It's sad when I think about it. In an op-ed for the Post, Bowser (D) outlined the investments the city has made since 1997 in what is now called Capital One Arena, where the team plays. millions of of dollars It also spent $65 million to build and finance most of the practice facilities and home courts for the WNBA's Washington Mystics. The district even considered committing $500 million in public funds to keep the team in town.
But Leonsis walked out the door anyway. He wanted something beyond the district's capabilities: a sports and entertainment juggernaut. Achieving that vision requires land. Across the river at Potomac Yard in Alexandria, this type of space does more than just create an expanded and flashy new building. It features an arena with practice facilities, as well as hotel, entertainment and office space. DC couldn't touch it.
If the Virginia General Assembly blesses the handshake deal between Leonsis and Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), Leonsis and Monumental's 5% stake, the Qatari sovereign wealth fund, will take control. This move by the Qatari royal family to support Hamas will be the envy of the sports and entertainment worlds.
All is not lost. Mr. Leonsis' resignation allows the city to keep that $500 million and focus on exploring new ideas to build downtown D.C. into a great urban destination. If Monumental is successful in terminating Capital One's lease, the city says it is requiring the Wizards and Capitals to play through 2047. Monumental says it has the option to phase it out by 2027, but the district will still own the land. Can we come up with something more lasting and better?
I'll summarize Leonsis' experience in lessons learned. It is no exaggeration to say that the city should have known better. Mr. Leonsis is not the first Washington sports owner to carve out greener pastures.
In 1961, Washington's Major League Baseball team moved to fan-starved Minneapolis-St. Louis. Pole. The Washington Senators expansion team appeared in 1961, but split town for deep-pocketed Dallas in 1972.
The Washington Football Team, whose name should never be mentioned, played at RFK Stadium for 36 years before moving to a more promising location in Landover, Maryland, in 1997.
Which brings us to the question of National Football League teams.
This time last year, the NFL acknowledged that it was considering moving its managers from the FedEx site, even though then-owner Daniel Snyder had not agreed to sell the team. “The league and Mayor Bowser agree that Washington, D.C., should be at the table when considering new venues,” an NFL spokesperson said at the time. We will continue to work with the Mayor's Office, the Commander-in-Chief and the Legislature to that end, just as local officials in Maryland and Virginia are considering site and stadium options.”
Since then, Snyder, who bought the team in 1999 for $800 million, sold it to a group led by Josh Harris for $6.05 billion, reportedly a record amount for a U.S. sports franchise. .
Harris said plans are moving forward for a new Commanders Stadium and revealed: Potential locations include Maryland, Virginia and the District.
An equally important question given Leonsis' experience: Has DC even decided whether it needs a commander?
Bowser has made it clear that he hopes the team will return to D.C. she is never alone. But does she speak for everything?
It's been nearly 30 years since Washington's professional football team disappeared from the city. Our book is balanced. No matter how you look at it, Washington has done pretty well without an NFL franchise.
What will the returning team bring? Certainly not pride or memories of past glories. Your TV screens and sports pages will tell you that.
Snyder wants a new DC-funded RFK infrastructure complex, on which he would build a moated stadium and expansive commercial and entertainment district, with dreams of building a money tree on the banks of the Anacostia River. realized..
That's fair. A bid is a bid.
But apart from the fact that the owners of Commanders offer skyboxes, free tickets and parking benefits to city councilors and VIPs, and tax-deductible charity projects and activities to young people and selected community groups. , what will that be for struggling Washington, D.C., taxpayers?
What do districts get in return for large amounts of public revenue by letting their commanders play on D.C. turf?
That's the only appropriate question, and it's up to Harris to answer.
