The pro and cons of Washington’s protential new stadium locations
June 10, 2021
By Dave Earl
Current Status
Steve Thomas’s column from last week (Stadium Update) discusses the potential locations for a new stadium, which are widely known by most fans and media alike. The costs and politics involved, which were surely reasonable and calm discussions among local officials, were broken down along with a brief history of the current iconic Fed Ex Field location (insert sarcastic eye-roll here). Each location comes with its pros and cons, which I will discuss here, but ultimately a winning organization will lessen any headaches attached to each location. A perfect example the fact that the traffic alone is biggest issue/complaint about the current FedEx field location . If this team had the legacy of the 80’s teams do you think the traffic would be as big of a thorn as it is today? Complaints will always exist, as they are human nature, but having a yearly contender would ease the aggravation of not knowing the new stadium’s final destination . As far as the stadium design, assuming this previous concept isn’t realistic (seriously, a moat!!!), that’s a long way off and a topic for another day.
District of Columbia Location
As Steve alludes to in his article, the funding alone by the city makes this location near impossible with the debt investment for Nationals Park already committed too. Looking past the difficulties financially for this location, the area itself may be the most optimal in terms of transportation and amenities. Sure, traffic itself may offer more headaches and challenges than convenience but the metro system helps to alleviate highway navigation. Assuming a new stadium is placed here, one idea proposed in 2016 for the RFK site was a North-South Axis metro line which would be built along the Anacostia River. Under this plan, having a new dedicated metro system for the stadium would almost certainly be part of this area’s future redevelopment plan. To avoid boring you in a discussion of the surrounding things to do, such as a variety of restaurants and shopping, visiting Capitol Hill, or a 20-minute drive to Old Town Alexandria, I’ll allow Things To Do In Washington DC to speak for itself.
To piggyback on Steve Thomas on the financial side of the stadium, don’t expect Dan Snyder to flip the bill. The cost of design, demolition of RFK site, adding a metro line, the actual construction, and so on is far too cost-prohibitive for the city itself. The residents of DC have been pushing back on this idea to the Mayor and through Hail No RFK petition, which has garnered more than 4,000 signatures. This petition is driven by informed residents fully aware of life with an NFL stadium as your neighbor, such as the lack of economic growth during idle times. There are also parking issues that arise, but probably the biggest key point would be the taxes required to redevelop this land. I personally feel this site is the most unlikely new home of Washington’s stadium.
Current Site in Maryland
The site, which is home to Fed Ex Field, certainly has plenty to offer in terms of land availability plus the local government would welcome such a move. While Dan Snyder already owns 200 acres there in Landover, Maryland, the hurdles would be less prohibitive than the other potential sites. Land availability, the convenience of the metro system, his owning of 200 acres around the current stadium, and a good relationship with local officials probably make this the leading contender. In fact, Dan’s proposed idea of developing the area with hotels, retail, restaurants, and other recreational plans are enticing for the area. While the residents may not be 100% happy about the taxes involved, Dan’s overall vision and the potential influx of new businesses could give the area an economic boom that includes significant job creation. Considering the required undisturbed land needed (approximately 80 acres) according to Designing the Perfect NFL Stadium, Dan could realistically stay at Fed Ex Field during construction. Not having to relocate the team and facilities for a period of about 4 years poses another great advantage financially. Lastly, since Maryland legalized sports gambling, Dan’s vision to include a sportsbook in the stadium presents a huge investment pro for the organization thus certainly outweighs any negatives in my opinion.
While all the aforementioned information provides many positive aspects of the current area there is one area of concern which is the history of this team during Dan’s ownership. While many outsiders will roll their eyes over this aspect, this site is ground zero for the demise of a once-proud franchise. That, in itself, is enough for many fans to want a move to a new location and allow the ghost of Fed Ex Field’s past to become a distant memory.
Virginia and the Undisclosed Territory
For the once-popular belief that the area near Dulles Airport would be the prime location, you can refer to Steve’s column Stadium Update, as he covered that location well enough, while I focus on the mystery location. This location is apparently being eyed by Dan Snyder and is being held close to him for good reason. Any hint could result in a spike in land purchase price while areas of the land are potentially bought up by smaller investors looking to make a quick profit in reselling the land. Many reasons accompany such a strategic approach by Dan and the organization to preserve the best value for his investment. While this location is kept in secrecy, the prior vision of Snyder’s redevelopment plan mentioned earlier in the current location can surely be implemented in Virginia. With the state lacking any professional sports team and plenty of land availability for the stadium, it’s hard to believe that state officials aren’t doing all they can to lure Dan and his vision to Virginia. The economic ramifications alone would create many opportunities for the locals, especially small businesses and entrepreneurs not to mention the obvious influx of your more renowned corporations and hotels moving into the area. The proverbial “Icing on the Cake” here, in my opinion, is the Virginia Lottery approval of sports betting that makes Virginia the prime option for Dan Snyder. Certainly, the potential long travel to the sports complex would be frustrating to many fans in the DC and Maryland areas but if the team develops a winning culture, are you really going to care that much?
If I was a Betting Man
Dan Snyder will ultimately pick Virginia for the final destination as the politics and financial hurdles in DC will be too great and his vision for the current location can be implemented nearly anywhere in Virginia. The tipping point here is Virginia’s plentiful land opportunities while also approving sports betting that will ultimately sway Dan Snyder’s decision to build his new stadium within this state. That’s my perspective. I’m curious to see what your thoughts are.