[ad_1]
The joint features come as A discussion was held by the district authorities with Leonsis about the restoration of the capital building and Wizards in the city at this time. Main one Arena. DC Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Under a draft plan drawn up between Virginia and Monumental, which requires additional approval from the state and local government, the new team building will anchor a more mixed-use development in Alexandria. Tents were seen near the Potomac Yard Metro station on Tuesday evening before Wednesday.
Monumental has asked the District for $600 million in public funds for a major renovation of Capital One Arena, and some D.C. officials are positioning that project as key to the city’s revitalization. struggling in the house. The District is also undermining the upcoming competition for the Commanders’ next football stadium, the Washington Nationals’ baseball team’s requests for improvements. and the severity of financial constraints.
If the plan with Virginia moves forward, both the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League will relocate to a new facility in Alexandria, according to seven people familiar with the negotiations over the plan. They all spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details. .
One person briefed on Alexandria’s request said that the Virginia stadium manager will own the mixed-use facility and lease it to Monumental. The “mini-city development” will also include a small entertainment center and a “huge” parking lot, the person said. It will be built on land owned by real estate developer JBG Smith.
The state’s Commission on Regulatory Affairs and Investments, which includes 10 Virginia lawmakers, voted unanimously Monday afternoon to approve the plan, according to two people familiar with the matter. understanding of negotiations. Any transaction between the state and the Monumental requires additional approval from the General Assembly and the Alexandria City Council.
A spokesman for Youngkin did not respond to requests for comment.
Leonsis has been complaining about having a mortgage for years with negative comments on the Capital One Arena, which in 2016 he estimated to be $ 36 million annually. He called it “the worst business house in professional sports” and suggested he could leave the city if he paid the mortgage.
The arena, built in 1997, is one of the oldest buildings in the NHL and NBA. It could still host concerts and college basketball games if Monumental’s deal with Virginia moves forward. Monumental also has the Mystics, who play in a different arena in Southeast Washington.
Potomac Yard, a former railroad yard that was once considered the site of a football stadium, has long been targeted by Alexandria officials as a potential redevelopment site. Any stadiums and events nearby will also generate pushback from nearby town residents regarding increased traffic and impacts. the flood.
Two people familiar with Virginia’s proposal said it would include about $200 million in transportation improvements to support the new stadium, though it was not specified which roads would be affected. The two people said there are discussions on expanding capacity at the Potomac Yard Metro station, including adding a signal to connect the station directly to the proposed stadium.
Youngkin has raised several House and Senate Democrats on the project, according to two people familiar with his efforts, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share private discussions. .
That outreach — notable for a governor who hasn’t had warm relations with many Democrats and doesn’t often push politicians of either party — began soon after Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives. and failed to bring the Senate back to the General Assembly on November 7. vote, said two people.
With Democrats leading both chambers, Youngkin will need them to pass legislation to create a gaming authority to oversee funding for the project and approve additional funding for transportation.
Some prominent Democrats declined to comment on the project on Tuesday, saying they wanted to wait until Youngkin made it official. But it was revealed by a few people who did not get on the boat.
“I have been told that this transaction will not use any state $$ & have no impact on the debt capacity of the City of Alex or Virginia. It is obviously a trust but given the circumstances, it needs to be a A real win-win to get my support,” wrote Del. Marcus B. Simon (D-Fairfax) on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Senate Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth), chairwoman of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, framed the project as a trade-off. for regional or Democratic primary.
“While some people want sports betting… I want the rents to disappear from Hampton Roads *and* I want to buy recreational marijuana,” he tweeted. “We have to find some compromises in this meeting.”
Meagan Flynn, Nicki Jhabvala and Sam Fortier contributed to this report.