Ted Leonsis, founder and chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), has hailed D.C. Council’s approval of a funding package for Capital One Arena as a “direct investment in the city”, as Mayor Muriel Bowser welcomed the introduction of legislation which could ultimately see the Washington Commanders return to RFK Stadium.
D.C. Council yesterday (Tuesday) voted unanimously to finalise a deal that was first agreed in March. MSE reached an agreement with the District of Columbia to carry out major renovation work at Capital One Arena, after plans were dropped for an entertainment district in Virginia that would have housed a new arena for the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals.
The District committed to financing of $500m (£393.2m/€476.2m) towards a renovation of Capital One Arena, the current home of the two franchises. D.C. will also provide an additional $15m towards improvements of the alley connecting Capital One Arena to the Gallery Place shopping centre.
MSE announced in December last year that it had reached the framework of an agreement for a public-private partnership to create a new entertainment district in Alexandria, Virginia. Had the proposal been finalised, the Capitals and Wizards could have relocated to Virginia as early as 2028, but MSE will now commit a minimum of $285m under the scheme that will result in a major overhaul of Capital One Arena, locking in the two teams’ future at the venue.
MSE is expected to begin construction on what is expected to be a three-year project next summer. In recent weeks, it has begun to shed light on what is planned. In October, MSE and Mayor Bowser announced the introduction of legislation supporting the public-private partnership for the major redevelopment of Capital One Arena, with the first renderings being revealed.
Clark Construction Group, Gensler and CAA Icon were also appointed as partners for the project, while plans for The Vaults, a new set of luxury suites at Capital One Arena, were unveiled and further renderings released last week (pictured).
Following yesterday’s vote, Leonsis said: “This means we can now get to work creating a world-class facility for the best fans and athletes in the world.
“This was the final step in our journey to breaking ground on what will become the new Capital One Arena, which will be a premier destination for fans and athletes and a new front door for the district’s downtown.
“It’s a direct investment in the City of DC and will ensure that it’s not only a top-tier destination for athletes, artists, and entertainers, but the people who live, work, and visit here every single day.
“I’d like to extend my sincere appreciation to Mayor Muriel Bowser and the entire DC Council, who continue to serve as trusted partners and advisors throughout this process and remain equally committed to bringing to life our vision for the city and its future.”
Commanders heading back to RFK?
Meanwhile, congressional leaders have appended the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act (H.R. 4984) as part of a government funding bill released yesterday.
The legislation was rolled out ahead of Friday’s government shutdown and includes a provision that transfers control of the site of the now defunct Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus from the federal government to the city of D.C. for 99 years.
The RFK legislation was introduced in summer 2023 and could allow a new stadium or another mixed-use development to be built at the site of RFK Stadium, boosting Bowser’s efforts to lure the Commanders back to the city.
The NFL franchise has played at Northwest Stadium in Maryland, some five miles east of Washington, D.C., since 1997. Before then, RFK Stadium was its home for 35 years.
Maryland and Virginia are also hoping to win the battle to secure the Commanders, with the team having a deal to play at its current home until September 2027. In June, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) in Washington, D.C. released a report outlining the current and potential impact of professional sports in the District as it explores the possibility of building a new stadium for the Commanders.
Bowser said yesterday: “As a city, we have worked for years toward the opportunity to transform a vacant, blighted sea of asphalt in the heart of DC and to put the RFK campus back to productive use.
“Today, we are pleased and grateful to congressional leaders for advancing this critical bipartisan legislation that recognises the potential of the land. And the potential is great – for housing and jobs; for sports, recreation, and an entertainment district; for green space, better connections to the river, and monumental views of our nation’s capital.
“The future of the RFK campus will benefit residents and visitors alike, and our vision for the renaissance and development of more than 170 acres of waterfront space will benefit the entire region.”
