Caps and Wiz moving to Potomac Yards?

[Smithian]

To be clear, while I’m mad at DC, I do think Virginia taxpayers are being screwed.

[imref]

To be clear, while I’m mad at DC, I do think Virginia taxpayers are being screwed.

hard to say until there are numbers. The Post noted that the creation of a stadium authority allows for floating bonds at State rates. Interest on the bonds would be paid by tax revenues generated by the stadium. They would also build a lot of other shops/restaurants/housing, plus an Anthem-style arena.

[imref]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39100527/ted-leonsis-plans-move-wizards-capitals-virginia

[Five Banners]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39100527/ted-leonsis-plans-move-wizards-capitals-virginia

This brings to mind the history that there was a Washington Caps that moved to Virginia and became the Squires. Rename the basketball team that or even the Washington Capitals and give them a fresh start. It could be time for another group of franchises in the same area with the same name.

[HalfSmokes]

For $1 billion, Virginia should get one of the two teams to drop Washington for Virginia

[Five Banners]

For $1 billion, Virginia should get one of the two teams to drop Washington for Virginia

It says something that after all this time calling them the “Wizards“ still feels forced and unnatural

[HalfSmokes]

It says something that after all this time calling them the “Wizards“ still feels forced and unnatural

My kids always correct me when I call them the bullets. Wizards still feels wrong. Maybe they can buy the rights to the Generals name. They’re going to be near the Pentagon and Mount Vernon and they suck- it really is perfect

[Count Walewski]

This is going to be a complete traffic disaster. There is one road serving the site - US Route 1 / Richmond Highway. The GW Parkway goes RIGHT by the site but there is no exit.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

This is going to be a complete traffic disaster. There is one road serving the site - US Route 1 / Richmond Highway. The GW Parkway goes RIGHT by the site but there is no exit.

I bet Youngkin tells VA Deq to approve a ramp thru the wetlands.

[HalfSmokes]

I bet Youngkin tells VA Deq to approve a ramp thru the wetlands.

The GW is federal. We couldn’t even get a stop light supported by Warner, Beyer and our state Senator and rep despite multiple fatal accidents. Instead, we get a ridiculous road diet

[Natsinpwc]

But Ted promised Abe he would keep the team in DC. 

[imref]

My kids always correct me when I call them the bullets. Wizards still feels wrong. Maybe they can buy the rights to the Generals name. They’re going to be near the Pentagon and Mount Vernon and they suck- it really is perfect

Rename them to the Masons?

[Five Banners]

But Ted promised Abe he would keep the team in DC.

Perhaps he was going by the pre-1840 borders

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I think I'm entering the denial stage of grief

[Natsinpwc]

I think I'm entering the denial stage of grief

Can’t blame you.  Not many owners like Abe who built his own arena.

[imref]

DC made a best and final offer tonight of $500 million. Seems ted wants the practice facilities in the same location as the arena. Wiz currently practice at entertainment and sports complex in anacostia. Caps are in Arlington.

One of the Post stories says Ted is upset at buskers outside the arena and wants room for a tv studio.

[imref]

FWIW, the last time there was a major sports announcement at Potomac yards was in 1992 when Gov Wilder and Jack Kent Cook announced plans for a 78,000 seat Redskins stadium at the site.

[HalfSmokes]

I wonder if the city of Alexandria will get a vote. This won’t be popular with anyone living in Potomac yards, del ray, or Rosemont. Even old town will be miserable if the GW and RT 1 are clogged on game days.

[Smithian]

DC made a best and final offer tonight of $500 million. Seems ted wants the practice facilities in the same location as the arena. Wiz currently practice at entertainment and sports complex in anacostia. Caps are in Arlington.

One of the Post stories says Ted is upset at buskers outside the arena and wants room for a tv studio.

I admit the landlocked nature of the neighborhood and the desperation of a wealthy state next door set the table against DC. I just believe DC by letting the nature slip allowed Leonsis an easier time moving.

He should take this opportunity to rebrand the Wizards.

[Smithian]

I wonder if the city of Alexandria will get a vote. This won’t be popular with anyone living in Potomac yards, del ray, or Rosemont. Even old town will be miserable if the GW and RT 1 are clogged on game days.

The NIMBY vibe in that area seems strong. I imagine the backlash will be tough but insufficient.

[HalfSmokes]

The NIMBY vibe in that area seems strong. I imagine the backlash will be tough but insufficient.

The mayor is up for election a year from now. Wilson isn't running. I think if Alexandria gets a vote, they say no because saying yes ends a candidate's career in local politics. That being said, I would not be surprised if Virginia learned their lesson from the commanders debacle where the closest county willing to say yes was Prince William and removed the ability for local governments to say no

[JCA-CrystalCity]

The GW is federal. We couldn’t even get a stop light supported by Warner, Beyer and our state Senator and rep despite multiple fatal accidents. Instead, we get a ridiculous road diet

thinking about it a little, I'm not sure VA has authority to issue federal wetlands permits, so I'm guessing this would be an Army Corps of Engineering call. I sort of feel that will go as well as the FBI HQ.

[Smithian]

Give Ted and his new playmates full credit.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/11/08/wizards-capitals-qatar-ted-leonsis/

“This summer, Leonsis became the first NBA or NHL owner to take advantage of these rules, selling a 5 percent stake of Monumental Sports to the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) for approximately $200 million. For Leonsis, it’s the ideal business relationship, and he said the Qatari fund will have no influence on Monumental’s teams.

““I don’t view QIA as partners. I view them as investors,” he said. “And I’m aligned with their investment philosophy, which is: ‘We believe in you, Ted, and Monumental management as managers, where you’re fiduciary to all of your partners to do the right things in the right way. And we are not involved.’“

And yet there might be a scintilla of a sliver of a possible chance maybe that they were in the loop more than the local citizenry up to this point.

The one sliver lining here is it is looking really possible that the Qataris could buy into US sports through Monumental, and, should that happen, I'll be very happy they're no in DC.

[Smithian]

I don't know what DC does next.

Feel good criminal policies did not work. I-82 has been a disaster for restaurants that will only get worse. The federal workforce isn't coming back. Trendy neighborhoods like Navy Yard have become crime ridden. The addition of the Commanders wouldn't have the economic boost to make up for losing Caps/Wiz, and I'm not sure they can now afford it. The metro is going to heck because, while fare evasion is legal, the system is broke.

I love DC. I think it's a special place with so much more to offer than being our nation's capital city. But I spent years laughing at San Francisco and New York and LA and now I think I missed us turning into those cities.

[machpost]

It's really sad. I may be unique in this, but i love going to the arena downtown and am not looking forward as much to going to Alexandria.

If the move happens, and it looks pretty likely at this point, I'll never spend another cent on the Caps or the Wizards. Not because they're going to Alexandria, but because of what greedy Ted will be doing to downtown DC. The loss of these teams will be absolutely devastating and it could take decades for the city to recover.