DC Mayor To Support Public Subsidy Of Proposed United Stadium

DC Mayor Says He Supports Public-Private Partnership For New United Stadium

DC Mayor Adrian Fenty said that he would support a public subsidy for a new MLS United stadium "if the team also invested in the project," according to David Nakamura of the WASHINGTON POST. Government officials and a source close to United Owner Victor MacFarlane said that the team "would pay a significant amount of money toward construction," but declined to give specifics. Fenty voted against using public funds for the Nationals ballpark deal, but he said, "No one ever said there could not be public dollars [for the Nationals]. We said it had to be a fair deal. The baseball deal was completely one-sided. I would never support a deal that is 100[%] city-funded. I would support a deal that is a public-private partnership." Meanwhile, in an effort to "temper expectations" about the project, Fenty noted no deal had been struck for a stadium at the Poplar Point redevelopment site (WASHINGTON POST, 2/15).

TALKS ONGOING: In DC, Tim Lemke reports Fenty "has had positive discussions" with the club recently about building the stadium as part of a $2.5B redevelopment of Poplar Point. Fenty: "We understand that playing at ["RFK Stadium''] can't work. We want to find a new stadium for DC United. Since Jan. 2, I can't tell you how many meetings I've personally had with DC United, let alone my staff, to try and come up with a proposal that makes sense." Lemke notes Fenty made his remarks after announcing the city "selected Clark Realty as the master developer" for the "redevelopment of the Poplar Point site," beating out several other companies "during a competitive bidding process" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 2/15).