'It's an illusion': Group blasts proposal to move Washington Capitals, Wizards to Va., citing costs
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (7News) — On Thursday, the newly formed Coalition to Stop the Arena at Potomac Yard blasted the multi-billion dollar proposal to bring the Washington Capitals and Wizards from D.C. to a new sports and entertainment district near the Potomac Yard Metro Station in Alexandria.
Frequently in these deals you are somewhat robbing Peter to pay Paul. It’s not new economic benefit, it’s simply pulling it from somewhere else and putting in this splashy area," said Alexandria resident Shannon Curtis.
For the deal to move ahead, Virginia’s General Assembly must create a sports authority.
“And we call upon all of the General Assembly to not approve this project," said group founder Andrew Macdonald.
RELATED | SEE IT: Proposed plan to move Capitals and Wizards to Potomac Yard revealed
Macdonald, once vice mayor of Alexandria, said the proposal's promise of 30-thousand-plus jobs, and nearly $50 billion in additional economic development over a 30-year period, is an illusion.
The studies show quite clearly that stadiums, by and large, do not benefit the host communities," added Macdonald.
Opponents also said without significant enhancements to the Metro station and a major investment in roadway improvements, increased traffic in this area will profoundly impact the quality of life for Alexandria residents.
“I think a lot of us feel that the transportation concerns here are really insurmountable," Curti said. "The reality is that limited parking is going to force people into surrounding neighborhoods. It’s going to create a traffic boondoggle that is already a serious concern without the arena in this neighborhood.”
7News On Your Side learned today while talking with key stakeholders that members of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership are ready, willing, and able to address local concerns.
For example, they’ve studied the cities that have succeeded and failed in these types of ventures and don’t plan on making the same mistakes. We've also learned that traffic studies are being conducted to determine the cost (likely $100-200 million) and the kind of infrastructure improvements needed to keep up with increased traffic.
There was also a concern from this group that the team's owner could up and move and leave the city and state high and dry. I'm told that stakeholders are working on a non-relocation clause in this proposal for that very reason.
We reached out to Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson who released this statement in response to comments made by the Coalition to Stop the Arena at Potomac Yard:
“We are quite mindful of unsuccessful public/private partnerships from around the nation and used their example to guide us. In partnership with external economic advisors to the City and State and our fiduciary bond advisors, we crafted a proposal that grows our local economy, mitigates financial risk, and includes large private investments, both up-front and throughout the terms of the lease. This proposal will diversify our tax base and provide substantial tax revenue to support the critical services of our city, including education, public safety, and human services.”
Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the City of Alexandria and JBG SMITH shared the following joint statement:
"We are at the beginning of a process to share the vision to build a world-class Entertainment District and engage with the Alexandria community and listen to their feedback. Alexandria residents are rightfully proud of their city and can be assured we will listen to the needs and concerns of the community. Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the City of Alexandria, and JBG SMITH look forward to partnering with community members in Alexandria and fans across the Greater Washington Area to bring to life a collective vision for Potomac Yard and create exceptional experiences and regional economic growth for decades to come."