The Redskins yesterday announced that the team will retain its corporate headquarters in Ashburn, Va., and begin working with the city of Richmond to identify a suitable training camp site to hold summer practice there, starting in ’13. Gov. Bob McDonnell approved an initial $4M performance-based grant to support the retention and expansion. The City of Richmond is considering a number of locations for Redskins summer practice (Redskins). In DC, Kumar & Maske noted as part of the deal, a $30M expansion "will be coming to the team’s Loudoun County facility,” Redskins Park. McDonnell yesterday said that the state “has been working to negotiate a deal for about a year.” He added that both Maryland and DC “offered more money, but the Redskins selected Virginia.” Loudoun County will provide $2M "over the next four years,” while Richmond has “agreed to pay as much as $400,000.” Redskins GM Bruce Allen said that that the upgrades at Redskins Park “will include a new weight room, a new training room, a new cafeteria and improvements in the technological department.” Recent data indicates that the “Redskins support 1,832 jobs in the state, directly and indirectly.” The team "generates nearly" $200M in economic activity in Virginia. The Redskins Park expansion “is estimated to support 393 jobs during construction," while generating $52.8M in total economic activity. The team's HQs currently supports, directly and indirectly, 350 jobs and provides $2.2M in state and local tax revenue, "not including the corporate income tax paid by the team” (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 6/6).
BUSINESS-FRIENDLY: McDonnell said that “from what his administration can figure out, the other localities offered ‘significantly more’ than Virginia’s package.” McDonnell: “What we have going for us is the fact that we have an incredibly business-friendly environment.” He said of the state’s funding, “It is a reasonable investment. We’ll get far more than $4 million in state tax dollars.” He added had the team left Virginia, “there would be an immediate and sudden impact” on the annual revenues it generates (FREDERICKSBURG.com, 6/6).
