start of the show. “We can set a new bar for urban arenas and create an unparalleled fan experience, while effectively connecting Capital One to the community and establishing the arena as an entertainment destination in our nation’s capital.”
On Tuesday morning, Bowser met with Mendelson and Leonsis at Monumental’s offices and discussed the pitch in person, Mendelson said in an interview.
While Mendelson described Leonsis as “exciting” at the presentation, the leaders of DC learned about the plan of the Virginians on Wednesday-morning, which caused them to leave the meeting with an agreement to speed up the writing the law they released on Tuesday night.
“The importance of the stadium as it is and renovating it to provide more activities is a great impact, a great benefit to the city. With what Virginia is looking for, we lose a lot of that,” Mendelson said.
Critics worry that Bowser and his team did not take seriously the threat that Leonsis would follow through on a deal to build a new stadium in Virginia, according to two people familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity. discuss sensitive negotiations.
Bowser rejected that suggestion Wednesday, saying he and officials took it seriously — but there’s little he can do for Leonsis in D.C. if his best interest is construction. a square from the ground up in the city, the place of the lot. Mendelson added that the chief financial officer only paid off the debt in mid-November — not to help Monumental — and that he and Bowser had previously discussed using the increase. the ability to borrow on a Monumental offer at the end of this week.
But, in general, from residents to members of the council to critics, the feeling that emerged on Wednesday should not be in this way, then they wonder what happened.
Like Allen, Kenyan Assembly member R. McDuffie (I-At Large), who chairs the economic development committee, said he never knew the offer or a law until Tuesday and feel unhappy with the way the negotiations were handled.
“First and foremost, I’m very unhappy – even angry – about what’s going on,” he said. “I don’t think we should get to this point, where Monumental has made the decision to leave the District of Columbia.” I think that due to the urgency of our needs to manage the city and really contribute some new funds to the reconstruction of the city, I expect a more immediate and strong offer from the administration. And I expect a more cooperative way to negotiate a deal with honesty.
Gerren Price, president and CEO of the DowntownDC Business Improvement District, said the loss of the Wizards and Capitals will “hurt a little more” especially because those teams are there to help bring in $ 341 million worth of revenue.
“Having a lot of people in and out of that arena brings energy and excitement that attracts people, and it brings in other businesses – those are the things that people use to justify opening up.” it’s new business,” Price said. “I think a lot of people are feeling anxious and confused this morning, just asking: ‘What does the future look like?'”
According to Price, his current job is to work with the new project team on a new look for Gallery Place – with and without the Wizards and Capitals. “We have been saying for years that we need to reinvest and revitalize our Gallery Place-Chinatown neighborhood.”
Derek Hyra, a professor of public administration at American University, said that despite Bowser’s vision to make DC a “sports hub,” Washington’s economy does not revolve around sports. and believe that the city can recover with a new mixed-use vision. the area surrounding the First Capital.
Still, “this is a blow to Muriel E. Bowser and Washington, DC, and a huge political victory for Youngkin,” he said. “There is no doubt.”
Monumental Sports will not completely abandon Capital One Arena if Virginia’s plan goes through. Monica Dixon, president of Monumental’s external affairs, said that the plan is to expand the events in the field and may promote the Washington Mystics – who, in 2019, began to play in New Entertainment and Sports Arena at Congress Heights – at Capital One.
Bowser did not immediately reveal any questions about what, what is the plan for ESA if the Mystics move back to Capital One.
Dixon declined to discuss why Monumental did not accept DC’s offer or why the city lost Monumental on a deal, saying the company intends to continue a partnership with the sacrifice.
Bowser and Mendelson seemed to be clinging to the hope that they were still “in the game,” as Bowser put it. There was the time in 1992, after all, when the Washington Redskins showed up with then-Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder (D) announces a deal to move from RFK Stadium to Potomac Yard. That never happened – history is expected by the two leaders to repeat itself.
Barry Svrluga, Teo Armus and Sam Fortier contributed to this report.